The late autumn explosion of colour, crisp mornings, dark nights…
I really wanted to do a post with very autumnal photos: posing in front of some autumn leaves, wrapped up in a warm coat… and I’m glad I finally managed it before the leaves are all gone, and it gets grey and cold…
So, what was the problem?
Well, my photographer (a.k.a husband) is only around at weekends (yes, I’m a weekend wife…), and recently we’ve been spending weekends in England (except for the weekend in Paris). This means that I’ve been taking the plane on Friday evening after work and getting back late on Monday, just in time for work on Tuesday afternoon…
So, we’ve only spent one weekend in Finland during the past four weeks. And that’s when these pictures were taken.
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| dress; Boden / pashmina: Balmuir /necklace: Kenneth Jay Lane |
This is what I call my late autumn uniform: a wrap dress and a wool coat.
Let’s make one thing clear: this is not a winter coat. Sure, it’s thick and warm… provided the temperature is above freezing. And it’s not winter unless the temperature drops below freezing. What can I say? I’m Nordic, we have a different definition for winter here… Lets get back to that in January, OK?
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| sunglasses: Chanel (old) / brooch: Nina Ricci via Hirst Antiques |
And, as this is an old coat,
you can see that I haven’t resolved my winter coat issue yet. I finally decided against getting a new wool coat, mainly because I didn’t find anything I liked (I have a natural aversion to neutral / dark colours and I-hope-this-won’t-make-me-look-fat cocoon shapes…).
And at this point of the year it makes more sense to look for a coat for the really cold weather as I will get more wear out of it. However, I’m beginning to think that maybe my expectations are too high. On the other hand, choosing a winter coat is a bit like choosing a husband: you must pick one you won’t get tired of seeing every day, for the rest of your life… (or, in the case of a winter coat, from December till April…)
What’s your favourite late autumn cover-up?
Tiina
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A wrap dress is one of my favorite things to wear, and you look splendid in yours! Thanks for sharing with Visible Monday, xo.
I have so many wrap dresses that I've lost count… and I do try to have a very small wardrobe.
I love that coat, especially the colour of it. I hear you on the fact that most winter coats are for winter at all. They are for "cool" Fall days. The only one I've got that I would consider to be a true winter coat is one I picked up at an estate sale that is made out of some kind of fur and goes down to my ankles. Normally I'm against all kinds of fur but I honestly thought it was fake fur when I bought it. Also my huge puffy down coat that you'll never catch me dead in taking photos for my blog would be my other winter coat. The one that you can find me shovelling the driveway in where it adds about 30 lbs to my frame and makes me look like a blushing Puft the Marshmallow woman. I envy your weekends. How wonderful to be able to travel like that. I'm sure it keeps the romance alive. That last photo is really gorgeous.bisousSuzanne
Oh, I intend to post photos of my puffy down coats, maybe in February, even though they always make me look a bit like the Michelin Man… These sort or weekend trips have very little to do with romance, I'm afraid. When you commute between two houses in two countries that means that there's always a bit of chaos, nothing gets done, and whatever you need is in the wrong place… but you get used to it.
Beautiful blue coat…it is so vibrant and matches your beautiful smile!
Thanks, Pam!
Oh that blue coat is so beautiful. No need to get a new one. This one is perfect.
Thanks, Connie. Yes, I decided that this coat will do for now… And soon it will get a lot colder anyway.
I think my favorite late autumn cover up is your beautiful blue coat. When you find that new one you're looking for, I'll buy your old one!!!
Thanks! But I think I'll keep it… at least for the time being…
Wrap dresses are gorgeous on you, Tiina. This one has such a fun print, and the necklace adds interest. Love the color of your coat – you look great in it!OK, since we are talking serious winter here, I sure have my own fair share of it. There were a few years when my Mom couldn't afford anything but a wool coat (with a thick insulation!) or a fake fur coat, but living in Siberia and having to walk and use public transportation, none of them would do without a risk to get seriously ill. It;s not just occasionally cold, it is cold 24/7 for half of the year. So, we wear natural fur coats ("shuba" in Russian), again, with thick war insulation, sheepskin coats and some serious down parkas for coldest months, which would be pretty much from the end of October till April. And you know, women in Russia still manage to look very stylish in such conditions. I am glad that where I live now winter is just what you describe winter in London is – mild, rainy, almost never snowy, rarely goes below 0 C (32 F). I am so done with cold. If I move, I will only move to even a warmer climate, though I love the look and feel of fur, and even parkas can be fun. 🙂
Thanks, Natalia! This is actually one of the few print dresses I have, mostly my dresses are in solid colour. Oh, the winter coats… Siberia is one of the coldest places on earth, so no wonder you've had enough of the cold and snow… By February I feel ready to move just about anywhere warm, too, and it doesn't get nearly that cold in Helsinki! And I dream of getting a fur coat, however politically incorrect it may be these days. The women in my family also used to have fur coats, and shearling coats, in winter. It was just normal when I was growing up. I think I even had one, as a child… And I think I still have my mother's old fur coat somewhere…
Your dress is so flattering on you. I love the style and colours in such a beautiful pattern. I've never actually bought anything from Boden but every time I see it modelled I always desire to pop onto their site and take a look. Beautiful coat too!
Thanks! Boden has really nice clothes, but as with most mail order companies, it can also be disappointing as the sizing is not always consistent. I actually prefer brick-and-mortar shops as I like to try clothes on before buying and hate the hassle of returning items, so I rarely buy anything online.
I can see the two of us were thinking alike. So glad you were able to capture your photo opportunity, they are beautiful. Love your version of an autumn wrap. The fall this here as been in the high 70's so no coat for me yet. Last Fall I spent the entire Month of October in England, it was a dream come true.
Thanks, Trina. Yes, autumn is so lovely, I wish it would last longer… I wouldn't mind skipping winter completely, either.
Great shade of blue…it looks lovely on you. My husband is also my photographer and he too travels abroad a lot… sometimes over weekends as well. Sara
Thanks, Sara. Blue is one of my favourite colours, and so much kinder to pale faces than black or grey.
Beautiful. And right of the moment. Lovely styling as always … you absolutely have a clear picture of what suits you and you go for it!Coats … I love them and especially the classics. I finally got the pink coat of my dreams from last year (too warm to wear it just yet) and am dreaming of a black, super simple collar-less and light-weight overcoat. We shall see. Can't hold these dreams too close, or so I've learned!
Thanks, Jan! I love wearing coats, too, and would love to have a whole wardrobe full of them. But as I travel a lot, I also try to find 'the one', a coat that goes with everything and suits every occasion and weather… it doesn't exist. Still, packing several coats is a nightmare…