Everything I Loved in Autumn
Everything I loved in Autumn
With everything that is going on in the world right now, it’s hard to believe that we’ve only been officially in the winter season for a few weeks. Autumn was a season of two halves, the first being generally quite normal, well whatever that means right now, and then the second half was spent in a month-long lockdown. There were a few things I purchased and discovered in autumn that soon became firm favourites and have continued to be of great use even in the coldest weather so I thought I’d share with them you today!
FINISTERRE JUMPER
I kept seeing this speckled oatmeal roll-neck jumper of dreams on an Instagram ad and got completely sucked in. After seeing it over 50 times in a matter of weeks I finally took the plunge and treated myself to it. It’s the most expensive jumper I’ve ever purchased but it’s one that I hope I’ll be wearing in many, many years due to the classic style and I am a sucker for a roll-neck as it doubles up a scarf in the cold weather. As well as the general beauty of the jumper what made me take the plunge to treat myself to such a luxe piece of knitwear is how transparent and sustainable the brand is. I not only know where and what factory my jumper was made but I also know the materials and the origin of them and why the brand chooses to use them. Having so much transparency about where your clothes are made is quite incredible and whilst I’m not always able to shop as sustainably as this it felt good to make a considered purchase from somewhere that holds sustainability so high.
barbour jackets
I’m fortunate enough to have two Barbour jackets and they’re my go-to coat in autumn and winter as they’re practical enough that I can wear them on dog walks without worrying about them getting completely ruined. And pre-covid I used to wear them into town and still felt well put together. Barbour jackets are expensive, there is no denying it but I do truly feel like they’re worth the investment as they’re designed to last and I love the look of a truly worn in Barbour. The key to getting the longevity out of them is to take proper care of them with regular rewaxing to maintain that waterproof quality that makes wax cotton such a desirable coat fabric. I find that once a year is enough for me for my jackets to keep looking fresh. I have the Beadnell which is arguably the most popular style for women. This is what I tend to wear when we start to get into the colder months and then again when spring rolls around as I find it’s not quite warm enough for me when the real cold weather starts to hit. Then I have the Kelsall jacket which is more of a traditional parka style coat and despite it being made of a lightweight wax I find it keeps me incredibly warm even in the coldest of climates.
home shopping
I go through phases when it comes to buying things for our home, sometimes I love it and get really into sucked into the interior world of Instagram but more often than not I tend to be pretty strict with what I'm buying. As we’re not in our forever home I don’t want to buy anything that might not work for the next house that we live in so I try and keep any purchases we do make as simple as possible. As we approached the festive season I got the urge to add a few new pieces to our living room especially as we were getting ready to put the tree up. There were a few seasonal bits that I purchased that were put up but are now firmly tucked away until next year but a few bits that stayed including this lovely little felt ball garland that can stay out all year I think!
my favourite tv shows coming back
Obviously, due to Covid things aren’t being filmed as usual but one of favourite things about the arrival of autumn is that all my most loved tv shows come back onto the air. Some haven’t this year which is understandable as I can’t even imagine how difficult is to film a tv show whilst adhering to health and safety guidelines to keep everyone safe. But having Grey’s Anatomy and This Is Us back have been real highlights of my week as I enjoy them both so much.
instax polaroids
I’ve had a little Instax polaroid for years now and for so long I’ve presumed it was broken as every time I took a photograph it came out black. So I presumed it was a camera issue as I’d changed the film packet and it still didn’t work. Back in October, I ordered a fresh pack of film on a whim to see if it was the camera or the film and I was so happy to discover that it must have been a bad pack of film. There is something so special about the art of the polaroid and never quite knowing what you’re going to get. I’m hoping to make a little project out of documenting 2021, although the urge to document what is going on right now is pretty slim. But having a little collection of Instax snaps documenting little snippets of our life will be so nice to keep.
fjällraven kanken 2.0 bag
I bought my first Kanken bag a few years ago and it’s my favourite backpack by far and I’d wanted a different colour for quite a while. I know they can be seen as one of those trendy and some might say hipster items but that still doesn’t take away from how nice they are. Instead of going for another one of the original Kankens, I went for the Kanken 2.0 in the dark garnet shade which has a few different details compared to the original. These subtle little changes like the leather logo, leather tabs, and the small seat pad all make a big difference I find in the way the bag not only looks but how it performs too. I find the Kankens great for the general outdoor activity I’m doing, we’re not super serious hikers by any means but generally walk around 5-8 miles with the dogs. If I want to take my camera, food, and a blanket this is more than adequate for that. I never have an issue with straps digging in either which I know can be a problem for some but I’ve always found it comfortable to wear all day. This is a waxed bag too meaning to maintain its waterproof nature it needs rewaxing maybe every year or so. I’ll probably do it the same time that I do my Barbour jackets as I find once a year works well for them.
brogini richmond boots
The quest for the perfect brown Chelsea style walking boot is one that has haunted me for years. I thought the Dr Marten Zillow Temperly boots were the ones for me but then only 7 months into owning them I started to have big issues with the zip constantly coming down whilst I was walking. So I returned them (you get a 2 year guarantee buying direct from Dr Marten) and the hunt continued. On my many trawls through the internet, I came across the brand Brogini, an equestrian brand. These boots were exactly what I’d been looking for but I was a little apprehensive as the sizing is a little odd, they only go down to a 4.5 UK size. Thankfully with a decent pair of socks they’re a perfect fit and they’re my dream boot and they’re wearing well so far. They’re incredibly comfortable and didn’t require any wearing in, I’d only had them a few days and managed to walk 10 miles in them and my feet didn’t ache at all. To keep the leather in good condition I use the Renapur Leather Balsam and that is by far the best leather care product I’ve found for boots.
