Big coats, long boots & a few bags and gloves thrown in too !

Your winter uniform?
A big coat. Long boots.
It’s as easy as that.
The FiFi philosophy: Invest in strong pieces like a major coat and serious boots.
Then build an outfit around (under!) those two items with pieces that you already own. Pieces that are understated, that just slide underneath a coat without a murmur.  Then add a fabulous designer bag and you’re done!

Let’s talk coats!

• A coat that’s long. Mid shin. Longer. Oversized. Go up a size if you need to. I always do.
• It can be single breasted or double breasted: just make sure it does up at the front and covers ‘the situation’. Meaning ? Make sure it sits across your front even when it’s undone. Because who wears a coat done up (except in London mid winter ?) It needs to look good undone right?
• You need to invest in a standout FiFi approved colour.
• You know what that means : Camel, navy, grey, brown, white , khaki , furry, suede or even leather.
• Walk past black. It’s not going to give you vava voom, bang for your buck. If you spend money you want your outerwear to make a statement. It’s what people see first. It’s working hard.
• Black is going to bring everything down. Total yawn fest. Nigh Nigh ! Can be so hard to style, have to try really hard with a black coat, it has to be VERY exaggerated to look cool.
• Everybody keep calm: if you have a long black winter coat (and I do have a few!) then keep wearing them but there’s a solution to wearing them so they look modern:
• Surround a black coat with tan, white and camel. Fabulous boots. Cream knits. Light wash denim. Instant chic. Default to white under there. Grey is good under it and so is a pleather skirt or pants. Welcome to my world.
• Remember big shoulders are happening. This is great in a coat. Makes a statement. Looks edgy. Gives shape and drama. A more tailored coat is looking new but it’s still BIG and LONG.
• A wrap belt is chic too and of course so is a cape.
• SHOP coats ( boots below !)

Let’s talk boots!

• Invest in knee high long boots. With a heel. Block or low kitten. Does anyone wear high heels any more?
• Also love knee high flat boots , riding boots almost these are fab. They will fit under jeans and pants but also look great with an A line skirt.
• Colours? In all boots you want white/cream. In choc brown. Tan. Or black.
• You want a block heel, a kitten heel and a round toe. Pointy is fine as well but maybe not as casual. Not as versatile. (I’d wear round toe boots for say a breakfast on a Saturday whereas pointy can look too… done. )
• You want knee high boots because they should fit easily UNDER your wide leg jeans AND with skirts.
• Short ankle boots with skirts? NO NO AND NO! Wrong. dated. And what do you do about covering your legs? Black opaques maybe ? mmm. I say instead just buy knee length boots and wear with everything.
• Please say goodbye to those old short ankle boots : they were having a love affair with skinny jeans. But now?
  Aurevoir. It’s over/ Time to move on. Wide jeans love knee high boots because they fit under there.
• For the country? When you need hardcore waterproof boots go to Penelope Chilvers.
• If you do invest in ankle boots then make sure they sit high up the leg like this, they work with long pants but also with your all your crop jeans. It’s a lewk. And you get to wear all your shorter pants.
• If you go for a combat boots make sure they are mid shin so they meet your coat or sit under your skirt. And since you’re asking I think combat boots are still right : Especially in the rain or casually. I will be pulling my long ones out again to wear with skirts like this and under jeans like this.
• I have been wearing my cream boots for 5 years now and will pull out again. Love.) I bought these choc brown boots last year .Love them. Did you nab a pair too? Similar below in delicious suede and black.
• Black is Ok but not as much as wardrobe updater as cream or brown boots. But I do own black boots and will definitely be pulling out again. See all the ways I have been wearing boots here.
• I say mind the gap. Your legs should be covered , PLEASE no flash of skin between boots and hem. Eeek. Drives me nuts. I think it looks like the outfit is ill fitting. Not generous, not lush, not thought out. All boots should be long for that very reason. That way they sit under the hem of the skirt.. get shopping below.

Check out my pick of the best long boots below – with a few bags, gloves and hats to joosh it up

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