Autumn Fashion Picks

As we are now officially in Autumn (hooray!) I thought I'd share with you some of the new items of clothing I have bought recently for the new season. As I am trying to be more minimal in my lifestyle I now make much more conscious decisions about what I choose to buy and instead of buying loads of new things all at once I have instead thought long and hard about what it is I actually need and made more deliberate choices. I also try to buy more high quality items that I know will last the distance and not go out of fashion. I also obviously have to take into account that I only want to buy vegan friendly and cruelty free articles of clothing which means avoiding wool, fur etc, but there are plenty of great faux options available. 

One of the first pieces of clothing I looked for was a decent warm jumper. I don't often shop at Zara but on a recent visit to Westfield Stratford I came across this cream Fringed Knit Sweater which I was pleased to find is completely synthetic. I love how it has some qualities of a traditional knitted jumper but with some edgy fringing and details. Its so warm and cosy and as it is a slightly oversized fit it's also nice and long which I always look for in tops and jumpers. Zara actually have a great selection of affordable knitwear this season so they're well worth checking out. Just remember to check for what it is made from and, if like me you're trying to be more conscious of your choices, avoid some of their more garish designs.   

As soon as Autumn arrives I am so happy to be able to wear wooly hats again. It means that my hair doesn't have to be perfect every day and I can also get away with washing it less but still feel cute! I came across this Oversized PomPom Beanie in TopShop and it was love at first sight. When I first saw it I was worried that it would contain some wool but on inspection I found that it was thankfully completely synthetic. I already know that I am going to live in this beanie this Autumn / Winter and it's cream with light pink pompom means that it will go with almost everything.  

Headwear is a bit of an obsession of mine and I can't get enough of it during the colder months. As well as beanies I have always loved headbands because not only do they keep your ears warm, and your hair under control in windy weather, they can also look more dressy and less casual than a wooly hat. They're also perfect for when it's not quite cold enough for a hat but you still want to feel an element of cosiness. This Turban Style Hair Band I also found in Zara and I just knew I had to have it. Its so soft and stretchy and I like that you can wear it in a couple of different ways with the turban knot either at the front or back. 

I wanted a new coat this season and I knew I wanted a parka style one. I already have a really lightweight one which is perfect for Spring and because I wear it so much I wanted one of a similar style for Autumn and Winter. I spotted this Parka with Padded Liner on the Asos website and it ticked all the boxes for me. It also very handily has a removable inner padded liner which means that it is perfect for when the weather is transitioning colder. At the moment I am wearing it without the liner but once it starts to get much colder I will put the liner back in. Being able to take out the liner also means that you can wear it with thicker jumpers much easier. It has a faux fur trim around the hood which also adds some weight to it and helps it to feel warmer. Parka coats have been in fashion for as long as I can remember so I know that this coat is likely to last me for many years to come. 

Finally, the last thing on my shopping list was to find a pair of functional boots for walks and days out. I have been wearing my wellies a lot lately and so this got me thinking about finding a more stylish and less casual alternative to wellies. My current wellies are by the brand Hunter and although they were expensive they have been one of the best investments I have ever made as they are such a high quality brand and they're still as good as new even after owning them for six years. This led me to search the Hunter website and I came across these Original Ankle Boots . 

To be honest I wasn't sure if I would like them, or how they would look on me, but once they arrived I was really pleasantly surprised by just how much I liked them. They have all the practicality of a wellington boot but they look less casual because they are shorter, plus the side buckle and slight heel make them look like regular boots. They are also so comfortable and pretty much go with everything. I already know that these are going to get worn a lot over the coming months and they'll be perfect for our pumpkin picking adventures, bonfire night and lots of winter walks with the dogs. These really are a great alternative to leather boots and made from rubber they are of course completely cruelty free!

So that's everything! I hope you've enjoyed a little look at my Autumn wardrobe and I'd love to see what you've found in the shops for this season so be sure to tweet me photos of your own favourite Autumn picks.