Brace yourselves, university students, the Nottingham winter is coming!
We can all feel the biting chills of it already, and can begin to mourn the deaths of our Summer wardrobes; kiss goodbye to those block colours, and bid adieu to our mini skirts and denim shorts (unless we are lucky enough to see the temperature manage to reach over ten degrees, and we all suddenly see a deluge of lithe, skinny girls trying to bring hot pants back in full force).
As the first of the Autumnal leaves start to fall, so apparently does our mood, as our inner goths come to the surface through the medium of grunge fashion. Black is the prevalent colour, the only colour really worth wearing – although, we do catch a glimpse of those dark greens, reds, greys and blues.
Of course, seeing as the Nottingham winter starts in September and finishes around June, it is wise to invest a hefty chunk of that student loan in a good winter coat. But as I look around the high street, it seems we are truly spoilt for choice when it comes to coats this season.
Firstly, there’s the fail-safe trench coat – effortlessly chic, and can be thrown on top of any outfit to look smart; even the most raggedy and ripped pair of jeans can look well groomed when paired with a trench (ripped jeans, by the way, are another must for those seeking to unleash their inner goth by emulating the grunge style – that is, if you’re brave enough to expose your bare knees to the cold wind).
If you think the trench coat is a tad too formal to wear to your empty nine o’clock lecture on a Thursday after Crisis, then there’s the anorak; an item of clothing no longer reserved only for train spotters and elderly men. Found in practically every high street store nowadays, usually dark khaki green, with some variants in camouflage prints. The anorak is the antithesis of the trench coat; comfy, cosy, and makes any outfit that could be deemed potentially ‘too dressy’ for lectures look effortless and cool.
Naturally, we all know a wardrobe would be incomplete without a leather jacket. They are the holy grail of the fashion world and go with, quite literally, everything; giving a punky edge to a floral skater dress and a biker chick look to any LBD – it makes smart casual, and casual edgy.
Alas, Nottingham’s bitterly cold winters have made the leather jacket, quite frankly, impossible to wear. However, we no longer have to sacrifice that stylish edge that a leather jacket can provide an outfit, seeing as many coats in winter collections are embellished with leather sleeves – it may seem a small change, but it has livened up many anoraks and trench coats that may have otherwise been considered ‘tired’ and ‘jaded’.
But it is not only the sleeves of our winter coats that have received a make-over for this winter, as softer fabrics are now beginning to take centre stage – angora jumpers and cardigans are prevalent in Topshop and Zara, and wool blend coats are now also featuring heavily on the high street, as seen featured here in Topshop, giving a trench coat an almost ‘jumper’-y look, and just as cosy as the over sized jumpers that now have become a firm winter staple.
So yes, whilst we may be releasing our inner goths once again for this winter, at least we can easily keep them warm in these new coat combinations featuring cuddlier fabrics and edgier sleeves; no matter what your predominant style may be, it seems there truly is something for everyone this season!
Written by Kimberley Bond, the President
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