The easiest way to take gingham into autumn/winter

If you’ve read this blog before, it will probably be obvious that one of my favourite trends of 2017 is gingham. I’ve done multiple outfit posts including gingham items now and at one point I was really struggling to prevent my Instagram feed becoming a constant stream of checks and not a lot else, because over the summer it was a print I was wearing pretty much constantly. Since it’s started to get chilly, however, I haven’t actually worn my favourite gingham pieces very much, which is a bit of a shame because it might still be my favourite print.

Today though, I am pleased to say that gingham is returning to Sophar So Good courtesy of Boohoo, who got in touch a few weeks ago to ask if I’d like to be part of their ‘Dress of the Month’ campaign, which would involve them sending me a dress to style. I must admit that while I was very happy to be taking part in something with a brand I’ve shopped at for years, I was a bit dubious at first about not picking the item myself – not that I wasn’t expecting it to be nice, just that I wouldn’t want to wear something on here that I wouldn’t have wanted to buy for myself.

Turns out that was just about the most unfounded concern I’ve ever had though, because when the dress arrived, it was a little bit like it was actually made for me. It’s gingham, guys! Black and white gingham, to be precise, just like this one, in a lovely wrap shape, and it has big, dramatic sleeves, which are also a favourite (a la the top in this post). In short, it’s loads of things I absolutely love.

Dress – Boohoo* | Boots – New Look | Biker – Topshop | Earrings – H&M | Bag – Mango

In case you hadn’t noticed though, it’s pretty chilly out there at the moment, so my failsafe lazy gingham styling of a couple of months ago – chuck on some mules or espadrilles, grab a basket bag, and head out the door – wasn’t going to cut it unless I wanted to actually freeze. It was time to transition my gingham love into autumn/winter.

I therefore present to you the easiest but sassiest gingham styling for the colder months that you will ever come across. It’s a recipe, if you will; add a black jacket, add black boots, and add a pop of colour. Hardly groundbreaking, but it works every single time, is easy to adapt if you want to dress up or down, and it will never let you down, I promise. Moody expression like mine not necessary for this look, I just haven’t learnt what to do with my face in photos yet.

For the jacket, many shapes will work – a blazer coat, a snuggly black aviator, or a biker are all super easy options. The jacket in these photos is one that I’ve had for years now, a long time favourite from Topshop that must have the lowest cost per wear of any item I own (not least because I think I actually bought it with a giftcard, so it was technically free…).

The boots are the newest addition to my shoedrobe – and guys, I don’t want to sound dramatic, but I think I’ve found my perfect OTKs. I can’t tell you how long I’ve been looking for a pair which have this exact shape and height of heel, hit the perfect point on my leg and also actually stay up while I walk, and they’re finally mine. They were also an absolute steal at just over £30. Any black pair of boots will give a similar effect though, and the addition of tights would work just fine too when it’s seriously cold.

And finally…a pop of colour isn’t strictly necessary, but that’s what adds the sass. It could be a bag, a scarf, a beret (how great would a red beret look with this?!), a lipstick, or jewellery, and here I’ve gone for my new favourite earrings. I’m sure no one will be a stranger to these babies; they’ve been everywhere for months and months now, and I finally picked some up in a beautiful, vibrant red. I feel so bloody fabulous in these and I love how they look with the gingham.

And that, my friends, is my easy gingham styling for the colder months – a ‘recipe’, if you will, for bringing a printed dress into winter. Super keen to get some of my other gingham favourites out of the wardrobe now, and I’ll be happily sashaying around in this dress for a multitude of occasions this season.

What are your failsafe styling tips for this time of year?

Photos: Rob Poor

*Denotes an item which has been gifted to me. All styling, imagery and words are my own.

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