As the weather turns, I find myself turning to coats. I understand that this isn't a revelation to anyone - it's cold, so it's logical to layer up, but this is one of my favourite times in the year. For the brief period in which it can be cold, dry, and sunny, I feel like my wardrobe comes into its full effectiveness. Of course, I have my trusted items, the ones that have been with me for years, and will stay with me until they are beyond repair, or until my figure exceeds their limits. It's rare to find another coat to add to this collection of loyal coats, but I'm glad to say that the beauty you see above, the Grey Check Overcoat from The Idle Man, has taken a well earned place among the seasoned veterans.

L'Occitane - Men's Grooming Range*

It has been a long time since I've talked about grooming. It's been a while because, being honest, I'm pretty damn poor at it. I'm set it my ways, not consistent, and I really struggle to find brands that I'm willing to invest in. But, at the end of the day, it's important. Your skin is an organ etcetera, etcetera. You need to look after it, you need to moisturise. It's worth putting a bit more money into something that your body is literally absorbing. On that note, I'm happy to say that a brand I have loved for some time (L'Occitane) is putting efforts into their men's grooming range.

Cat Footwear - Go Boldly

Autumn is here, and winter is coming. Boot weather is upon us, continuing until sometime in March, and I couldn't be more excited. You know what happens when you own a pair of solid boots - you hold on to them for years, they become battered, bruised, and beaten. Like a fingerprint, they are unique to you, and you alone. First, however, you have to start with a pair of boots that can withstand that test of time. It's almost like wine; you can leave a wine to age for years, but if you start with a bad bottle, it'll only become an older bad bottle. So it may be worth considering a pair of boots from CAT Footwear to act as your grapes... Did I take that simile too far?

Adidas Originals x Scotts - Born in Bavaria

I'm weary of posts beginning with this phrase: "I don't usually...". This is because the following spiel tends to revolve around the fact that the writer has been conveniently converted to the ways of the brand, or the style, that they have been gifted or sponsored by. There is often a slight fear of honesty in these situations, and it's understandable... don't bite the hand that feeds you. But this puts me in a tricky spot, because I really want to start this blog post with "I don't usually...", but I also don't have a bad word to say about these shoes to make it seem genuine.

I took a risk on these adidas NMD R1 Primeknits that were sent to me for Scott's Born in Bavaria campaign. Sporty silhouettes have never been my first choice in trainers, usually opting for a more sneaker-based aesthetic, but something about them called out to me. Maybe it was my inner desire to be cool? Maybe it was the temptation of wearing shoes that make me feel like I'm walking on marshmallows? Maybe both? Whichever way, I regret nothing. Since owning this pair of adidas NMDs, I now own two others; if that's not a genuine conversion, what is?

The Return of Bata Heritage // Bata Bullets High Cut

Recently, one of the more fortunate coincidences in my blogging career occurred. For a while, my shoe obsession nearly crossed the line into excessive, but I found myself searching high and low for items I hadn't seen before. Becoming increasingly fed up with the usual high street stores that peddle the same styles from the same brands, with varying levels of effort and visual merchandising, my eye turned to finding collaborations or brands from EU retailers (Colette etc), which is where I stumbled upon Bata Heritage/Bata Bullets... my interest piqued. They had style, quality, and a hell of a price point; why hadn't I seen them before?