All
wrapped up.
Autumn
can be an awkward time. Do you need a massive jacket yet? Will you be
okay just popping out without your coat? Is it just gloomy or
properly cold? We've all been plagued with such questions at this
time of year, and so we've gathered together, (mainly from Helly
Hansen and Weird Fish) a mixed bag of apparel to suit everything this
transitional season can throw at you, be you male or female. You're
welcome, by the way.
On
top
Helly
Hansen Paramount Softshell Jacket
This
multi-use jacket is perfect to pop on at this time of year, as it is
both light in weight, thick for warmth, and sealed against a
down-pour. The softshell outer fabric is wind-proof yet breathable,
and also water resistant. There is a fleece lining to keep you snug
and side pockets great for shoving in your hands if the temperature
plummets. Other than that there is a chest pocket which screams 'put
your phone in here', adjustable cuffs, and YKK zips all over.
We
found that the Paramount was a great autumnal choice, be it for
trekking over the moors or popping to the pub at night. Despite the
warmth it provides it can be tightly rolled up and popped in your bag
should the sun make a prolonged and welcome appearance.
£100
Fjällräven
Kiruna Padded Jacket
If
the weather does take a turn for the worst, and the above from Helly
Hansen doesn't seem to be cutting it for you, you could break out the
big guns. The Kiruna Padded Jacket from Swedish brand Fjällräven
(making their first appearance on this site) has a chunkier design
and can keep you warm well into the winter. The outer layer is a
tough and hard-wearing wind and water resistant G-1000 fabric, while
the insulation on the inside is recycled polyamide, doing the job of
real down.
The
Fjällräven Kiruna Padded Jacket also features a fixed adjustable
hood, a two way zip on the front, hand pockets on the side, another
phone-friendly chest pocket, and adjustable press-stud cuffs. This
jacket is heavier than the Helly effort, but can certainly keep you
warm in more extreme situations. We can imagine wearing this well
into the spring, and thanks to the generous cut and design, it has a
lot of freedom of movement, making it perfect for your autumnal
adventures in the wild.
£270
Weird
Fish State Tech Soft Knit Fleece Sweatshirt
When we last did a clothing feature, we massively sang the praises of
British brand Weird Fish and their signature Macaroni sweatshirt. Now
it seems that the weirdys of Weird Fish will be remaining at the top
of our favourite list thanks to this unbelievably soft and comfy
sweatshirt, the State Soft Knit Fleece. Imagine falling asleep amongst
a heard of sheep, who all smell like clean laundry, and who carry on
their backs to the land of duvets and bouncy castles – that's
basically what wearing this is like.
The
fleece is 100% thick and fluffy polyester and features hand pockets
on the front and a zip-closing chest pocket up to top. It also
features a herringbone ¼ length zip at the neck, and an adjustable
draw cord around the hem to stop any wind getting up there.
Seriously, this thing is uber comfortable, and a perfect outer layer
for the autumn when the weather is so-so.
£60
Helly
Hansen Luna Parka
The
Luna Parka from Helly possesses that classic furry hooded look for
women, along with some serious insulation. The jacket is water
repellent and wind-proof, yet also breathable and surprisingly light
despite the cosy bulk. The cut is thigh length with a drawn-in waist
and features hand pockets at the hip and larger pockets on the chest.
This
is the kind of jacket that you can truly sink into, and we've been
uncharacteristically glad for the cooler weather in the past few
weeks that has warranted us wearing this as much as possible. You
will be glad to hear that it is faux fur used in the hood trim, and
it certainly serves well at keeping out the chills. The wrists
feature elasticated sections that also help to keep you snug, while
the PrimaLOFT Silver insulation makes it perfect for treks further
out than the office.
£280
Weird
Fish Bennet Longline Open Cardigan
Another
way to keep warm from Weird Fish, the woman's Bennet Longline Open
Cardigan is a mixture of acrylic, polyester, elastane, and a small
amount of mohair – perfect for the big fluffy effect without the
annoying itchiness. The cardigan is the ultimate autumn throw-over,
as it doesn't feature any buttons or zips, meaning you can simply
wrap yourself up in it's all-enveloping loveliness.
The
Bennet is plainly styled coming in navy, foxberry (a kind of
red) and pebble (a kind of grey), without much fanciness other than
the pointelle knit detail running down the back. We've had happy use
from this both out in the wilds (well, does York city centre count?)
but also at home as the go-to 'it's getting a bit nippy' cardigan.
Which is something we all need in our lives.
£60
Underneath
Helly
Hansen Legacy Flannel Shirt
It's
thick shirt time again, lads; when popping out on an evening in the
silk number from Paul Smith just no longer cuts it (or gets you home
without a trip for A&E suffering from hypothermia). Helly's range
of Legacy flannel shirts come resplendent in 100% thick flannel
cotton with dyed yarn check. You'll look like a lumber jack, and by
God everyone else will stare at you with jealousy.
If
merely keeping warm just isn't practical enough for you, the Legacy
shirts feature two chest pockets with button closures, toughened
elbow patches, an angled back yoke, and the obligatory HH logo on the
sleeve. We found this shirt to be the absolute bees knees on chilly
days when we had quite a bit of walking to do, neatly paired with the
likes of a gillet on top.
£42
Weird
Fish Lynton Cotton Sueded Rugby Style Sweatshirt
A
bit like a shirt, only you don't have to button anything down, many
of us here have always been enamoured by the humble 'rugger', as it's
a way for chaps to say 'yeah, I'm active' without having to get
sweaty. Brilliant. Weird Fish have nailed it here with the Lyton
Sweatshirt, having the looks and feel of a classic rugby shirt with
the typical Weird Fish playful twist.
Completely
cotton with a softness that needs to have hands ran all over it to be
believed, this sweatshirt features a stiffer white collar, a button
up neck (that should never be buttoned-up – come on!) and a bit of
a surprise on the back. Emblazoned on a huge white panel, which is
definitely not a mere print, are the words 'WEIRD FISH Supply &
Co' and some lovely fishing hooks. To us it added further weight to
the 'yeah, I'm active' statement, adding a possible 'at fishing and
that. I might even own my own boat' which we appreciate. Anyway...
soft, comfy, well-made and snug. Hook, line and sinker!
£40
Helly
Hansen Marstrand LS Polo
Not
to be outdone, the Norwegians have also had a crack at winning over
our rugby top loving eyes, with their own version. Sure, they call it
a LS Polo (which we assume stands for long-sleeved), and certainly it
feels very similar to polos we have reviewed from Helly Hansen in the
past, but this is a tad different.
Marine
themed, the Marstrand LS Polo is made from a rougher, tougher feeling
cotton than Weird Fish's, making it feel thicker and slightly warmer.
It features a dropped back (cyclists cheer!), small splits on the
side with contrasting fabric, and also a cotton twill collar with
contrasting piping. All the styles (there are five very pretty colour
choices) are printed with a 57°
emblem which we think alludes to some form of navigation, and not how
hot you'll feel wearing it. Perfect on even chillier days, even with
a t-shirt underneath or with a light jacket on top.
£39
Weird
Fish Ella ¾ Sleeve Printed Slub Tunic
This
simple tunic is an absolute must for the autumn... or the spring...
or the summer. Extremely versatile, it can be matched with just about
anything – be it on top, underneath, above, or below – and still
look awesome. The Ella is 60% cotton and 40% modal, making it snug
yet stretchy, easily allowing you curl up in it and do that thing
where you pull your top over your knees so it looks like you have
huge boobs.
A
flattering cut, with a gathering, elasticated section on the waist,
the Ella tunic is long enough in both hem and sleeve to keep you
wrapped up, while actually being practical to wear on its own
indoors. Coupled with cosy leggings and a decent overcoat, this is a
great autumnal wardrobe choice.
£35
Helly
Hansen Coastal Sweater
Again
with the nautical style, Helly this time have produced a unique
looking female sweater with lots of practical parts. The fabric of
the Coastal Sweater is a French terry cotton mix, producing a soft
yet tough body with a high cowl neck with cross-over fastening. The
neck section is actually very useful for either letting it flap open
on warm days, or buttoning it up to the top on chilly days. Which you
can imagine you're doing while facing down a Perfect Storm on your
yacht.
The
sweater also features hand pockets at either side, hidden
snap-buttons on the cowl, and long-cut sleeves in which you can
easily withdraw your hands on cold mornings. We had this on over the
above Weird Fish tunic a few times and the two worked well together
to provide lots of warmth and movement. Just saying...
£39
On
your feet
Bogs
Sidney Lace Plaid
If
you think that the above items don't seem to be concerned enough
about the rain and staying dry, these little beauties from Bogs
should calm your worries. The Sidney Lace Plaid are unique footwear
to say the least, essentially being shortened wellies that look like
everyday boots. 100% waterproof (as you might have expected), the
Sidneys are still great to wear casually thanks to the Bogs Max-Wick
which moves sweat away from your feet to help keep you dry.
And
just look at them. You will be different, that much is certain.
You'll also laugh in the face of a puddle as you stride right through
the damn thing. As well as keeping your tootsies dry, the Bogs Sidney
Lace Plaid also keep them warm, and we found that wearing them was
quite unlike wearing normal wellies. There's no need for massively
thick socks for a start, as the Sidney's 5mm thick NeoTech Lite
insulation does a rather splendid job by itself. Seems these will
serve us well into winter and the (hoped for) snows therein.
£80
Helly
Hansen Alexandra
For
women's cold weather boots that will draw fewer confused looks than
the above, may we introduce you to you our dear friend Alexandra.
The Alexandra boots certainly look the business, with a faux fur
lining and rubber outsole. The top part of the shoe is premium suede,
while lower down you get a soft and flexible leather. The quilt
stitching makes for a great texture, while the grip on the tread will
keep you stable even if it gets icy.
Slipping
these on was akin to first popping on the Luna Parka... but for our
feet, obviously. They are soft and comfortable, but also seem very
robust when it comes to the elements. But, despite their more extreme
intent, we felt very comfortable sporting these to the office and
about town, even on fair weather days. We do love flexibility.
£110
On
your shoulder
Snugpak
Utility Pak
Finally,
we wanted to give a special shout-out to a feisty wee bag that has
come in super handy recently. The Utility Pak from Snugpak is a great
everyday autumn bag, providing enough space for the essentials,
without upping the size and weight. This pint-sized bag has it all -
from pockets of various sizes for cards, your phone, and even
document storage, down to a lanyard to securely attach your keys.
Although
designed mostly for travel, to help keep those all important
essentials close by, we found it made a great bag for shopping trips
and urban walks, when you need a few bits and bobs, but not, say, a
sleeping bag or tent. All in all, this a great carry-along for this
time of year.
£14.95
Visit
http://www.snugpak.com/