Buying a winter wardrobe for the first time in years.

[mamamia2020]

We moved abroad in 2009 to a location where it is pretty hot all year around. As a result, it has been years since I've needed a winter wardrobe. I rarely wear jeans, I don't own a coat and have zero knitwear!

We're returning to the UK in November and I'm going to need to buy a winter wardrobe on arrival. I won't be able to spend a fortune as all four of us will need to buy warm winter clothes at the same time - its going to be expensive. I'm not massively into fashion but like to look tidy and classic.

If you were in my situation, what would you but as a 'starter' winter wardrobe. I like the idea of perhaps sticking to certain colours so that they go with more things. I'm brunette with dark eyes so pastels look awful. I'm also 5ft 10 so when it comes to trousers, I have to buy from shops that do longer length. I'm 43 and a size 14.

Any advice from you fashionistas would be much appreciated.

I am not much help as I rarely need to wear layers even in winter but I think people will come on to recommend Uniqlo

www.google.com/search?q=uniqlo+uk&rlz=1C1GCEA_enGB797GB797&oq=uniqlo&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j35i39j0l4.3233j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&safe=active&ssui=on

If I was you, I'd try and buy a couple of warmer items of clothing before you move to the UK. It's freezing here in November and I wouldn't like to sit I summer clothes waiting for new stuff to arrive. Uniqlo is good for basics as is Zara and ASOS.

You will need coats, even better if they are waterproof as well as warm. You could try M&S.

I would get thermal vests, 200 dernier tights if you want to wear and layer your dresses and skirts or thermal fur lined leggings (primark and other places sell them).

The thing with the uk some places have excellent heating or fire so very warm and others drafty and cold so you need coats and then layers to take off as appropriate.

Waterproof ankle or higher boots. I think you can get a spray to waterproof your shoes but im not sure. It's often damp and puddley so suede boots and mesh top trainers aren't great.

Like pp said, you need at least a coat for arrival it's really cold in november particularly if you have just arrived that initial coldness will hit you the moment you get off the airplanes and if you and your children are in t shirts you will have a lot of judgey stares not to mention start off with a bad impression of the uk.

Lands End for coats for everyone.

Will you have a tumble dryer? Because jeans will take ages to dry. If you get windy and rainy weather combo you wiol be walking around with damp cold legs.

Everyone in the UK wears these quiilted jackets.
Uniglo do supertech warm clothes.
M&S and Next do extra long jeans and trousers online. I'm sure other better quality makes do but I can't name any.
People live in sports wear imv.

I would get some (relatively) cheap pack away down waterproof coats for now and pick up other pieces as you go.
Plus jeans and maybe a couple of jumpers (Uniqlo are good).

Also, where are you coming back to? If you are on Facebook I would post on local groups as if mine is anything to go by, people will be helpful and will give/ sell cheaply items that people need - especially children's things.

Couple of pairs of skinny jeans (they might be going out of fashion but they work so well with boots!)
Ankle boots
Can of spray on waterproofing from an outdoor gear shop
Where in Uk? Town or country? How old are the kids?
Thin merino jumper and big looser wool jumper. You can wear them both if u must!
Good quality waterproofs.
Woolly socks

Man I hate winter here.

Love the idea of a winter capsule wardrobe

I’d get:

• Lightweight but warm puffa coat with a hood (I get mine from Barbour). I hate heavy coats
• black leather ankle boots (I like Chelsea boots from M&S)
• 2 pairs of jeans in the colour & style you like best (I like black & grey denim in winter & prefer mom/straight jeans)
• 4 chunky jumpers
• 2 midi dresses with super thick tights (I like Zara)
• thermals! Uniqlo are great
• super warm gloves (I like Uggs), scarf & earmuffs which keep me much warmer than hats
• leather rucksack

Yes to M&S high denier tights. I wouldn’t buy multiple pairs of skinny jeans, maybe one pair of slightly relaxed skinnies for tucking into boots. Other pair could be a ‘boyfriend’ shape or one of the other more fashionable shapes. If you feel the cold you can’t beat a polo neck layered under a looser jumper. For coats Superdry has a very large selection, can be expensive but look out for the 50% sales. Otherwise M&S for classic dressier coats - but check the composition as the wool content is variable and makes such a difference imo. Re colour schemes you could check out the concept wardrobe blog to identify what season and sub season you are and use that as a basis to pick one or two neutrals and accent colours to build your wardrobe around. Good luck, it’s quite exciting to be able to plan it completely from scratch!

It's not as fancy as some of the suggestions but I love Mountain Warehouse for both adults and children. The clothes wash well and last a long time and my coat is the warmest I've ever had.

To get you started I would get
Pair of slim fit blue jeans
Pair of more casual lighter blue jeans
Pair of black jeans
2 Uniqlo type plain sweaters
1 cardigan
1 white shirt
1 casual type check shirt in gap maybe
1 Nike type sweatshirt
Gym leggings
2 short sleeve T-shirt’s
2 long sleeve T-shirts
1 midi dress
1 pair ankle boots with heel

As you are tall, check out Snag for tights.

Cant help with the fashion side, but you will need socks. More than you have ever imagined!
How old are the kids? Primary aged or younger, and I'd go to H&M.
I'd have a click and collect order with some basics for when you first land with 2 sets of winter clothes (trousers or skirts/tights, thick jumpers and a coat). Then you can pick up other stuff as you go. Do you also need school uniform? I click and collected that from M&S.
I also put strappy tops under most stuff -i guess like a vest. So consider vests or base layers for everyone. If you have been somewhere with no winter, November is going to come as a shock. You will probably find your footwear collection needs expanding too. We moved back last year. I've been buying jumpers (think and thin), jeans, trousers (tho the 9 year old rarely wears anything other than shorts still), boots, wellies, socks, blankets. Also, hats, gloves, and maybe a scarf.
Good Luck!

I have a Uniqlo down coat but it’s a bit light for a cold/wet/ November day. I bought this M and S coat for such weather, I imagine it’ll come back into stock as it’s on the website again this year, www.marksandspencer.com/comfort-stretch-padded-coat/p/clp60272527?color=BLACK
I’d buy black jeans and leggings, some vest T-shirt’s, long sleeve T-shirt’s Chelsea boots( mine are Selected Femme, but I think Sainsbury’s did a nice boot last year) in black and a Marks and Spencer cashmere jumper - a scarf and gloves, a woolly hat and socks - if you an run to it until you get your eye in and decide what you like/ fits in with your uk lifestyle. I’m in the north but if you are in the south of England you might want to ignore all that as it’s usually 5 plus degrees warmer 🤦‍♀️ And might get away with the Uniqlo down coat .
I think though the above is the minimum you’d need to have for landing. I wouldn’t like to be relying on summery clothes until I made it to the shops.

Do you have UK relatives you can get a “first week” parcel of clothes delivered to? Sainsbury’s is pretty good for clothes on a budget and have 25% off from time to time.

Some retailers (Next, ASOS, M&M direct) have a thing where you can pay for a year of deliveries for £10 or 20, which could be useful for you.

Another recommendation for Uniqlo heat tech thermals. Their extra fine merino is very nice too- they've just had a sale and I bought a couple more for £10 each.

ANOTHER recommendation for uniqlo thermals. I wear combinations of the vests under everything.

Decathlon is a great, great source of good quality, extremely warm clothes for kids. I compared a £50 kids coat from there with similarly priced gap one and the difference in quality was insane.

Decathlon also have really good wool socks (look in the riding and hiking sections) and silk glove liners (ski section). Great little fleece hats and neck warmers for kids.

This one:

www.decathlon.co.uk/jr-parka-sh500-u-warm-grey-id_8527329.html

Didrikson for proper insulated, waterproof coat. They're not glamorous like a wool coat but they're stylish in that parka kind of way. They seem to be made for us taller people too so nice long sleeves etc.

I bought my first in 2012 and they're changed my life, well winters anyway. I'll shut up now.

It depends where you will be living and what you will be doing.
If ,for example, you will be living in London and your children are school age, they will mainly need school uniform . If they will be going to secondary school, they might have nowhere to put their coat during the day, so something light that fits in their bag would be the answer - one of those downfilled jackets that you can get at Primark for £20 might do. If they are teenagers they will want to fit in, and so don't buy anything expensive until they've been to school and seen what the others are wearing. Last winter it really wasn't cold at all in the SE, and so thermals etc wouldn't have been necessary - in fact I've never worn thermals as I've had no need to.
If you are going to the colder North/Scotland then you will need warmer and more waterproof clothes, if you are anticipating spending much time outside.
Sweatshirts and hoodies for children and teenagers are popular and are much easier to machine wash and dry than woollen jumpers.
But it depends very much on the individual - my boys only ever wore a tshirt and a shirt over the top, or a hoody if it was cold, and then a water resistant coat/jacket outside. They wouldn't wear hats/gloves/scarves - so I'd say buy these cheaply to see if they actually wear them.
For you, leather ( not mesh) trainers or ankle boots, and a simple down coat/jacket might be a good way to start.
I do a lot of playground duty, so I like long boots, gloves and a scarf, a pull on hat to protect hair from the weather, as well as a coat with a hood. But if you are not standing still outside for long periods you might not need all that.
A thin merino or cashmere cardigan as an extra layer to go with everything might be useful - M&S and John Lewis have a good variety of this sort of thing.

TK Maxx is great for coats and jackets, bags and winter accessories, at bargainous prices, well worth a visit if you will have one local to you.

Some great advice here. My sons are 12 and 8 and we're moving to Leicestershire. We're quarantining with family for the first 2 weeks before moving into our own place so I plan to order online so we have a package of clothes for when we get there to try on and send back unwanted bits. For travelling, the boys have joggers and hoodies with trainers so they will be warm-ish - will get them to wear a couple of layers underneath. We're staying in an airport hotel the first night then onto Leicestershire for quarantine.
I like the idea of midi dresses and I've had a look at the merino jumpers at M & S which look nice. I've not bought a single item of clothing for a whole year so it will be nice to start from scratch. We've got a dog who is flying over to so will need to get some walking boots for when out and about as well as a good warm coat. Both my sons are convinced they will see snow within the first week of arrival lol.

I really like long leather boots but it has been years since I've worn any. Could anyone recommend some nice high boots that would work with skinny jeans? I'll have a look at Uniglo thermals too.

Uniqlo