Winter Wonderful - My Review Of The Shirley Jacket From Taking Shape

*This Jacket Was A Gifted Item

When I think of the winter I'm usually filled with negative thoughts about the season. The weather is nothing really to be desired for me, the days are shorter and when it comes to style often my favourite things to wear are just not suitable for the time of year. I thrive on dressing up all cute and colourful for the sunshine, pairing my outfits with cute accessories and things. When it comes to the winter the most important thing for me is to be comfortable, warm and dry. I think that when it comes to winter fashion one of the most important things you can wear has to be a decent jacket or coat! If like me you're not into wearing a thousand layers but hate the bitter chill in the air it can be a difficult task to find an item that is adequate for your needs and still holds the style features you look out for.

Recently I was given the chance to review an item by Taking Shape from their AW14 collection. I took a look at the collection and was instantly drawn to their Shirley Jacket. Black, sleek, sexy and sophisticated, all of the things I like in the perfect winter coat! I love to wear bright colours in the winter but when it comes to my outer wear I like to have a garment that can be worn with a variety of looks, my main reason for being drawn to black jackets and coats. What I loved about the jacket when I first saw it was the collar, the fact that it sweeps across the shoulders and into the main body of the jacket was a really nice touch for me. More often than not I find winter jackets and coats to be uninspiring and in some cases a bit dull. I like that this one wasn't just something to keep the cold at bay but it had a little something extra. The jacket has no fastenings or pockets and ordinarily I would miss those details but I didn't. The faux leather is seriously lightweight and the lining is a super soft fleece material which in fact is warmer than the majority of my winter jumpers and sweaters. 

If like me you don't like to cover yourself in a thousand layers including having to wear thick sweaters and fluffy scarves this would be an amazing piece for you to try out. The collar is seriously warm and soft enough to snuggle into if you feel the urge lol. Taking Shape tend to be pretty generous size wise but I would say this jacket is true to size. I usually up-size with jackets and coats so that I can securely fasten them without any gaping of buttons or twisting of zippers. I always allow myself that extra boob room and for me this is even more important if you like to wear thick layers underneath. In the case of this item because it doesn't fasten it's not something I considered doing. I wanted a jacket that could be seen as part of an outfit and not just a cover up. The jacket is available in sizes 14-26, I picked this up in size 22. 

In these photos I wanted an outfit where the jacket was the main feature. Keeping things simple with a black top, jeans and a pair of boots I was kitted out in all the winter essentials. Sometimes I like to keep an outfit simple so that I can play around with my accessories and additional items. I tend to find that if I keep things to a minimum it can be fun to mix different textures and fabrics. My black top has a scattering of velvet flowers and the indigo super stretch denim jeans from Evans made for the perfect trousers. For accessories my signature hoop earrings and hair scarf were of course part of the ensemble with the addition of my metallic medallion with dip-dye tassels. 

This jacket was originally £65 and is now on sale at the amazing price of £35 so if you like the look at this one and want to try it out click here. If you want to see what other winter essentials Taking Shape have make sure you check out their site and take advantage of the sale!

Remember whatever you wear, feel fabulous in it and wear it with a smile!