The overwhelming urge to buy suede, browse knitwear and mentally prepare for cosy season despite it being 29 degrees outside. It’s a condition every fashion person knows. I have worked in fashion since I was a 20-year old fashion assistant at Grazia. 20 years later, I still don’t experience the seasons in quite the same way as everyone else. While most people dress according to the weather, the fashion industry dresses according to the calendar and the calendar is always looking six months ahead.

We don’t really live in real-time. We live in style-time.

When everyone else is packing for summer holidays, we’re dissecting coats, deliberating over the heel height of boots, planning partywear stories and deciding which shade – olive, burgundy, copper – will define autumn. Thank goodness for the flip-flops on my feet, with their carefree and nonchalant attitude, otherwise I’d completely lose touch with reality.

Autumn Creep is shooting heavyweight denim in the middle of a heatwave. It’s styling up layering stories while your family sends postcards from the Med. Approving trouser guides and planning gift guides just after you’ve had a fresh pedicure. When August hits, I have a mindset shift and can’t help but be more interested in what my autumn/winter wardrobe will look like than whether I need another breezy linen top.

Which brings me to the question: what are we actually wearing right now? You can’t wear swimwear to the office. Or at least, you can’t wear swimwear to mine. But let’s be realistic, commuting in leather boots when it’s pushing 30 degrees is a hard no.

At Mint Velvet, we’re constantly trying to strike that balance. The first autumn collections start arriving but the imagery and edits still need to feel light. “Do we have a shot without the jumper?” Lead with that. “Are there any sandals that haven’t gone into Sale so we can lose the boots?” Or we keep the boots, crop the image and spin content on how to wear it now and later.

You can see the autumn lines begin to trickle through. Chocolate tote bags replacing raffia, sturdier jackets appearing on rails and checks edging in. Retailers know something interesting about us: we don’t just buy clothes for the weather we’re having – we buy into the season we’re hoping for. A promise of returning to routine, or a new routine, chance to start over, to tweak and refine. Fresh notebooks, back to denim, that September feeling.

Have you ever found yourself looking at a coat while sitting in your garden wearing SPF 50? Autumn Creep isn’t wishing summer away, it’s looking forward to what’s next. As much as I love long evenings, holidays and eating dinner outside, I won’t pretend I don’t get a little thrill from spotting the first suede tote bag of the season. For now, that’s enough. One small autumn touch, carried with flip flops, while summer still has the final word.

This week I’m acknowledging Autumn Creep with:

A book I’m reading again

Nigel Slater’s Kitchen Diaries III A year of good eating. When the blackberries are ready to be picked from the hedgerows and tomatoes from their vines, I can’t help but go into gathering-mode. This is as much a diary with tales as it is a treasure trove of recipes. Note: August’s Pork, and a gift of blackberries p.331, A jam of figs and plums p.337 and September’s Coconut and coriander lamb p.346, Chicken, tomatoes, garam masala p363.

A suede bag to tote my life around

I’m eyeing up chocolate brown suede totes when I should be throwing a sandy towel into a straw beach bag. This is the culprit.

The fun commuter jacket

Worn at sunrise. Ditched by elevenses. Whimsical summer embellishment, fall season hue. The dream, by Mother Denim.

T-bar’s worn with everything

Descending from the gentleman’s pocket watch and absolutely the kind of mannish edge I love to add contrast to feminine looks. Specifically those designed by Tilly Seveaas, Raven James and Lucy Williams for Missoma.

Wishing you a great week, let me know what you find and anything you think I should check out too.

Lx

Thanks for reading The Lucy Edit! This post is public so feel free to share it.

Share

My wardrobe’s been slightly behind because of it. Pumps and loafers have only just been swapped for flip flops, jeans have been very much in rotation and I’ve been relying on knitwear in the mornings more than I’d usually expect to by now. It’s been that in-between stage when you’re thinking about lighter days – throwing on a dress and not needing to layer it up – but not quite there yet. Until now…

With the heatwave kicking off in the UK, I’ve finally started reaching for pieces that feel like a step in a summery direction. Linen, even if it’s still worn with something warmer. I’m on the hunt for a few brighter dresses. Beaded jewellery that feels a bit more like summer. Basket bags have quietly made their way back in.

At home, everything’s pointing to the same shift. The garden’s been half set up, tomato seedlings are coming through and the kids have planted their sunflowers for school. Although last week it hailed, so it still doesn’t quite add up. I think that’s why getting dressed has felt slightly off – like the season hasn’t quite decided what it’s doing yet.

So I’ve been keeping things simple.

Wearing the same few outfits on repeat, mixing in lighter pieces where I can and starting to think about what I’ll want more of when it warms up – especially with a coastal trip coming up and summer not too far off now.

Just pieces that feel easy now but will work even better in a few weeks time. I’ll start with a few outfits I keep coming back to.

Styled Lately: What I’ve Been Wearing

• White linen blend funnel neck jacket, white wide leg jeans, leather belt, Sophia leather strappy sandals. As far as summer jackets go, this one is pretty perfect. An on-point funnel neck shape in timeless white linen-blend with a bomber silhouette. Styled for the office with white wide leg regular jeans, strappy sandals with an elevated gold detail on the toe and the season’s game-changing leather rope belt.

Leaning into the sporty fit by switching in drawstring trousers in an easy brown hue, Havaianas flip flops and big, sporty aviator sunglasses.

• Trousers, Knit (similar sleeveless), Sandals. Balloon pants have snuck up on us, back with a bang. These ones also come in brown, they’re a really light and easy pair to style and can switch from dressy to about-the-house, which I love. The shape reminds me of the genie pants I wore constantly growing up, although this time the hedonistic prints and tie-dye has been replaced with a chic palette and polished fabrications. My advice: try on as many pairs of balloons as you can until you find the right level of volume for you. I like to wear mine with flats so need to keep to the slimmer-side of balloon options.

  

  Shoe-wise, keep it slim. A flip flop, sleek mule, streamlined ballet pump, minimal sandal or thong heel. With bold shape on the bottom, comes a slimmer top half - a vest or slinky summery knit works well. I’ve adding lift to the muted tones with some turquoise beads and a matching leather tote (vintage but Mango has these turquoise beads and Monica Vinader’s gold vermeil and turquoise mini nugget gemstone necklace is perfect for layering). The sandals are old Mint Velvet, a take on those iconic ones, there’s a new season option - the Darcy sandal - with contrast stitching to give them a fresh feel. These and these are also nice.

• Suede shirt, white jeans, tie belt, pendant necklace. What I wore to see Olivia Dean with Mint Velvet. A buttery soft suede shirt, I know I’ll wear this so much this season, open over a vest and doubling up as a jacket for summer evenings. The white jeans are a great cut, just the right length and very comfy. Adding detail with MV’s pendant necklace and leather rope belt, complete with sculptural buckle.

• Jacket, Jeans, Bag. This jacket has been perfect for the awkward in-between. Light but warm, roomy enough to fit jumpers underneath still yet sits nicely over shirting. Plus, it’s suedette so I’m not precious about wearing it out in the spring rain. The shirt is old season Tala, this and this from Cos are both lovely. (My earrings are also Cos, the twisted ribbon hoops and I wear them non-stop). Apparently Ray-Ban Wayfarers are back - they were never ‘away’ as far as I’m concerned - always in my handbag, all year round. Eternally chic, utilitarian enough for adventure, expertly made – they really are the perfect all-rounder. Go for a tortoiseshell or black finish.

• Waistcoat, Culottes, Flip Flops. M&S are nailing dressing for this transitional period. Alongside the beachy offerings coming in thick and fast, I’ve found the perfect wide leg pull-on culottes and sleeveless top that feel just right for these temperatures. The ribbed knitted waistcoat is handy at this time of the year, especially in the office air con - feels summery but keeps me at a good temp and love the soft contrast a ribbed knit gives to billowing cotton trousers.

This two-pack of pendant necklaces is a really good find for that interesting finishing touch without the effort (you can wear them solo or layered). Same look with Adidas trainers instead - these trousers are really versatile - and comfy.

• Shirt (similar), Trousers, Mules (similar with open toes or these closed). Linen is go. The matching trousers in the set felt a bit too beachy (maybe next month) so switching in cotton brown drawstring trousers instead. Butter yellow against chocolate - it’s a colour combo I love. Tipping towards ‘holiday’ but the closed toe and trouser makes it feel ok for smart office wear. The shirt is last year’s Mint Velvet linen resort shirt (this Massimo alternative is great). Leather mules and a woven bag to finish.

• Blazer (old Mint Velvet, I like this short sleeve pick for a different feel), Trousers (Similar), Tee. The formula I swear by when I don’t know what to wear is the blazer + white tee + wide leg trio. The white T-shirt’s I have on repeat are the Mint Velvet white ultimate cotton, any Cos or Arket basic. These stripe trousers are so comfy and a block H&M have on sale year-round.

• Shirt (this Boden option is such a good shade), Trench, Glasses. The trench will continue to be worn throughout S/S, you just can’t rely on the British weather. Over shirts, over dresses. A pink stripe is a seasonal classic, Boden have a great one in. Finished with my Jimmy Fairly frames - you can’t beat their range and getting them glazed is super speedy.

• For all the links: LTK and Shop My.

The Wishlist

Things I’d add to my wardrobe right now.

• Sleek flip flops beyond the beach. Havaianas, of course. But also, Sleepers - good for the planet, they’re ocean-friendly, biodegradable, ethically crafted and so chic.

• Throw these ultimate easy summer dresses on to cruise through the day in - office, evening, weekend. I’ve added a collection over on Shop My.

  

• Bags. Sometimes all it takes is a jaunty bag to shift the mood. I recommend The Jacksons London, Maeve at Anthropologie and really want to add a Moismont basket into my rotation.

• Wanderlust beads – only at this time of the year do beaded necklaces, bracelets, bags and trinkets evoke a summer season filled with luxe escapism. Turquoise, stones, a peppering of pearls. This edit is on ShopMy in my Wanderlust beads Edit

The Notebook

At home right now:

• Recently discovered Glug olive oil – so good for drizzling.

• Gardening made chic thanks to McGee & Co’s rattan trug.

• Everything on The Go-To including these candles.

• Reading Lena Dunham’s Famesick A Memoir and have Caro Claire Burke’s Yesteryear arriving just in time for the half term holidays. Also Kinfolk Islands is such a nice coffee table addition, currently in my basket.

  Subscribe now

Beauty Reset

Not a routine. Just essentials. What I’m actually using and what’s new:

• Merit’s Day Glow Highlighting Balm, moisturiser then this on cheekbones and eye sockets.

• Summer Fridays Bronzer Butter Balm – seen so many good things about this, on my list to try.

• Iconic’s Prep Set Glow. I used to swear by this, as a last step in the makeup routine and to refresh during the day. Then totally forgot about it until it found its way into M&S’s summer beauty bag. So, so good.

• Bioré UV sunscreen – in my handbag for spritzing on-the-go.

Inspo from The Newt

A little Somerset recommendation before I go: I recently spent time at The Newt in Somerset and left feeling completely inspired by the grounds, gardens and slower pace of life there. Part working estate, part hotel, part garden fantasy, it’s the kind of place that quietly recalibrates you. I found myself taking mental notes everywhere – the softened colour palettes in the kitchen gardens, the practical beauty of muddy boots paired with oversized knits, the effortless way everything feels connected to the landscape.

The farm shop is worth the trip alone: beautiful seasonal produce, (the cheese!) pantry staples you suddenly convince yourself you can’t live without and the sort of thoughtful homeware that makes you want to overhaul your kitchen shelves immediately. If you’re in Somerset this summer, I can’t recommend it enough – especially for a slow afternoon wandering the grounds and gathering inspiration.

For a little visual inspiration before you visit:

I hope you have a great week, let me know what you find and anything you think I should check out too.

Lx

Denim is the emotional and practical foundation of style. It’s a constant in an industry obsessed with the new and what next. Trends come and go, silhouettes shift, hemlines rise and fall but jeans remain. Genderless, ageless, classless. Worn by cowboys and supermodels, teenagers and editors, off-duty icons and people who don’t care about fashion at all. Denim is fashion’s great equaliser and when the collections are offering us spring dresses, airy linen and flimsy fabrics, (and the British rain persists), a good pair of jeans is a solid option to navigate brisk mornings, the odd burst of spring sunshine, stormy downpours and lurking early morning frosts.

Jeans are also one of the few garments that have managed to shape-shift through every cultural moment without losing their core identity. From rebellion (mods, rockers, punk, rock ‘n’ roll), to high-end (Calvin Klein campaigns, Tom Ford-era Gucci, Jonathan Anderson at Loewe, then Dior) to Normcore basics and the quiet luxury uniform. Denim has always mirrored how we want to live - relaxed, effortless, slightly undone, ready to get stuff done.

A long time ago, one of my editors told me a few things about jeans that have stayed with me. Always a fountain of knowledge, Mel.

• Don’t over-wash them. Denim is workwear - originally designed for cowboys and manual labour - a utilitarian fabric built to be worn hard and a little dirty.

• When you do wash them, always inside out, on a cool cycle - zero temperature if possible - and never, under any circumstances, tumble dry them.

• Most importantly - good jeans should last a lifetime. Wash, wear and repair.

Securing the perfect pair of jeans - the right fit, the right wash, the right length that works with both trainers and heels - is no small task. It’s a slow, ongoing quest. The pair that doesn’t stretch out of shape, doesn’t lose its colour, a raw hem that doesn’t fray too fast. When you finally find the one, you live in them for weeks on end until, inevitably, another pair of true blues catches your eye. A new cut. A new wash. Someone you follow wearing that shape. Suddenly you’re hitting the order button or back in the changing room, deliberating whether to add a pair to the collection.

My obsession for all things indigo means I inevitably update my denim pile with a new pair every season, I’m also a big believer in vintage. Old Levis, broken in Wranglers, love-worn Lee’s - denim that’s already lived a life. Any surplus pairs in my wardrobe tend to find new homes with friends or at the local charity shop, or end up back in the resale ecosystem. Denim, more than anything, deserves circulation.

A press trip I went on years ago with Blueblood denim (sadly, no more) still sits with me. We were visiting the headquarters in Germany, being walked through their production process. In the middle of their showroom was a huge water-filled vat - the size of a small bus. The team explained that this represented the amount of water required to make just one pair of jeans. The room went quiet. It was shocking in a way that statistics never quite are. Something tangible and really moving. Long before that 2018 Stacey Dooley documentary shook us all to the very core.

There’s no ignoring that denim is one of the most environmentally damaging items in our wardrobes. The water, the chemicals, the energy - it all adds up. Which is why jeans shouldn’t be treated as disposable fashion. They need to be chosen slowly, worn often and kept for as long as possible.

Invest time in finding the right pair and then let them become a part of your life. Wear them on repeat. Travel in them. Break them in. Repair them. Create memories in them. Denim works best when it stops feeling like a trend and starts feeling like a trusted companion. “Every pair of jeans has a story and tells a story.” - Current/Elliot

There’s no shortage of new denim shapes landing this season - some I own and genuinely love, other I’m keen to try. A few pairs that have earned a place on my radar…

Styled Lately: What I’ve Been Wearing

On and off-duty, first flashes of spring via pumps and linen, a new suede jacket, scallop collars and styling balloon trousers

Softly striped shirt with the daintiest scallop collar, relaxed wide legs, an eyelet suede belt and white boots

The whole outfit is Mint Velvet, the stripe shirt features muted browns and blues on white, giving it a retro 70s nod and I love the dainty scallop collar - statement but delicate. The tan suede eyelet belt is old season but we’ve carried it over - two very similar styles here and here. Jeans are a new relaxed wide leg shape for SS26 and the white leather Macy boots are a firm favourite at the moment, they offer a lighter finish whilst having the comfort and practicality of boots until it warms up.

Balloon trousers, drop shoulder denim jacket, brown suede boots and a long sleeve layering top

The balloon trousers are a sample sale find and I’m now sold on the season’s new silhouette. You have to try them on, I know the volume can look a little too much on the hanger but they are actually quite flattering. I’m going to treat balloons as an upgrade on my joggers and a softer spring spin on barrel jeans. The denim jacket is old Mango and I’ve layered it over a simple brown M&S long sleeve top, pulling in the chocolate top with coordinating suede boots. I now consider Missoma’s Axiom chain necklace a classic in my collection, still going strong years on and found these rectangular hoop earrings in COS… perfect to add a little something to outfits.

Barrel jeans, brown suede jacket and pumps

If you need a good barrel option for everyday styling, these Asos light mid-wash ones are a good pick. They sit at just the right point on the waist (not too high so no rib-digging and not so low that you won’t feel held in). Wearing the COS earrings again and these brown suede round toe ballet pumps are an M&S find, the brown is OOS but here they are in black. The bag is the MV Rue suede tote.

The Lucy Edit is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

An Orangina linen colour-drench

Now for a bit of escapism and forward-thinking. Linen is go at Mint Velvet. We’ve launched our SS26 linen collection with mix and match foundations in every colour, from this juicy orange to butter yellow and sangria red. Designed in sets and made to be blended with the rest of your wardrobe… If only the weather would play ball. This shirt and trouser co-ord is all kinds of wonderful. There’s also dresses, tops and shorts in the same hue. A little early for an outing but imagine this colour when the sun is shining.

Uniform days - when only a Frankie Shop blazer will do

The blazer that keeps on giving. The Frankie Shop’s Bea blazer just always works and on days when all I can muster up is jeans and a white tee, she steps up to the plate. COS’s twisted ribbon gold hoops are on earring-repeat now I’ve chopped my hair, they’re such a good shape and a bit different.

Pull-on denim and a neutral linen blazer

A new H&M find these pull-on denim drawstring trousers are such a good spring piece. This shade is OOS online but they have a lovely sky blue and dark denim in stock.

What we’re working on at Mint Velvet

At MVHQ, we had a busy Feb at fashion week with our coffee shop takeover in Soho. It was so good to catch up with lots of friends of MV and show editors and stylists our leather and suede jacket collection.

Read more

January is the one month where dressing can slow down. Nobody expects groundbreaking outfits and getting a trend-fix is right at the bottom of the priority pile. After a Christmas of invitations, hosting and more is more, there’s something completely thrilling about getting dressed for yourself, with no agenda. Sure, it’s nice to look ahead and get excited for the spring outfits to come, save Pins and screenshot a new season wishlist… just don’t rush there. The wardrobe foundations you reconnect with now will support everything that comes later. My advice? Find comfort in what already works.

Back to Basics: resetting my wardrobe to kick-start 2026

Spin it on its head and Jan can actually become a opportunity for a fashion pause, a circuit breaker. Instead of chasing the new, treating the month as Project New Me or looking for a quick feel-good fashion fix you’ll inevitably wear once and let lurk at the back of the wardrobe, set some clear style objectives instead.

The start of a new year is a chance to:

• revisit the bones of your wardrobe

• lean into warmth and comfort

• prioritise functional pieces as something intentional and elegant

• get a boost from items that support your day-to-day, calendar and routine

• dial down the effort whilst dialling up the style

• outfit repeat - find your uniform and stick to it

• avoid drastic wardrobe clear-outs, instead think organising, utilising and resetting

There’s joy in getting dressed this month if you know where to find it.

Stripping It Right Back

Ask yourself - What do I actually wear when no one is watching? Maybe you live in gymwear, have a favourite formula of comfies, swear by luxe co-ords, see your jeans as your slacks, or feel comfiest layering up easy cotton dresses with chunky knitwear and slippers/Birkenstocks/Uggs. Whatever it is that makes you feel most like you, when you have no audience, take that as your guide and run towards it. These are the kind of items that take the fuss out of getting dressed - not trends, but tools. There’s confidence in dressing for the reality of cold mornings, long walks, school runs, errands-to-office and real days.

For me, off-duty it’s a mix of gym kits, base layers, great knitwear, sweatshirts, cosy outer-layers and really good socks - functional fashion I can runaround in, yet keeping it coordinated so I feel polished on the school drop-off or popping out on appointments. I’ll post bits of this over on LTK, but here’s a shopping list:

• Gym leggings as modern loungewear-meets-life uniform. I lean on Tala, Adanola, Oysho, Varley, Lulu Lemon and Sweaty Betty. Picking minimal logos, barely any patterns and neutrals means they pass for real clothes.

• Perfect thermal base layers as invisible luxury. Uniqlo HEATTECH (this cashmere blend is so good), M&S Heatgen, Patagonia for really hardwearing styles and Gap are all go-to spots for lightweight, breathable and invisible layering bits.

• A serious knit - wool, cashmere or merino ideally. As we move away from Fair Isle jumper season and into spring, I want to stock up on versatile cardigans and zip-throughs. Buttoned up over base layers and zipped under coats now, then making the perfect throw-and-go coverups later in the season. Try Sezane and & Other Stories. The Herd Brampton cardigan is excellent, made from traceable soft Bluefaced Leicester sheep wool and knit ranges from active labels.

• Cosy outer-layers - anything fleece from Uniqlo, Varley and Patagonia, zip-through jackets and 1/4 or 1/2 zip pullovers are key targets.

• Proper wool, cashmere (or just super fluffy) socks as small daily joy, the kind of thick pairs you look forward to wearing. I’m always on the hunt for the best cosy sock so any recommendations please… You can’t go wrong with The Good Cashmere Standard socks from The White Company.

• Shoe-wise, it’s wellies, substantial boots, hiking boots, hiking trainers, sheepskin boots and snow boots - a bit of outdoorsy realism, equal parts practical and chic. Mostly weatherproof to warm up every outfit, look out for Goretex. Go for Hunter, Barbour, Le Chameau, Salomon, Vivobarefoot, Dubarry. Around the house, it’s always Birkenstocks and Uggs.

The Soft Approach: Style Intentions over Resolutions

I’ll go into Jan office-outfitting below, but to recap, here’s some ideas to help you think about your own 2026 style intentions:

• What are the pieces that hold everything else up?

• Which clothes do you reach for when creativity and inspiration is low?

• Think of the unassuming heroes: knits, layers (base layers, mid-layers, outer layers), shoes that can handle the weather

• Find your familiar silhouettes and items that you know will show up and work hard

• Embrace outfit repetition with conviction

• Start by zoning in on some strong foundations

January isn’t about creating a new style - it’s about remembering the one you already have. Stick to this thinking and it takes all of the pressure off, then when you are ready to hit the spring style button later on, you’ll have clarity around exactly which pieces, looks and trends you want to embrace.

Styled Weekly: What I’ve Been Wearing This Week

Returning to the office, work from home days, a new suede jacket, the on-duty January uniform

Tailoring for the office return, the first outing for the new suede jacket and colour-drenching with ease

Following two weeks off over Christmas, dressing with a smarter spin for the office return felt great. I snapped up the Mint Velvet brown suede jacket in the sale, it’s a great pilot-meets-bomber shape that’s going to be really versatile heading into spring. Try this or this. (As a side note: there’s going to be some amazing leather and suede jackets hitting down at Mint Velvet over the next few weeks, so stay tuned if you have one on your must-have list for the new season). I had in mind a colour-drenching look, so went with these MV tailored trousers (old season MINT collection), they’re such a gorgeous cut and fit and fall so well with boots or trainers. M&S suede boots to finish.

Using a cable knit jumper and retro trainers to lend a sports-prep twist to navy tailored trousers

I haven’t worn this really chunky cream knit nearly enough this winter and was determined to style it into the week. It’s an old H&M one, is really substantial and has a great authentic cable finish to it. This looks like the new version and this light grey bomber jacket-cardigan hybrid looks like a great, versatile pick. Mine is quite long, so I’ve tucked it into navy tailored trousers (these are Zara and a great tapered silhouette, they also fall nicely on the ankle making them ideal for styling with trainers or pumps). Retro trainers to mirror the preppy jumper feel, then my Demellier tote to bring just a touch of polish.

A scarf with everything

Scarves are set to be a big thing again this spring/summer. Think neckerchiefs tied around necks, onto bags and as bracelets. Plus, larger, silky scarves (some tasselled or embellished with charms) are ready to be tied around waistlines, over jeans, trousers, dresses, skirts and beachwear. A speedy way to update a knitted cardigan I’ve had on repeat, this one is a nautical-themed Mint Velvet one and I really love these by Alemais, Totem and McQueen.

After the paywall you’ll find: more outfits, behind the scenes at Mint Velvet (our first campaign launch of 2026), garden plans and my wellness hacks.

2 minute outfit formula: strong knit + Levis + tote + boots

An old Alexander Wang favourite green jumper, this has served me so well and I enjoy wearing it more and more each year. There’s just something about the way he cuts the fit, places a dropped shoulder, leaves a raw edge and ensures there’s a sports-infused touch to every piece - in this case, a heritage-feel flecked wool that nods to the flecks you’d find on hiking laces and toggles. Picking out the black flecks with black Levi 501’s. These are the 90’s fit, my absolute go-to jean all year round, worn full-length or cuffed in a range of washes. Then just good, solid black leather boots (Mango block heel, square toe) and a super roomy tote (Demellier).

What we’re working on at Mint Velvet

At MVHQ, we’ve kicked off the year with the first campaign launch of 2026: The Keepers. A curated edit of the season’s key pieces designed to make sense of fashion and simplify dressing. Right now, the moodboard is full of soft neutrals, butter yellow, perfect leather jackets and trusty denim. To bring the campaign to life, we crafted content all around our founders, carving out a space for them to run through what making sense of fashion means at MV and how The Keepers can make your capsule work harder. The storytelling around a launch like this one is key and I really wanted to create a feeling of friendly authority for The Keepers - a sense that these pieces will work hard for you and springboard your year but you don’t need to own every single piece. They’re designed to be mixed with the core items and bits already in your line up.

You can watch the The Keepers campaign video at MVWORLD and YouTube, plus head to store to pick up the mini print lookbook. There’s also lots of talk of leather and suede jackets - it’s a month of outfitting foundations - so keep an eye out for a another big launch coming in the next couple of weeks. If you’re about to invest in a new leather or suede jacket, wait and check out the spring MV drop first.

What I’m curling up with

I’ve been reaching for books that slow my mind down rather than rev it up. Still inspiring, they’re either going to teach me something, challenge the way I perceive things or totally let me escape.

• For effortlessly healthy eating, ideas to cut back on ultra-processed foods, hit my five-a-day and up my weekly plants and seeds intake, Quick Wins - Healthy Cooking for Busy Lives by Ella Mills. The sun-dried tomato and white bean dip is my new change-up from houmous.

• Now is the best time to think about planning the garden, what to grow for the year and map out any rejigging that’s needed for plants in beds. On my reading list are How To Design a Garden by Pollyanna Wilkinson - more on the garden later.

• A historical novel I want to read next - The Eights by Joanna Miller - set in Oxford, local to where I live, I like the idea of being able to picture each location along the way and have heard great things about this.

In the garden

I’ve been thinking a lot about what I want to plant come spring - new flower varieties, more climbers and definitely some dahlia tubers. The beginning of a new year is always a chance to sit down with my Sarah Raven plant diary and brochures to do some planning. I find it really helpful to look back at the notes from the previous year, note what I was sowing and growing, then plan for the growing season ahead based on successes, ease, how much I enjoyed the flower, plant or crop. It’s also a good chance to go through seeds for a stock take. I’m terrible at buying seed packets I already have, brilliant at seed saving in the autumn and awful at using up those seeds the following year! First on the list, sowing sweet peas. Then it will be onto tomatoes and making sure I grow a few different varieties this year - I have plenty left from the Seed Saving Network and go-to destinations for seeds are Sarah Raven, She Grows Veg, Chiltern Seeds, Seeds of Italy, Daylesford and local garden centres and nurseries.

I’m also trying my hand at growing microgreens indoors on the windowsill, ready to top salads and dishes to get through the final stretch of winter. They’ve grown readily on the top shelf of my coldframe during warmer months, so I’m keen to see how they’ll fare indoors.

There’s joy in bringing in the first daffodils. I do love that you can add a £1 M&S bunch to your Ocado order to cheer up January. Mine are currently sitting in a vintage Strawberry Thief-print jug on the kitchen island. I can see the first Snowdrop and Muscari bulbs peeping up through the soil and may order a bulb pot from Hello Petal Flowers to add some green around the house. Next, I’ll focus on changing up the dried flower vases, switching from festive berries to dried grasses. Keeping the pinecones in keeps that magical, wintry feel and they make a great base right through to Easter, when you can pepper egg ornaments through.

Wellness I’m relying on

From upping my seed and nut intake, to religiously taking Wild Nutrition multivitamins and collagen powder in the morning, I’m trying my best to habit stack small wellness wins. An easy one - using my Beauty Pie red light mask every morning. By stacking 10 minutes onto my getting ready routine - straight after cleansing the mask goes on while I’m sorting an outfit. For a sweet fix, I’m batch-making peanut butter-stuffed dates and trying to have more chia overnight oats in place of smoothies.

• Beauty Pie’s C-Wave Light Facial LED Mask

• Wild Nutrition’s Food-grown Daily Essentials for women and Collagen 500 Plus

• Dates, peanut butter, a dollop of 70% dark choc and sprinkle of sea salt

• Madeleine Shaw’s Matcha Chia Pudding (I switch the yoghurt for Coconut Collab plant-based yoghurt)

Having recently discovered I have an intolerance to wheat, yeast, dairy and egg white, I’m on the hunt for a yeast-free bread recipe (like an Irish soda bread but without the wheat and buttermilk) and a banana bread that’s egg-free. Any recipes you can point me to would be great.

I hope you have a great week, let me know what you find and anything you think I should check out too.

Lx

Share The Lucy Edit

Leave a comment

The kind of details you barely notice until you realise they’ve lifted your whole mood and outfit. They turn getting dressed into something a little more intentional and a little more you.

The power of the small thing

At this time of the year, in a season obsessed with statement dressing and excess, I’m more interested in the underlying details. I keep coming back to the unassuming little tweaks that make everyday clothes feel special and standout. A bit of joy, a bit of playfulness, small things, big energy… They’re mood-shifters.

Why accessories matter

Accessories are where instinct meets individuality and they can transform the simplest outfit without demanding anything from you. It can be the tiniest touch that tells others what you’re all about in an instant. You can be in old jeans and a shabby jumper, but a great earring or a bold shoe makes it you.

Accessories are the opposite to trend fatigue - easy, interchangeable and personal, all in one. They also offer a non-committal entry point into a look or trend you’ve really wanted to try out. The invitation to play and take part in a moment without any of the pressure. Just a shift in attitude.

A brief fashion history of the ‘Little Extra’

Karl Lagerfeld’s driving gloves, Audrey Hepburn’s sunglasses, Kate Moss’s ballet pumps, Carrie Bradshaw’s corsage, Madonna’s crucifix, Alexa Chung’s preppy-meets-prim collars, Sophia Loren’s penchant for a jewelled necklace, Chloe Sevigny’s socks with heels and Princess Diana’s off-duty baseball caps... Accessories are often the most enduring part of an icons look - the micro detail that becomes the instantly recognisable identity.

We’re in a micro-statement era

A subtle pin on a lapel that makes you smile, that ring stack or curated pierced ear that makes you feel cool, an interesting textural bag that’s a pleasure to carry, a sculptural belt or necklace that lifts everything and anything from a t-shirt to a silk shirt... It’s about how an accessory makes you feel, not about how it looks. Joy, humour, a glimpse of the wearers personality.

As we come to the close of the year, we need this kind of fashion, these simplest of styling hacks - just the opposite of the Christmas-maximalism burnout.

Below the paywall: lots of small things, big energy inspo and the accessories that will change everything, my favourite way to style a pre-loved brooch and how to use one to make a scarf or coat feel fresh, plus the outfits I’ve worn to the office this week (cashmere, 501’s, great boots).

That’s why fashion is so powerful. It doesn’t have to be about reinvention but about small recharges. A hair clip, a belt buckle, a keyring on a bag, a knitted collar that makes an old coat feel entirely new again. The kind of additions that don’t overhaul your wardrobe, but remind you why you love it. It’s not about more clothes, it’s about more feeling. Because when the season is busy, bright and a bit overwhelming, the secret isn’t to do more, it’s to do less, but better.

You don’t need a new wardrobe, just a new approach

The small things edit - proof that sometimes the smallest thing can do the most work. Here’s just some of the mini things I’m looking to for instant outfit updating:

Styled Weekly: What I’ve Been Wearing This Week

The weather called for cashmere jumpers (layered with coin jewellery), styling a brooch into a look and a simple suede jacket and jeans combo

The Weather Called for Cashmere - Layered Up With Long Gold Jewels and a Signet Ring

As soon as the cold snap hit, I reached straight for the cashmere. I love the shape of this jumper, it’s really simple but a bit boxy, a bit slouchy, it looks way more expensive than it is. It’s old season MV, but I’ve found a similar one here. To add a point of difference, I’ve layered Daisy Jewellery’s Chakra pendant and added my signet ring. Black boots to finish and a classic Mulberry Bayswater bag updated with keyrings.

Championing The Sculptural Brooch - Keeping It Simple with Chocolate Brown and Blue

I know I keep harping on about the brooch but they’re such a quick and easy way to update things. I found this one on eBay a while ago, (I searched ‘sculptural arty gold brooch’) and there’s some great ones on Vinted too. Or, you can try secondhand stores and charity shops. A cost-effective way to get a new look and it creates a real talking point for your outfit. People stop and comment on this scarf and brooch duo when I wear it. 501’s and boots to finish, topped with a (very warm) burgundy coat.

As Classic as It Comes: Suede Jacket + White Tee + Jeans + Boots

Letting a timeless tan suede jacket have its moment, with a simple white t-shirt - Mint Velvet’s ultimate cotton one is really good, I wear it all the time - and mid-blue denim. Chocolate brown leather boots offer a nice alternative to black and letting the simple gold hoops do all the talking accessories-wise.

I hope you found something useful here. Share where you’re finding your best buys and let me know about anything you think I should check out too.

Lx

Share The Lucy Edit

Leave a comment

The editor and the machine - the moment of unease

I’ve spent my entire life learning how to write - really write. As a writer and editor trained to think, observe and craft words with intent, to build stories from instinct, interviews, research, time… I now suddenly find myself using AI tools to brainstorm, summarise, even ‘create’. It’s become essential at work, where I’m a Content Editor with a team delivering a high level of output each week. Our creative team embraces AI - that voiceover you’re listening to, that video with a cute bow unravelling to reveal a present, those cute puppies surrounding the model wearing the ridiculously chic outfit, the billboard campaign, the Instagram caption. As an editor, it’s a tussle. The tension isn’t fear, it’s curiosity and accountability. What happens to a voice, or the tone of voice of a brand, my voice, the voice I’ve crafted over the past 20 years, if I suddenly become far too tuned into AI and its voice. What happens when creativity becomes automated? What happens to craft when output is instant?

When AI knows the story before I do

Here’s the one big thing I’ve learnt about AI this year - it challenges me to think differently and to come at something from another angle. As a writer, that can be extremely helpful. Everyone knows about ‘writers block’. There’s days when you’re on deadline but the words just aren’t flowing. Rather than getting in a hole, AI breaks through the mental blockage and before you know it, you’re 500 words deep, brimming with ideas and an hour of cathartic writing has passed in the blink of an eye.

Am I writing, or is it?

There’s a broader industry shift in brands where utilising AI is now positively encouraged. As a Content Editor by day for a fashion brand, where AI tools are framed as efficient, a smart way to optimise your day and the best route to scaling creativity, I have no choice but to embrace it. The irony of it… The fashion industry is one of the most creative hubs I know. It embodies creativity yet is actively turning to computers to whip up something creative. Back to the office, where it’s completely normal to use AI to generate ideas, aid in creating content, write a caption… For me, I can’t tell if it’s collaboration or a quiet betrayal of everything I’ve ever stood for as a journalist. Honestly, it’s all a bit unsettling. The craft as a writer is in the intuition, drawing on lived experience, on knowledge, on historical references, on fact. Fiction grows from imagination. Being able to take a view, take on other people’s views and form an opinion, is a skill. Things that aren’t easily coded.

The creative conundrum

Do you think automation can capture tone, taste and truth? What about originality? Maybe AI won’t replace writers, but it will change how we write, what we value and how we define originality. AI may be the next logical step, but I’m still finding my way with technology’s place in storytelling. Embracing yet navigating my way slowly, using it to work smart but with caution, definitely not charging in. What I do know, is that I’m still searching for the balance and setting myself clear perimeters when it comes to intuition and input. Deciphering what is machine and where the human touch is needed, scrap that - is essential. And yes, I used AI to help me outline this piece. Maybe that’s the most modern form of irony.

Styled Weekly: What I’ve Been Wearing This Week

Styling in a traditional red tartan scarf, a preview of a new asymmetric Mint Velvet military-ish jacket and burgundy to the floor

When The Tartan Scarf Is The Outfit, Accompanied By Denim, Lambswool and Great Leather Accessories

There’s something entirely comforting about a traditional tartan scarf. Nostalgic, a bit schoolish, steeped in heritage, quintessentially British, slightly eccentric. Tartan can be brand new, a hand-me-down or brilliantly vintage and it all reads the same. I’m completely in awe of any Scottish family with its tartan swatch, its clan and although I have Scottish roots, the family tartan sadly didn’t get passed down. I’ve had this Dents scarf for as long as I can remember (it has matching gloves, which I’ve lost somewhere in the house, praying they’ll turn up soon so I can don the set). I think its closest to the Stewart swatch, but please do correct me, I’m keen to learn more about tartan. I’d love nothing more than to visit a proper Scottish mill. This Heritage Royal Stewart is a great option. In honour of The Scarf, I’ve put it with a simple pair of Levis, a Uniqlo chocolate brown lambswool crew neck jumper, (the brown is OOS but there’s an array of colours here - a toasty buy at a great price), a black tote bag and loafers. Low-key preppy, nothing too challenging, letting the tartan have the moment it deserves.

Modern Military Jacket , Mid Indigo Jeans and Sharp Suede Boots

A little bit of a preview here, this new military jacket is landing at Mint Velvet in January, the perfect modern military style. The asymmetric button front provides a bit of interest and it’s in a lovely buttery soft cream, with just a touch of yellow undertone. I threw it on quickly here with MV jeans and boots for a snap at work, but can imagine styling it with a soft, comfy wide legs at the weekends or leaning into the structure with tailored trousers.

A Burgundy Wool + Blue Cotton Combo, Deepest Darkest Denim and Elevating Accessories

After the paywall you’ll find: more outfits from the week and the diaries I’d love to find underneath the tree this Christmas…

There’s a handful of this beautiful burgundy coat left, I can’t tell you how nice it is to wear. There’s tan too, if you’re looking for something a little lighter. I really like the combination of the decadent wine tone with the functional blue cotton shirting - the colours bring out the best in each other yet create enough of a contrast to take a quite smart look out of boring territory. Dark jeans, really good black boots and my go-to tote to finish.

Home Comforts: Diaries Anyone Would Love To Find Under The Tree

If you’re anything like me, a new diary at Christmas is a must - I love spending time over the Christmas break mapping out the year and making plans. Here’s a few I’d be so happy to find underneath the tree, from Smythson, Aspinal, Rifle Paper Co and Papier.

I hope you found something useful here. Share where you’re finding your best buys and let me know about anything you think I should check out too.

Lx

Share The Lucy Edit

Leave a comment

As I speed towards a big birthday, my mind has turned to securing (or rediscovering) party pieces that will feel like me when I’m wearing them. The brief: they’ve got to make me feel like I’ve made an effort (it’s a special year) and conjure up an attitude I can relate to. Clothes for me are a bit like art, they’ve got to make me feel something, even a basic piece. When I like something I just know. Oh and did I mention, I’ve got to be comfortable.

Navigating Dress-Up Season

Fireworks night has just wrapped and like clockwork, the shops are full of party lines and Christmas collections. My inbox is brimming with emails wielding subject lines like ‘Get party-ready’ (guilty, we’ve used that one at Mint Velvet, apologies!) Sequins, velvet, metallics, rhinestones are back on jeans - it’s a collective invitation to shine, if you accept.

Curate partywear over a lifetime, not for one night

If you’re anything like me, the anti-party party dresser, the outfit is more about the energy than the elaborate. I find the party dress predictable and would rather focus on the kind of glamour that transcends trends and will live on long after the event. At this time of the year, honouring your own aesthetic and personal styling is more important than ever, whether that’s a velvet suit, a vintage slip or jeans and a blazer. It’s not about rejecting sparkle entirely, but about rewearing, mixing old with new, peppering in the odd new touch without spending out on a full new look. Here’s where I’m going to focus my festive style efforts…

Rewriting the party dress code: ease is the new extravagance

1. A modern Le Smoking jacket

One of those lasting items everyone should own. Yes, the cut might alter slightly, there may be a detail that moves it on in a season, but essentially the foundation remains - sleek black, contrasting satin lapels, occasionally a covered button. It can be single or double breasted, you pick. Blend it with your jeans, other tailored trousers, a skirt or do the full suit and let the tailoring do the talking.

2. No sparkle, yet entirely luminous

Stripping back the sparkle needn’t mean losing all the opulence - case in point, this jacquard, sculptural top. Lavish without being loud, the bold shape alone means all that’s required is denim or a simple trouser to complete the anti-party party look.

3. Sequins-for-the-sake-of-it

I’m thinking these Ro&Zo at Selfridges trousers with something completely opposing or offbeat, like a simple white tee, sporty bomber jacket or varsity shirt. Creating a bit of a clash and a touch of the unexpected to take sequins from twee to edgy. I’m channelling Ashish from 15 years ago, when a sporty mishmash of sequins and track kit was a ‘thing’ and definitely keen on the Argyle sequins direction.

4. Jeans and a nice top jacket

A trophy jacket and nothing but a pair of Levis to tone everything down. Absolutely my party safe zone. I picked up this Mint Velvet embellished one in a sample sale at work and cannot wait to style her (down).

5. Simply really good silk trousers

Probably by LilySilk and I’d spend the entire night trying not to spill anything on them. But worth the hassle for the look achieved with a pair of these and a slightly oversized, slouchy knit on top.

6. A single great piece of jewellery

Earrings with impact, a chunky solo ring and I’m seeing the sense in the brooch revival. Totally overlooked treasures, brooches are full of unique styling potential and are often passed down through generations. I’m going to style mine pinned to blazer lapels and on sweater folds… Thanks to The Row brooch masterclass (see below and spring 2026 Look 36) for taking something utterly timeless and making it feel new again.

These pavé earrings are in that signature Otiumberg rectangular shape, taking a simple staple hoop up a level and fast becoming a modern classic. The Khaite small lotus earrings are high on my wishlist, I love the enveloping structure and lightness in one. Soru’s beautiful designs have been a firm favourite for years. I remember visiting a showroom to see one of the first Soru collections and have watched the rise ever since. They cut through the noise with their elaborate but totally wearable designs way back then and they still are today. These baroque cross Soru Signoria earrings are just the right amounts fancy and chic, ready to lift any jeans-and-a-nice-top-I’ve-had-forever festive season looks - and will be the glam front runners in your jewellery box for years to come.

7. Leaning into vintage is a great way to go

   Don’t overlook the potential of vintage, especially for party season. The appeal is obvious - pieces are unique, often one-off and you’ll not find anything like it on the high street, or anyone else wearing anything like it either. Older pieces, if in good condition, are usually made really well, the craftsmanship is obvious and you can’t get that kind of quality today unless you commission something bespoke or work with an atelier. Plus, thrifting is such a joy and there’s a thrill discovering something that really speaks to you that isn’t necessarily anyone else’s cup of tea.

   Vestiaire Collective is a treasure trove. As with any thrifting, you need to be prepared to search and scroll to find what you are looking for. Their verification process is excellent, I once visited their Paris HQ when they first launched and saw first-hand the great set up they have. I also spent many hours inbetween uni lectures scouring the gems at Rellik, Portobello wishing I could afford the pieces on offer (then usually resorted to a five pound vintage t-shirt from the big Beyond Retro warehouse just off the top of Brick Lane on the way home to Whitechapel). The warehouse doesn’t exist anymore, they moved to Dalston and the West End but it was quite the place to be.

Styled Weekly: What I’ve Been Wearing This Week

Styling up my Burberry trench, rediscovering my Mulberry Bayswater, chunkiest of knits and playing around with checks-on-checks

Checked Shirt, Classic Denim, Black Boots and a Pop of Red

I think it’s the monochrome palette of the checks that appeal to me, it feels like a different take on tartan. The pearl buttons bring a special element and as always, it’s about the balance, so raw Levis 501s to bring it all back down. I’ve been making a conscious effort to use all of the bags in my collection to see if I really love and need them, in an attempt to streamline to a smaller capsule. One I’m keeping is this Mulberry tote, it’s not only a great size for every day, it’s in the juiciest cherry red - just right for bringing a seasonal touch and never dates.

Camel on Camel, Offset with Deepest Indigo Denim, Plus Loafers and YSL’s Downtown

I find the contrast of traditional camel and deepest indigo denim really satisfying. The ribbed high neck knit and long cuffs make this basic H&M trench feel expensive. Then pulling together the look with coordinating black shoes and a bag - M&S loafers and YSL’s Downtown bag.

Chunky Cable Knit Jumper, 501s, Burberry Trench Coat and Black Accessories

My years-old Burberry trench coat is the perfect example of a timeless investment piece. Passed onto me by my father-in-law, I love that it’s be worn and worn and is still as robust and perfect for windy and rainy days as it was when he bought it years ago. That checked lining just never gets old.

Brown Aviator Jacket, Another Checked Shirt, Jeans, Adidas SL72’s and a Love-Worn Mulberry Bayswater

I’ve been wearing this Mint Velvet aviator jacket loads, mainly because it’s so snug for the early morning bite in the air but also because of its vintage appeal and shorter cut. Layered over a green checked shirt, a thin knit as a scarf, jeans and Adidas SL72’s for that retro nod and daylong comfort when running around to work, school and back again. Rediscovering my Mulberry Bayswater bag, I’ve had this since the first year of uni and would tote all of my books around in it. I think that’s why I love it still - the vintage patina and leather that’s just become better with age - such a great bag design and so glad I invested in it.

The plan for the Mulberry Bayswater…

When Bella Freud posted this shot this week it really spoke to me. She’d interviewed Alexa Chung for her Fashion Neurosis podcast and Alexa spoke of a time she had interviewed Jane Birkin at the V&A. This is Jane’s namesake Birkin bag, stuffed full of notes. The journalist in me jumped for joy immediately - a creative hive of words being toted around all day in the ultimate bag icon by the ultimate fashion icon. I’m totally inspired to add my own charms, key rings and trinkets to my Mulberry Bayswater now.

I love the idea that it tells your story but not everyone will fully understand the significance and memories of each accessory. This bag has so many memories for me and was my go-to when I was cutting my teeth as a fashion journalist, so feels like the perfect canvas for a storytelling bag charm moment. Creating something completely individual that I can pass onto my daughter when she’s older - a bit like a charm bracelet. I’ve got a few add-ons in mind - a broken evil eye Dana Levy bracelet I can’t bear to part with, a Chanel beauty charm, a bead bracelet my daughter made me and a leather tasselled keyring.

Home Comforts: Not Another Gift Guide, But Some Great Gifting Ideas

Not a proper gift guide… just some of the small things I’d buy loved ones this Christmas. An LK Bennett leather keyring as a small, fun token, an investment forever-cardigan by Herd, the best Elemis cleansing balm trio deal, coupe glasses for toasting and a good cookbook signed by the author.

After the paywall you’ll find: more not-a-gift-guide-gifting ideas and the things I’m giving this Christmas…

• Side note: Herd are currently popping up in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire - next stop is Burford (Wysdom 115 High Street) from Tues 11th - Sun 23rd Nov and at the Bertoli & Friends Christmas Market Thyme Hotel, Gloucestershire on Friday 21st November.

Happy weekending, I hope you found something useful here. Share where you’re finding your best buys and let me know about anything you think I should check out too.

Lx

Share The Lucy Edit

Leave a comment

30 years ago, I would play dress-up in my bedroom with my friends and probably capture it on a Kodak. Now I’m playing dress-up for the grid. Somewhere between Instagram profile pages and outfit reels, getting dressed became a public act. And personal style, the form of self-expression I’ve always held paramount, became performance.

The Vanishing of Subculture

Think back to a time when there was more of a reflection of sub-cultures in society. Vivienne Westwood’s punk, the Carnaby Street mods, Barbara Hulanicki’s Biba, Studio 54’s disco era - hubs of style and subculture which truly influenced what we wore. Style emerged from scenes, fashion rose up from communities - not the For You Page.

Back when I started in fashion magazines as a young fashion journalist, style icons were a short list. Kate Moss. Sienna Miller in her boho boots. The French editors and muses - Carine, Brigitte, Inès, Emmanuelle. You knew who they were and what they stood for. Now, there are too many to count and yet, weirdly, too few who feel original. Is it that today, the representation is solely what the algorithm serves us and what does that mean for diversifying fashion in the future?

We looked to the street and the shows for inspiration and for ‘the new’ but it was a way smaller pool of references. You could list the street photographers on one, maybe two, hands. Street style was journalism. Journalist (fashion editor or fashion assistant) and photographer head out with camera and clipboard, scout real people, take picture, journalist takes down details of what they’re wearing (using a pen), a release form is signed giving permission to publish the photo. It was all about the thrill of discovering originality on the street. Now it’s content farming and we’re moving into a era where the fashion muse isn’t a person, it’s a feed.

I definitely have a pool of go-to inspo, the people I always look at on those nothing-to-wear days. The ones I consider my very own everyday style muses. They tend to pop up in my feed daily - I consume the content, I’m served more of that content. But would I pick up a magazine to flick through for inspo of what to wear? Probably not. I love magazines (long live print!) and I can absolutely remember doing just that, particularly when I had an event coming up or was off on a trip to report from Paris Fashion Week. I miss those simpler times.

Lazy Styling

True style is about experimenting but knowing your personal DNA. What makes you feel you. It can be a uniform, a trusted formula, or trying out odd combinations to see what feels and looks good. It’s definitely making mistakes, how else do we learn? Now, with endless ‘how to style’ videos and saved posts, are we outsourcing creativity and doing ourselves a disservice in the process? The line between styling and copying has blurred… Pinterest boards have replaced impulse.

Outfit, Optimised: Is The Algorithm Wearing Us Now?

The irony of it all (and this is no secret) is that the simpler the outfit, the better it performs. White tee, denim, neutral palette, repeat. There’s a link between what we see and are served on our feeds and what we choose to wear. It’s a given that if you see a leather jacket, shirt and jeans outfit on repeat, like and engage with it, that you’ll eventually start to wear that look. Then you’ll be served more of said looks. We start to prefer what we see most often.

Riding The Algorithmic Taste Cycle

TikTok and Pinterest’s Clean Girl, Mob Wife, Fisherman Core and Coquette microtrends are evidence of algorithmic taste cycles. Years spent as a print fashion editor means I generally tend to treat every corner of the internet like a magazine spread - shopping edits is my safe zone. I really do appreciate all the moodboards I can reach at the touch of a button but I desperately don’t want to become creatively lazy, or on autopilot. I’m finding myself asking: Are my subconscious dressing choices influenced by what I’m seeing in the feed? And am I even ‘inspired’ anymore, or am I just imprinted?

Reclaiming Style (All Is Not Lost)

My plan to counteract all of the above and get back to dressing for myself starts with beginning the day thinking ‘what do I really want to wear today?’ and ‘what will bring me joy?’ Blocking out the noise from what content ‘could’ be produced and just having fun with fashion. Dressing for the moment instead of the image. Chances are the good outfit shots will naturally come anyway. I’m also going to shift focus to rediscovering the physical joy of clothes - appreciating texture, nostalgic references, celebrating really great fabrications, interesting design details, special cuts. Making sure all the outfit inspo I’m consuming isn’t doing the styling-thinking for me.

I dare you, wear something that would confuse your algorithm. I will if you will.

Styled Weekly: What I’ve Been Wearing (Algorithm-Influenced?)

Office days, working from home days, that new coat feeling and working my way through the knitwear storage bags

After the paywall you’ll find: more outfits, snug and joyful knitwear, a boat shoe edit, cookbooks, Christmas wreath kits and more.

Read more

This season, brands have really gone into country-mode. It’s always a returning A/W theme, but this year it has been cemented as a trend, a look - Haute Heritage. Modern polish meets countryside charm with plenty of eccentric flair. Soft layers with an outdoorsy-twist, tactile textures and a resurgence in heritage fabrications like tweed, tartan and Argyle nodding to tradition. Homespun-feel yarns are styled with suede and leather to keep things luxe and current, field jackets, riding jackets and wellies ground romantic silhouettes - a heritage mood awaits.

Burberry’s Back to the City campaign is the perfect marriage of highland tartan, their own heritage checks, countryside charm and city edge. Sezane’s collaboration with Baziszt is ‘an autumnal capsule celebrating embroidery, artistry, and timeless craft’ and the perfect romantic yet feminine pieces to style with country staples.

The Barbour x Arket drop takes countrywear into town featuring this Fairgame waxed headscarf - I’ve ordered it and can’t wait to add it over my Barbour jacket, knitwear and tailored jackets. The archive Barbour shoot above in one from my camera roll - an 80’s gem, it sums up everything I love about the brand.

Lands’ End is flying the flag for Harris Tweed, steeped in history - there’s really no wool quite like it. I love how the boxy shape of this jacket brings a crafted, handmade fabric into the now, it’s such a classic. Each one is cut in limited-edition bespoke Harris Tweed that is dyed, spun and woven entirely by hand, crafted by islanders in their homes. Craftsmanship at its finest. The colour palette is inspired by water and rolling countryside, I’d style it with my 501’s and boots, with smart tailored trousers and trainers for contrast. You’ll also spot endless Argyle diamond patterns coming through this season - at Massimo Dutti, Boden, Brora - decorating knitwear that’s to be worn everywhere but the golf course. Maison Kitsune and Hunter have just dropped a line of really good boots. Nobody’s Child have this black and brown houndstooth relaxed coat, it’s the perfect way to do countryside day to day - jeans and a tee, over dresses and smart with tailoring.

Monsoon has released another collection with Sarah Corbett-Winder, filled with highland fling tartan and jaunty cardigans. I love the idea of this swan Fair Isle brown cardie with jeans or a simple, well-cut trouser. The tartan fringed shawl coat reminds me of a picnic blanket I loved when was little, it’s just like wrapping up in a fave throw - so nostalgic and the perfect colours in this traditional swatch. Holland Cooper and Lydia Millen have teamed up for a drop filled with pieces celebrating traditional British craftsmanship. This Atlas silk scarf (named after her horse) in sage and the bespoke tweed jacket are both beautiful.

Listening to a Radio 1 debate about whether it’s bad taste to wear countryside attire in the city, really struck a cord. The great British countryside has been influencing fashion forever and being able to take functional items, waterproofs, warm and hardwearing tweeds from country to city and back again, is part of celebrating the great tapestry of British country style and its pursuits… Rambling, horse riding, angling, clay pigeon shooting - it’s that eclectic charm and all-terrain ability that makes these pieces (and the look) all the more brilliant. Heritage feel, strong direction, really practical dressing - wherever you are.

Styled Weekly: What I’ve Been Wearing

Back and forth from the office, working from home and being able to wear shearling and chunky knitwear without breaking a sweat now the temps have dropped

Shearling-look Aviator Jacket, Indigo Denim and Car Shoes

I feel a bit like Austin Butler and Callum Turner in Masters of the Air in this shearling-look aviator jacket and I’m not mad about it. Given an update for AW25 in that chocolate brown hue that’s everywhere, in this tone it feels a bit smarter and a more authentic nod to the vintage icon (and standard-issue uniform) that inspired it. More importantly, it’s unbelievable snug. I like the look of this Zara Collection one, the worn-in patina is appealing. Darker denim smartening things up a bit and I’ve added car shoes and socks in matching tones for a bit of a preppy feel. It’s a casual jacket shape, so the polished Demellier bag helps keep things refined.

Chocolate Brown Ribbed Knit, Faux Leather Trousers and Suede Boots

The ribbed knit is a classic for a reason - cricket pull-overs, fisherman jumpers - the finish is not only timeless, but durable and exceptionally warm. This Mint Velvet design has hammered buttons running down the sleeves and is in burnt chocolate brown, one I’ll be reaching for all autumn/winter long. The faux leather MV trousers offer a contrasting finish and I’m bringing the brown tones back in with the suede M&S boots. They’re the perfect heel height when I’m going from school run to the office and back again.

Joggers, Striped Knit, Leather Biker and SL72’s

A casual working from home day calls for comfy joggers, a super soft and cosy H&M striped jumper (love that V-necks are making a comeback) and an old Zara biker jacket. The flash of burgundy and yellow from the Adidas SL70 OG’s create interest along with the stripes and my trusty Celine’s to finish (and hide tired eyes).

Alex Eagle x J.Crew

One more shout out of the week has to go to Alex Eagle’s and J.Crew’s collaboration. I love both brands, it’s the perfect fit celebrating two Sohos across the pond in London and New York and the storytelling is on point.

“Americans and Brits have broken the rules of style in different ways over the decades. Americans leaned more into sportswear and color, while Brits have taken prep and made it a little more punk.” - Olympia Gayot, J.Crew’s Creative Director

“I started Alex Eagle because I felt there was a gap for a British brand that makes easy-to-wear pieces steeped in traditional Savile Row tailoring.” - Alex Eagle

I wasn’t quick enough to secure the tartan scarf (it’s so good) so have signed up for alerts incase I can get a return. The shirting, reversible trench in tartan/navy, slogan cap, baseball tee all create a blend of sporty-preppy-punk nostalgia I could live in.

Mint Velvet BTS - we turned 16 and the elevated new drop

After the paywall you’ll find: behind the scenes on Mint Velvet, my Vitamin C serum rotation and home comforts (candles, throws, tablescaping staples) to inject the cosy into home life.

We celebrated 16 years of Relaxed Glamour at Mint Velvet this week with all of these yummy cakes for head office. It fell on a busy day, so everyone was happy for the sugar hit and 3pm cuppa mid-meetings. You can watch the Mint Velvet brand story, with our CEO and Co-founder Liz Houghton, over on MVWORLD now.

This MINT STUDIO line is dropping very soon. Our luxe, carefully curated edit that only lands once a season, is filled with elevated fabrications and details. These are true buy-once, wear-forever pieces. I’ve got my eye on the Chocolate Brown Mongolian Fur jacket, the zebra coat and the tailoring.

As we were discussing earlier, a heritage country-inspired Mint Velvet rail, perfectly suited for city or country. Checks, dogtooth, flashes of cord, suede and smarter, dark indigo denim continues to be strong for us.

The Beauty Briefing

On the radar: how do you Vitamin C? Here’s my Vit C rotation, plus, a great serum option for under £15

I’ve heard great things about this Garnier Vitamin C 10% night serum and it’s only £14.99. I admit, I’m not very loyal with Vit C - I flit between Elizabeth Arden Vitamin C Ceramide Capsules Radiance Renewal Serum, Oskia’s Super C Smart Nutrient Beauty Capsules (smell utterly amazing, of oranges) and Sunday Riley’s C.E.O. Glow Vitamin C and Turmeric, which I’m currently using and has lasted ages, it’s a great buy. Depending on my mood and the offer available when I run out, I generally go with the one that’s the best buy at the time! But I do apply Vitamin C religiously every morning, after cleansing, before my moisturiser and SPF. Definitely giving this affordable Garnier option a go next and interested to see what adding it into the night routine will do.

Home Comforts

So many great pieces landing, from festive napkins and candlesticks at M&S, to H&M’s rich, autumnal warming palette of browns and wine reds. Small things that will make a really big impact at home.

Happy weekending, let me know what you find and anything you think I should check out too.

Lx

Share The Lucy Edit

Leave a comment

My outfits this week have been all about being comfortable and have generally been built around a layer of warmth - a cosy cardigan, a warm cord blazer, a quilted jacket.

Styled Weekly: What I’ve Been Wearing

To the office for meetings, writing days, school appointments and a (bit too busy) weekend of errands

Barrel Leg Jeans, Embroidered Shirt and the Cosiest Cardigan

Barrel leg jeans are starting to feel like my joggers, I find them so comfortable to wear. Where I used to think of a boyfriend or girlfriend shape as the pairs to knock around in, the rise of the barrel leg the past few seasons means they’ve taken over the top comfy spot. There’s a lot of opinions about which shoes do and don’t work with barrels, but it’s really actually quite simple - stick to slimline shoe silhouettes and nothing chunky, to balance out the volume of the leg shape. So a slim retro trainer, ballet pump, loafer, clean leather boot all work.

Cord Blazer, Deep Indigo Jeans, Suede Boots and a Chocolate Triangle Scarf

A corduroy blazer has been one of the breakout stars of autumn/winter, with 1970’s undertones and a hint of ‘grandad’, I’m really into the look. Cord is nostalgic - one of those timeless, comforting fabrics - and this season it feels fresh styled with denim and simple staple layers underneath. Mine is really old H&M, I’ve not worn if for a couple of years so was pleased to be able to rediscover it. The thickness of cord makes blazers like this a nice weight to wear. A little more substantial than a regular blazer so for autumn, treat it like outerwear, perfectly fine as an out-and-about top layer and relaxed enough to sit in at your desk or pop to the pub in. Arket’s brown one is nice, I like the boxy fit and Mint Velvet has this. Wearing these H&M dark indigo jeans all the time, I like how they feel a bit smarter, and would probably switch in a wide leg jogger at weekends or tailored trouser during the week, to mix things up.

Collarless Quilted Jacket, Leopard Print Barrel Jeans and Birkenstock Shearling Clogs

Again, I’m living in this brown quilted jacket. Being collarless it’s nice to feel a bit less bulky as autumn is so changeable weather-wise. I can add a scarf first thing when it’s freezing and wear it as is later in the day when it warms up. Also really comfy, I like anything quilted. This reversible Mint Velvet jacket is so lovely with the stitched edging and great to have two colour options for different ways to wear. Throwing on leopard barrel cargo jeans and Birkenstocks for running around - dropping the kids at dance lessons and nipping to the shops. I’ll link the leopard jeans because we do restock them a lot at MV, they’re always going in and out of size availability but you can sign up for alerts. I really like these Gap ones and these are similar. You can’t beat the Birkenstock Boston shearling for ultimate cosy factor. I like that you don’t have to wear a sock as they’re so warm, and later in the winter a sock in a contrasting tone only adds to the warmth and outfit interest.

Espresso Brown Is Taking Over (a supercharged shot of polish for your AW25 wardrobe)

Espresso brown is the chic, goes-with-everything shade of the season. Go head-to-toe in coffee hues - think a brown knit wide-leg with a matching brown jacket, or a scarf-detail knit with brown jeans. Rich, choc brown also pairs perfectly with denim and tonal accessories. Warmer than black but just as timeless, there’s so many good pieces out there but here’s just some of the espresso brown bits that have caught my eye. Rich, refined and endlessly wearable.

Below the paywall you’ll find more of my espresso brown edit, the lip balms I’m throwing in my bag for on-the-go autumn moisture and homey bits I’m using to update the house now we’re spending more time indoors.

Read more

I had a really interesting chat with Karina @styleidealist this week about the discourse going on online about now not being the time to spend money on new season buys. That actually, with Black Friday and sales coming up, October isn’t the time to shop. But here’s the thing - and both Karina and I agree on this - if you don’t strike while the iron is hot in fashion-land, you miss the pieces on your wishlist. Things do sell out, collections move quickly and with the autumn lines dropping, you simply don’t secure the key boot, that investment coat you’ve spotted, that reliable knit you’ll end up wearing on repeat. It’s an interesting take, and I get the sense in being vigilant with our money. I do earmark things now for Black Friday, the bits I know will be discounted or there will be a mega deal on. It’s usually the home bits, like tech, beauty gadgets, gift sets, Amazon lists and so on. Similarly, if there’s top-ups needed of staples like t-shirts, underwear, school uniform supplies… Goes on the Black Friday list. But that new pair of AW25 boots? I probably won’t sleep on those because I know they’ll be sold out in a size 6 in the blink of an eye.

To the fashion…

Styled Weekly: What I’ve Been Wearing

Mainly in the office, lots of meetings, shooting Live Shopping and the first time in so long I’ve actually needed to wear a coat

Frankie Shop blazer, Dark Denim and a Pop of Leopard

For a wardrobe piece I consider a modern classic in my repertoire, it’s mad I only actually wear this blazer in the autumn/winter months. She’s been stowed away all summer long and now it’s finally time to get the Frankie Shop black Bia blazer back into the weekly ensembles. Perfectly outsized, draping nicely off the shoulders and falling into a fluid yet structured silhouette, I defy you to find a better everyday tailored blazer. Frankie Shop does a brilliant job at making unassuming classics feel thoroughly modern. It’s the starting point of many of my outfits, and then I’ll just leave it to a simple black tee, dark slim denim and minimal black boots to do the rest. Throwing in a pop of leopard print belt just for a bit of contrast, this one is Zara, there’s a lovely option at Boden - the Iris belt.

Quilted Chocolate Brown Jacket, Wide-Leg Jeans and a Trophy Cardigan

Chocolate brown everything is the memo this season - and I love it. This jacket was one of those sample sale finds I’m so smug about (sadly, it didn’t go into production in the end and I can overlook the clashing silver zip). A quilted jacket is just the right amount of layer and warmth for now, before it’s time to embrace the true winter coats. This Cos option is lovely and practical. Styling with a Mango wide-leg mid-blue denim - these darker ones new in are on my list, I like the idea of a deeper denim palette for the winter months - burgundy Adidas SL72 OG and a chocolate brown suede tote to pull it all together. My bag is old season Mint Velvet, this Mango one is a great pick. The trophy cardigan adds a nice hit of clean, white freshness to a look tipping more towards the casual side of things.

Bow-detail White Shirt, Levi’s 501s and Loafers

Wednesday I was on set for Mint Velvet Live Shopping, so that means ease, comfort and quiet shoes for when we’re live! But I still like to feel put-together, especially when we have guest presenters in the studio. My trusty Levi’s 501’s (I like the 90’s fit ones) are my comfort zone. Giving them a preppy spin with a crisp white shirt (this has sweet bow embroidered detailing on the cuffs and also like this Jaeger pick), shoulder robing and knotting a chocolate brown Uniqlo jumper and finishing with my New York Demellier tote and brown suede loafers (mine are old H&M but I fancy an upgrade to these Boden’s). A note on the jumper, it’s the Comptoir Des Cotonniers collaboration at Uniqlo and this lambswool crew neck is such a great, quality find for £35.

Quilted Jacket, Gym Leggings and Adidas

An out and about day, fitting in a workout and ferrying the kids here and there. I love an easy, sporty combination - brown gym leggings, gym socks, a tee and jumper. The M&S knit triangle scarf, sunnies and Adidas add a little interest.

Mint Velvet Live Shopping BTS

After the paywall you’ll find: behind the scenes on Mint Velvet live shopping, the new Levi’s jean shape I can’t wait to wear, chunky cable knit jumpers, hair treatments to tackle the cold weather/heating and the Christmas cookbook on my radar.

Read more

Some things I’ve been styling/wearing/using/coveting/eyeballing…

Scarf Accenting

Small tweak, big impact on outfits. Make everything chic and cosy with this key new season accessory

Styling scarves in multi-ways is an accessory trend I’ll happily take from the summer months and continue into autumn/winter. I can’t remember the last time scarves felt so fresh and relevant, with triangle scarves getting a snug upgrade for AW25. I’ve tried on the small cashmere triangles at Arket (soft but on the small side, more neckerchief), the larger ones they have are much better. M&S’s super soft chocolate brown option has been tied on top of my jumpers, coats and jackets for the past week. A detail that makes every autumn outfit feel special - and £26 well spent.

Styled Weekly

The boots are back out and jackets are getting a moment again

One minute we’re basking in a heatwave, the next, there’s morning mist and it’s a test to see how long we can go without putting the heating on. Bridging the seasons I always rely on a few simple wardrobe components to make life easier: good tailoring, great jeans, simple tees, knitted layers, a trench, Penny loafers, jacket-cardigan hybrids, this chocolate brown suede tote has been handy, trainers in an autumn tone, a chuck-on barn jacket for showers and suede, low-heeled boots.

Storing away my favourite basket bags always feels end-of-summer final, but getting this Demellier New York tote out of its dust bag is always a pick-me-up. One bag that pulls together every work look - it fits my big MacBook and Smythson chunky notebook and all the other millions of things I need for work (and mum life). I’ve had the black for a few years and this chocolate brown suede version does look so nice.

The Beauty Briefing

Advent calendars are back, here’s the ones that look really, really good

After the paywall you’ll find: the beauty advent calendars I’m coveting, collagen recommendations, a new eye retinal serum from Boots, moisturisers I’m using to protect from the autumn chill (and heating), books by brilliant women I’ve added to my reading and cooking list, plus brand inspo from a recent research trip.

Subscribe now

Read more

Although the standard-issue maroon school tie and cardigan is long gone, this AW25 I happily come back to burgundy as a grounding colour. It mimics the hues of the turning leaves, shiny conkers hitting the park floor and the claret in my wine glass. Warm, polished, appealing and unassuming powerful.

It’s deeply decadent and even a simple jumper and jeans day can feel like a moment with the addition of burgundy. Contrasting against a beige trench, the hue pops and it also looks fresh with a crisp white shirt or grey tailoring.

The velvety and glimmering burgundy pieces I’ll leave until later in the year, right now I’ve got a razor sharp focus on great leather boots, a work bag to tote everything around in 9-5, throw my gym kit in and use as a weekender, denim, tailoring and not-so-basic tees, knits and separates. It’s a sea of burgundy out there so I’m editing down my favourite pieces and ways to wear it. Hopefully this sparks some outfit ideas and makes you want to inject some burgundy into your autumn looks.

It’s Burgundy Season: The Everyday Bag

The easiest way to work burgundy into your wardrobe? Start with the bag. A clean, structured tote in this shade instantly makes everything else look more considered. This is Katie Loxton’s Celina tote in cherry suedette. It also comes in black, choc and caramel. I like it with simple foundations - a good knit, tailored trousers, loafers - the sort of pieces you reach for on autopilot. The burgundy does the work, pulling it all together without trying too hard.

Subscribe now

It’s Burgundy Season: The Suede Jacket

Burgundy suede feels modern, but it also has that timelessness you want from a jacket you’ll keep on rotation. Here, it’s styled with denim (the H&M wide high jeans) and a basic button-up top - nothing complicated - but it proves how effective the colour is when you let it lead. Add sharp pointed heels, a boxy Margaux-inspired bag and clean

Read more

Subscribe now