Neon Peach

I scored this vibrant little number in the post-Christmas sales last year, and it's easily become my favourite coat to wear once Christmas is over and the new year has begun. It's even more highlighter-esque in real life, if you can believe it, and I find it to be the perfect transitional item for this dreary time of year: warm enough to keep the chill at bay but bright enough to feel fresh and springlike. Some people are convinced it's a pinkish colour, but I consider it a part of the orange family -- a neon peach if you will. To tone it down, I wear it with basic pieces in neutral shades...but I can't resist the addition of a punchy orange lip. 

Wool coat - J. Crew

Sweater - Dynamite

Jeans - Dittos via The Bay

Shoes - Forever 21

Sunglasses - Ray-Ban

Lipstick - So Chaud by MAC

Festively Nautical

While I'm fond of the classic nautical-inspired combination of blue, red, and white, there's something just so intrinsically summery about those colours together that it puts me off wearing them this time of year. However, if you exchange the blue and red for navy and burgundy (and add a dash of sparkle somewhere), you've got yourself a look that's decidedly more festive and wintry. And hey, I'm even getting a head start on 2015 with my marsala-coloured jeans ;)

Sequin-collared Breton tee - Banana Republic

Blazer - Dynamite

Coated jeans - H&M

Boots - Steve Madden

Silver cuff bracelet - Forever 21

Nail polish - La Moss by Butter

Lipstick - mix of Rebel (MAC) and Majella (NARS)

5 Favourite Shops: Best for Tall Girls

I'm 5'9", which is not super tall, but it's still tall enough to find certain stores a nightmare to shop in when it comes to finding clothes of a decent length (*cough Forever 21 cough*). Here are a few favourite brands I find are kind to those with longer limbs...

1. Gap
Most of Gap's jeans come in three sizes -- regular, petite, and tall -- and believe me, their "tall" sizes are long (I actually only need a regular length myself). I find their sweaters, dresses, and coats are also very generous in terms of length.

2. J. Crew
J. Crew's Creative Director, Jenna Lyons, is over six feet tall, and the brand's most famous patron, Michelle Obama, is 5'11"... needless to say, this is a store that caters very well to taller women. 

3. Dynamite
While I don't own any trousers or skirts from Dynamite, I find this Canadian brand is surprisingly great for length in things like blazers and cardigans.  

4. Topshop
This British high street staple has a Tall section actually in store, which I appreciate (most stores that have tall sizes only carry them online). However, a word of warning: this line caters to women 5'7" and taller, so if you're 6"+, you might find some items are still a little on the short side. I've found that some of their supposedly "Tall" dresses are not particularly long, but you can definitely notice the difference in things like sleeve lengths. 

5. Banana Republic
Part of the Gap Inc. company, BR is a great place for both tall and petite women to check out. Most locations have a Petites section in store, but the Tall range can only be found online (unfair but at least they have one, I guess!). However, I find that most of the regularly-sized stuff found in stores is actually lengthy enough.