Black and White Winter Layers – Smart White Coat and Fedora

Winter white coat, fedora and riding boots

So my infatuation with winter neutrals continues with this outfit of black and white layers.

I wore this last week in London and it was so cold I didn’t actually overheat on several very crowded tube rides – being a comfortable temperature on the Underground at any time (summer or winter) is a bit of a miracle.

I’ve shown the outfit both with and without the oversized blanket scarf as I loved it both ways. It was everything I wanted from a winter outfit: comfy, warm and smart. A white coat may not be the most practical choice for travelling on public transport, but I only got a couple of smudges on one sleeve (they came out) so I think I did pretty well!

This encompasses so many pieces I love wearing in the winter right now: riding boots, a smart coat, white roll neck, a black fedora. What are your favourite pieces? And how practical are they…?! Do share in the comments!

Winter white coat, fedora and riding boots
Winter white coat, fedora and roll neck
Winter white coat, fedora and roll neck
Coat: Asos, Scarf: Asos, Fedora: Miss Selfridge, Roll neck: Asos, V-neck sweater: Asos, Boots: c/o Naturalizer, Bag: Accessorize

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64 Comments

  1. 9 February 2015 / 10:07 am

    I love your wihte-camel colour combination! You look very stylish. Well done! Bethany, The Not Perfect Housewife

    • 9 February 2015 / 4:46 pm

      Aww thank you for such a lovely comment, Bethany! x

  2. 9 February 2015 / 4:18 am

    Gorgeous layering. I am horrible at keeping anything white clean, it seems to attract dirt as soon as I put it on. This coat is such a great classic cut that you will be wearing it for years to come.

    Alice
    http://www.happinessatmidlife.com

    • 9 February 2015 / 4:45 pm

      I'm getting better at the keeping white things clean, Alice, but my clumsiness is so random I decided I'm going to wear white if I want to…!!!! Thank you my lovely x

    • 9 February 2015 / 4:44 pm

      Beata thank you! I was probably inspired by your all-white outfit from a couple of weeks back! x

    • 9 February 2015 / 4:44 pm

      Thank you Dawn – I do my best!! ;))))) C x

  3. 4 February 2015 / 4:33 pm

    I love your whole look, especially the hat…I need a hat in my life…you look gorgeous! Stopping by from the Pleated Poppy blog hop to show some love and I'm folowing because we have the same white ASOS beanie πŸ™‚ jk…love your blog! πŸ™‚ long live the Queen!:)

    • 4 February 2015 / 9:33 pm

      Awww Erika it's so nice to meet you… and what lovely comments, you're so sweet, thank you! I have a hard time choosing between my beanies and my fedoras, I love them both. Asos keeps making me buy more ;))

    • 4 February 2015 / 9:31 pm

      That's really sweet of you – thanks Elisa! x

  4. 3 February 2015 / 8:31 am

    White coat and black hat, very chick. I like this outfit.

  5. 3 February 2015 / 5:34 am

    I've had my eye on a white fabric and faux-leather coat for a few weeks now, dearest Catherine; the only thing that's keeping me from "caving in" is the impracticality issue that you mentioned…but boy oh boy, is this look of yours making me rethink my hesitation!! Especially because I love black and white combinations sooo much!! πŸ˜‰

    http://www.StyleIsMyPudding.blogspot.com

    • 4 February 2015 / 9:31 pm

      Haha so often I think to impracticality: "what the hell"!!! Especially when you're as clumsy as me, Monika :/
      Thanks sweetie, I'll be looking out for you in a white coat…!

  6. 2 February 2015 / 8:50 pm

    You are right, it is such a happy and elegant colour. Looking very good my dear. Love everything. I once had a white coat and it made my dry cleaner very happy.
    My favourite things are my silver shoes, my golden boots and my skinny jeans.
    Greetje

    • 2 February 2015 / 11:15 pm

      Haha I love that it made your dry cleaner happy!! I'm sad about the golden boots like yours I was waiting for – they took so long to send them to me they sold out. =BOO= And of course – thank you! xx

  7. 2 February 2015 / 6:01 pm

    I just love your coat and beautiful photography

    • 2 February 2015 / 11:13 pm

      Mariosa that's so nice of you, thank you!!

    • 2 February 2015 / 11:12 pm

      I didn't do too badly, did I Debbie?! Thank you my dear for your comment x

  8. 1 February 2015 / 4:13 am

    I do love this white coat…and the overall pastel look. So soft. I also just read your earlier post on "great links"…and then clicked on and read the link to the blog post on "blog commenting"…and then read your comment on that post about gravatar.com. Thanks so much for that idea, Catherine. As well as the many other ideas that I've read on your blog that have been helpful to me as a fairly novice blogger. Much appreciated!

    • 1 February 2015 / 7:08 pm

      So glad you liked the outfit, Susan! That's great that you went from link to link finding more and more useful info – amazing that you found a great tip via a comment I left elsewhere… it's brilliant how it works, isn't it?! Good luck with it all! x

  9. 31 January 2015 / 8:07 pm

    We were suppose to visit my sister and her husband in the UK next month but she advised us to cancel as apparently it is too cold to do anything. So we might go in April instead. Anyway, coming from the UK you must be an expert in cold weather dressing and yet you still managed to look chic and well put together!

    • 1 February 2015 / 7:06 pm

      Ohhhhhhhh your sister is a wise woman, Mrs C!!! April is usually better also because many tourist spots close from November to March – everything opens back up again on 1st April. And thank you for the lovely compliment! x

  10. 31 January 2015 / 7:30 pm

    Thanks Catherine for answering that soon and for the info.

  11. 31 January 2015 / 5:14 pm

    Winter neutrals always look great, your outfit looks chic and effortless, although how you braved the London underground with a white coat and came out unscathed is a feat in itself… I did it once…never again

    • 31 January 2015 / 6:15 pm

      Oh no, Vanessa – that sounds like you had a bad experience with a white coat πŸ™
      I'm still amazed at how it happened. And thank you, that's really sweet of you to say!

  12. 31 January 2015 / 10:41 am

    Very chic coat chick, love the look. My essentials have been OTK boots, fedora and faux fur!!
    Lauren
    livinginaboxx

    • 31 January 2015 / 6:14 pm

      Thanks, Lauren! I'd love some OTK boots myself… found the perfect pair but they were a little on the expensive side!! :/

  13. 31 January 2015 / 9:26 am

    Love the white coat, if I could only pull it off with kids.

    • 31 January 2015 / 6:13 pm

      Yep I think they'd be a far greater risk than any form of public transport, Mandy!! Thank you xx

  14. 31 January 2015 / 2:40 am

    I'm gasping over the photos! I just love cold weather photos, you get such a nice rosy tint. Only smudges on one sleeve? I'm impressed! I think I'd be very careful where I sat while wearing a White coat.

    JJ
    http://www.dressupnotdown.blogspot.com

    • 31 January 2015 / 6:12 pm

      Awww JJ you're so sweet, thank you so much. We were really pleased with how pretty the light was when we did this!

  15. 30 January 2015 / 3:36 pm

    Wow not overheating on the tube, I didn't realise that was even a possibility! Haha πŸ™‚ I love this look Catherine, your scarf is perfect and the lighting in these photos is beautiful.

    Take care and have a great weekend,
    Daniella xox

    • 31 January 2015 / 6:10 pm

      I know, right? I was was amazed that I (literally) kept my cool! Thanks Daniella, I love the light here too… gotta love that golden hour!

  16. 30 January 2015 / 1:25 pm

    O and sorry for the weird spelling mistakes! Dutch spelling check plays havoc sometimes, must set it to English….Have a good weekend, Irmin. http;//fashionsabbaticaldress.blogspot.com

  17. 30 January 2015 / 1:21 pm

    Hi Catherine, years ago I had a white wintercoat and I wore it till it had frayed hems and was rather thin at places. Then I forgot about it and now I see your pictures I think I would really like a light wintercoat again. I have put myself on a spending ban which I have already broken (ahem) so I will not go out and try to find a light camel winter coat in the sales! (she said with conviction..it's very difficult actually, but I'm gong back to collage in three months which cost a fair package) I like the hat! I had just planned to take photographs this afternoon with my Brighton Beach fedora (that were I bought it last summer) Hope you don't mind if I do (very different look from yours!)

    • 31 January 2015 / 6:09 pm

      Wow I love that you wore it to death, Irmin! Goes to show what a good purchase it was. And you photograph whatever you want to photograph… half of the pictures I take and outfits I wear are all inspired by other bloggers anyway! x

  18. 30 January 2015 / 12:16 pm

    You are stunning in these photos Catherine. I just want to have a little tour and be told all about the location. It's precious right?! Where is it? Catherine, it's my Friday night, and I've had a glass of wine (or two), and I just have to tell you: you're so pretty. Really. You're really pretty.

    Big hug to you. So hope I meet you in person one day!

    Love,

    Ann of Kremb de la Kremb

    • 31 January 2015 / 6:07 pm

      Ann you are soooooooo lovely – I'm so blushing right now!! Thank you!!!! The river runs through the town where I live – just out of shot is a house-on-the-mill type of house which is built over the weir. It's really lovely and we got there for the golden hour so the light was gorgeous! x

  19. 29 January 2015 / 9:46 pm

    Love this whole look. It's funny because the Kaliko coat you linked to, I bought last week and it's fabulous. I've ordered some flat boots today and I already have the fedora. You can't been classics.

    • 31 January 2015 / 6:05 pm

      Oh you bought that one, Georgina – it's a beauty! I think I might have bought that one had I not found the Asos one πŸ˜‰
      Thanks so much x

  20. 29 January 2015 / 9:30 pm

    Love this look on you! It's different to your usual colour on colour but suits you all the same, naturally.
    I love my black fedora too – I think they make any outfit seem that bit more put together. Well done you with the white coat haha! I haven't even managed to wear white jeans for a day without spilling soup down them. Maybe that's just me. πŸ˜›
    lily x
    http://www.jolihouse.com

    • 31 January 2015 / 6:04 pm

      Seriously Lily I am the clumsiest person ever – I managed to somehow spill smoothie all down my back once…!!! Luckily I wasn't wearing it while eating, so I only had to grapple with the possibility of public transport dirtying it. We travelled back i the rush hour so I got off pretty lightly πŸ˜‰

      And thank you so much xx

    • 31 January 2015 / 6:11 pm

      *meaning I wasn't wearing the white coat while eating, nothing to do with the smoothie incident πŸ˜‰

  21. 29 January 2015 / 7:43 pm

    Love the off white coat. I am a fan of neutrals and this is a classic look. Love the hat on you too.
    In Charlotte, we dont need many winter coats, but I would love a classic one like this. Have a great week
    from the link up,
    please stop by, jess xx
    http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com/

    • 31 January 2015 / 6:02 pm

      It's definitely a classic, Jess!! Thank you my lovely xx

  22. 29 January 2015 / 6:21 pm

    Hi Catherine I liked the whole outfit question do those kind of coats are good for a freezing temperature because here in NY we have to wear a down coat to go out.

    • 31 January 2015 / 6:01 pm

      Thank you, Ana! It depends on whether you literally mean freezing i.e. 0C or 32F – in which case yes, as long as you layer underneath like I did! It was about 3 or 4 degrees above freezing that day, and I had an extra two layers underneath the white roll neck. I also wear gloves AND mittens, plus the big scarf wrapped round me.

      It rarely gets below freezing in the south of England where I live. I don't have a down or padded coat but I have a massive thick parka to wear when it gets that cold :))

  23. 29 January 2015 / 5:40 pm

    Loved your instagram pics of your photoshoot, amazing experience. This coat, I have been looking at a white or baby blue now I obviously am back on the white. Great look. ( Fashion link up live today on the blog if you are interested)

    • 31 January 2015 / 5:08 pm

      Glad you liked them, Linda – not sure when I'll have final images but I'll be sure to publish them when I do! And I liked the baby blue in this coat too – but I had to stop somewhere!!! Thanks my lovely x

  24. 29 January 2015 / 4:27 pm

    You loook great in that hat! Love the coat..beautiful!!

    • 31 January 2015 / 5:06 pm

      That's sweet of you Raquel – thank you!

  25. 29 January 2015 / 3:39 pm

    Big fan of the scarf Catherine! (Love the whole look actually, but the scarf is my fave)

    Don't think I could do the white coat. As much as I love it, I'm the kind of person who would have dropped red wine down this before I even got it off the hanger!!

    My fave item at the moment is my camel coat <3 I wear it pretty much with everything these days! xx

    Little Miss Katy | UK Lifestyle Blog

    • 29 January 2015 / 4:21 pm

      Thanks, Katy! I spent the day in a really chilly venue that was actually a church vault, so the blanket was draped over me for the day and really helped keep me warm. And yes!! to camel coats – is there anything better this season?!!

    • 29 January 2015 / 4:22 pm

      hehe it was the crypt I mean, not the vault… though I'm not sure if there's a difference?!

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