Our country really is a beautiful place. We’re blessed with sub-tropical conditions in the north and Antarctic blasts in the south. That gives us snowy mountains, rainforests and perfect golden beaches all in one place, which certainly makes up for our unpredictable weather patterns! Therefore it is no surprise that us New Zealanders have such exciting outdoor lifestyles that the rest of the world would be jealous of. If you’re anything like me you’ll be into hiking, boating and many more activities in the wild outdoors.
I recently got to thinking about how I could make my wardrobe a little bit more stylish whilst still retaining an outdoorsy feel. I wanted to be able to go from coffee house to hiking trail without having to go home first to change my outfit! After a bit of research I’ve come up with a few key pieces that can be used for this purpose, so hopefully you’ll find them helpful too.
Jackets and coats
The first place I wanted to look was the plus size coats and jackets section of a few shops. I always have a waterproof jacket in my car but I wanted something a little bit trendier for walking around the towns and cities. I found a beautiful bomber style jacket in red with black detailing which suits my personality well. It’s both practical and versatile which makes it great for a number of different uses. Another good recommendation is a longline macintosh or trench coat; a belt around the waist is a nice way to provide a bit of definition but the waterproof fabric will also be a great help.
Layering tops
I also discovered the benefit of layering tops for daily use. This is especially true in the spring and summer months when you expect it to be warm but a sudden chill comes from the south. There are so many options when it comes to layering but my favourite look is to have a plain long sleeved top and then put a longline vest over the top. I have a number of friends who prefer to layer in the opposite way and will simply put a slip or strappy vest underneath their longer sleeved shirt so they can take off the top layer when the sun feels a bit stronger.
Reliable footwear
One of my biggest struggles was finding the right footwear to go from town to mountain. I’ve settled on a few different pairs and I pick what I’ll wear that day depending on the forecast. My favourite shoes are dark brown ankle boots, but they have an excellent tread and clean up nicely after they get a bit muddy. A more practical pair of shoes includes black military style boots – these actually look great with slim black jeans and a crossover top. If I know I won’t be doing anything too outdoorsy I might just opt to wear my Converse as they look good with pretty much any outfit.
