Jess Cartner-Morley’s January style essentials: from posh slippers to French-Girl hairpins

Albaray

Chunky rib waistcoat

from £85

Chunky rib waistcoat

Finding it hard to haul yourself out of sofa mode and into something a little more “front of house”? Let me explain exactly why you need a button-through sleeveless knit. It looks just “fashion” enough to be intentional, but you can throw it over a regular T-shirt and trousers. The temperature control has a psychological impact: having fewer layers on your arms feels a bit fresher, less soporific, than being swaddled in a big knit. The horn-effect buttons add a dressy touch and make the shape versatile: you can wear this open as a sleeveless jacket over a shirt dress, for instance.

Albaray

Chunky rib waistcoat

from £85

Cotswold Knit

Notgrove neckerchief

£64

Notgrove neckerchief

The scarf has had a renaissance in fashion over the past couple of years. Scarf-coats and cute triangle scarves have turned a piece that was once an afterthought hanging on a hook in the hall into an outfit-maker. This is a great find from Gather & See, which is a brilliant online store that brings together affordable, sustainable independent brands. The pull-through detail is handy for easy, sleek styling.

Cotswold Knit

Notgrove neckerchief

£64

Uniqlo

Soufflé yarn half-zip jumper

£39.90

Soufflé yarn half-zip jumper

Allow me to introduce fashion’s most unlikely new obsession: the quarter-zip sweater, sometimes known as a half-zip. The knit that your chemistry teacher wore to parents’ evening has become a style superstar: Jonathan Bailey wore a Dior-brand one in the front row of Jonathan Anderson’s first mega show for the house, and Matthieu Blazy just opened a Chanel show with one. Uniqlo has a note-perfect, wallet-friendly version.

Uniqlo

Soufflé yarn half-zip jumper

£39.90

Zara

Ski collection ankle boots

£89.99

Ski collection ankle boots

Look, I know they’re cool again – I just bought my teen daughter a new pair for Christmas – but I just can’t take Uggs seriously. However, I do love a cosy boot. These are delightfully over-the-top, the boot equivalent of a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream, but the hiking laces give them just enough gravity. Apres-ski chic for end-of-Dry-Jan drinks.

Zara

Ski collection ankle boots

£89.99

Vuori

Elevation trousers

£110

Elevation trousers

Some of the best smart trousers around these days are in stores where you might think to look for leggings or sweatpants. They’re often called “travel trousers” because they’re cool and comfortable enough to wear on a long journey, but because they don’t crease or sag, you arrive looking smart. You don’t have to be travelling to appreciate them: they’re great for regular days when you need to get dressed at 7am and look presentable at 7pm. Vuori, home of chic Californian modern activewear, has nailed it with its Elevation trousers, which have a hook-and-eye fastening and front pleat to bring sophistication without any need to get out the iron.

Vuori

Elevation trousers

£110

Aligne

Taylor flannel shirt

£49.49

Taylor flannel shirt

This is not, in all honesty, a shopping suggestion so much as a suggestion to root around in your wardrobe – or your partner’s, or your dad’s – for a checked flannel shirt. These are going to be a Thing this year. This is not just a jeans-and-boots casual outdoorsy vibe: on the fashion circuit recently I’ve seen plaid shirts tied around the waist to break up an all-black tailored outfit, or tucked into pencil skirts. Charity shops are also a good source here, but if you’re in the market for a new purchase, this beauty by Aligne has a clever button and loop at the back that pulls it into a waisted shape, for days when that works better than boxy.

Aligne

Taylor flannel shirt

£49.49

Anthropologie

Eyelet resin hair pins

£20

Eyelet resin hair pins

Gen Z love a claw clip. And they look fabulous if you have great mermaid ropes of hair to work with, but if your hair is on the weedy side (hi!), a bulky clip will only accentuate that. A classic hair pin – with two wiggly prongs to secure into a basic twisted updo – has an appealingly Parisian vibe and will keep your updo up without kirby grips giving you a headache.

Anthropologie

Eyelet resin hair pins

£20

Cos

Belt-detail merino sweater

£119

Belt-detail merino sweater

This is the sort of interesting-but-understated piece that will make people admire your “effortless” style. Enough said. I just can’t decide between the steel blue and the charcoal grey.

Cos

Belt-detail merino sweater

£119

The White Company

Borg ballet slippers

£40

Borg ballet slippers

If you have elevated your pyjama game, why let the side down by pairing your fancy PJs with an old pair of socks? I am a fan of leather ballet shoes, the straight-up kind you get from dance-wear brands, which are my go-to indoor shoe for most of the year. But maybe January calls for something a bit toastier? These are a delight.

The White Company

Borg ballet slippers

£40

Monica Vinader

January birthstone chain necklace

£90

January birthstone chain necklace

Birthstones are a charming gift idea. If you have a January birthday to shop for but are feeling a little out of inspiration post-Christmas, then consider a garnet, the deep red January stone that symbolises passion, protection and prosperity. Monica Vinader jewellery is beautifully made, and gorgeously packaged: a real treat.

Monica Vinader

January birthstone chain necklace

£90