I love winter in Australia. I live down south, where it's cold, and yes, we even get frost, and if you go to the mountains, you might even get snow. The older I get, the more I want to cover up - summer means showing off more of my body than I'm comfortable with. I don't care much for fashion. I just like things that bring me joy. If I could afford this vintage Patagonia jacket with mushroom lining, man, that would bring me joy.

If you opened up my jeans drawer, you'd see a pile of black jeans. Some are covered in paint, perfect for gardening. Some are darker black, perfect for work with a long baggy cardigan. Some are in between, worn with boots and op shop wooly jumpers and coats, for walking in the forest or going to the beach. Either way, it's unfussy - black jeans are my go to, minimal fashion and ultimate practicality winter wear.

And at work, sometimes I can wear the same pair of black jeans, all week, and no one will notice. All I need to do is change my shirt, cardigan and scarf, and maybe my shoes, and I'm done.

It's minimal fashion at it's finest.

Speaking of shoes, a pair of black leather converse complete my ensemble. I've always worn Chuck T's, since I was a teenager. I had a pair of camouflage ones and a bright pink pair. Lately my favourite have been a navy blue pair, but I've chosen black this time because they go with everything and I can get away with wearing them at work.

And if it's not them, it's my cowboy boots. A girl's gotta have a pair of winter boots, and if they are chosen wisely, they can last for years, making good economic sense.

Boots, Converse, a pair of trainers and a pair of elastic sided workboots for the garden are my entire shoe-drobe (I just made that up - it's a wardrobe for shoes). My current boots are cowboy boots. I adore them. I get a lot of comments from them and they just go with anything I wear - they are pulled on over thick socks and are comfortable and warm.

And in summer, even better - barefeet or a pair of thongs (don't laugh - that's what we call flip flops here).

Currently, I'm taking a lot of clothes to the op shop, because I don't want anything I can't fit into a backpack, and anything I haven't worn in two years ain't worth holding onto.

I'm starting to think about winter in the UK, and how my clothes won't cut it. Whilst I might live in a cold part of Australia, it ain't nothing on winter in England. Even the boots need to be warmer - lined, preferably.

I'll definitely be packing my black jeans and my Converse, but the rest is going to take more thought.

Keep it simple, I keep telling myself. Keep it simple.

^{Image of converse courtesy of me and Midjourney.}