From Brooks Brothers to Burberry

Dear god, this waistline – when will it ever end?

Today I am wearing my pleated Brooks Brothers skirt, and it’s sitting more tightly than it used to. Damn the Christmas trifle!

The skirt is made from a light wool material, with a button-through front detail and four wide pleats either side of the middle seam. It’s knee-length and lined. I’m not sure what colour you’d call it … tobacco, perhaps?

I got it in Chicago last year, at the Brooks Brothers store on the Magic Mile, right around the corner from the Peninsula where I stayed. I love Brooks Brothers – they are having a great January sale right now with up to 60% off, you should have a look at the gorgeous little twinsets and jumpers.

I bought this skirt along with a raspberry-sorbet coloured cashmere twinset, and a powder blue cable cashmere twinset. They were a good buy at the time, and every time I put one on I get a compliment from someone.

It’s the colours as well as the quality – the raspberry is that perfect shade of fresh summer blush, and the powder blue is gentle. And they're both so soft and lovely to wear against your skin.

Both sets accord with my view that I should buy less clothes, but better value ones. (Okay, now is the time to admit that yesterday I ordered a navy blue twinset and a lovely rose-coloured cashmere turtleneck from the current sale. But I saved over 50%!)

I’m coordinating my outfit today with a Burberry shirt; the classic beige background with black and white tartan and a burgundy-coloured stripe running through it.

I love this shirt, it’s a knock-off I got in Beijing the year before last. Not one of those knock-offs that falls apart the minute you wash it however, this is a decent one - you should seee the stitching, it's incredibly precise - the collar sits perfectly and all the seams are overlocked properly.

And it cost me all of a whole ten dollars. Now that’s what I call good value!