Linea Ava longline coat (£165)
Who remembers when Linea first arrived on the scene? I'm going to show my age now by saying that I do! I remember the rails of clothes in House of Fraser containing sleek items. It was way before the days that Birmingham had Jigsaw, Hobbs, Whistles or anything other than M&S and a small Topshop. Linea felt sophisticated, fresh and modern and it definitely offered something different. I remember Linea with fondness because it was the first place that I went to buy some new clothes 6 months after our eldest was born (nearly 19 years ago now. Eeeek.) On reflection my choices were bad - but that was purely down to me.
I was asked by House of Fraser recently whether I would like to take a look at the new Linea collection. It's been re-worked and updated. I was delighted to spend some time when I was in the Sutton Coldfield store looking at what was on offer.
I was gifted this gorgeous Ava coat from Linea as part of the collaboration with House of Fraser. I've had such a positive response to it on Instagram and it is truly a lovely coat, being made of 75% wool, 10% cashmere and 15% nylon. This is, I would say, the perfect "commuter coat." I've worn it on several recent trips to London when I've been on the train and when it's necessary to have something warm enough to keep the chill at bay but not so thick that you over heat. It's a coat that I find myself reaching for again and again because it just makes an outfit (however dressed down) feel polished.
I also love the colour of the lining, the simple lines and the fact that the pockets are square and "upright", meaning that a phone never falls out of it. I never thought that the type of pocket that a coat had would ever really be a consideration for me but it is. Is that terrible - especially in this context? Probably but there you go, it is!
And as to some of the other pieces that caught my eye....
Well first off, there's the Linea bomber back detail coat (£169). Unsurprisingly, I love the shade of pink and there's a really interesting layering detail at the back, giving the look of a bomber jacket. I love it when I come across a piece of clothing and I think to myself "oooh, I wonder how that all works." This was one of those pieces - something just a little different.
Moving on to my next item...
And Linea have come up trumps with this gorgeous poppy printed dress (£69). Styled here with heels, it would also work well (as you all know) with thick tights, ankle boots and a chunky cardigan over the top, or with a leather jacket and ankle boots, or with a fur coat for a winter wedding. This bold, graphic print is really strong and has great colouring to it.
How gorgeous is this Linea lace bodice metallic pleat dress (£125)? A dress that looks like a skirt and top is always a winner in my book. Skirts and tops can be quite a faff - all that tucking in business with the top having to be the right length etc. However this is all done for us. The skirt has a great length to it with plenty of movement and the top part is covered but still has that lovely sheer element to it too. The waist is set quite high, giving the illusion of legs that go on forever. I'm in!
There's also a gorgeous cashmere jumper at Linea which at £79 is a really good price. This item was also gifted to me as part of the collaboration but I'm saving it for a Christmas outfit that I have in mind. All will be revealed in due course!
Linea Isabella long line cardigan (£85)
Whenever I see someone wearing a long line cardigan, I always think how stylish it looks. It can be hard to find one long enough though but this one has a great length to it and it's such a versatile piece, layered over skinnies with a big chunky scarf or faux fur scarf. The grey inside also just makes it so much more stylish than if it was navy.
And who isn't always on the look out for a great top?
The print and detail on this Linea snake print ruffle blouse (£45) are fabulous. A bit of subtlety is always good (unless it comes to pink or sequins when all bets are off) but this offers something elegantly simple whilst still having something about it. I like most things that I wear, or that I put ladies in to "have something about them" - or the potential to have "something about them" when accessorised.
And finally!
There's the Linea Prince of Wales checked trousers (£55). Checks are having such a huge moment and the style of these makes them less "90s office attire" than some of the wide leg options available. I love the idea of them with the snake print blouse, offering something just a little different.
I have to admit that Linea had sort of fallen off my fashion radar but there are some great pieces and I shall definitely be popping back from time to time to take a look. The quality and the price point are both good and the styling of the pieces on the House of Fraser site is soooooo much better than many other brands I could mention. Do take a whizz over if you have a minute and see what you think.
Disclosure: This post was written in collaboration with House of Fraser, for which I was gifted the Eva coat and the cashmere jumper referred to above. I wasn't given a brief and all words and observations are my own.
