Long Cardigans are Perfect to Add Layers to Any Style

As soon as the year rolls around to autumn and winter, all the fashion catalogues and adverts will be featuring layers in a big way. Layers can make an outfit look perfectly put together - and keep you warm as an added bonus!

We love the layered look at Goose Island, and fully subscribe to the Lagenlook, using beautiful, floaty, feminine layers to create a unique and individual bohemian style. 

In out latest blog, we talk about one of our favourite fashion pieces, long cardigans, and how you can use them to create this popular layered look.

"Whether it is two layers or five, due to their inherently long and flowing cut, long cardigans can instantly create a bohemian-style layered look. Simply wear one over a dress, add as a layer before a heavier coat, or even layer it underneath a vest or gilet. Long, wool cardigans are great to wear when the weather is still cold, and lighter, jersey material cardigans are a great choice when the weather is a bit milder, and are also great to use as a cover up over a bikini or shorts and t-shirt when you are on holiday."

Don't forget to take a look at some of our favourite long cardigans in stock! And we still have great prices available in our sale!

How to Use Accessories to Change the Look of Any Outift

Most people have a few favourite items of clothing that they love to wear more often than others - those go to outfits that are thrown on when you can’t think of anything else to wear. Some people even have a ‘capsule’ wardrobe made up of a few different items that they can mix and match. But how do you stop yourself from becoming bored? There is only so much you can do with just a few items of clothing.

However, this does not mean that you need to stop wearing your favourite top and jeans combination, or you need to go out and buy 50 new outfits. There are other options that can bring to life boring outfits, or add a bit of personality back in to over-worn pieces of clothing.

Ladies’ accessories have such an incredible range and variety, you can find so many different pieces to suit any occasion, style, or mood. The right accessories can help you bring life back to old outfits, and even adapt them to certain occasions that you never would have thought of before.

Adding a necklace to an outfit can instantly change the entire tone and purpose. If you have a faithful black top that you wear often, try choosing a necklace that stands out against the black. Statement necklaces are extremely popular at the moment, and adding a beautiful, oversized necklace, with a bit of sparkle, against a black top would be perfect for a night out or special occasion. Additionally, add a long, simple, pendant-style necklace for a touch of understated elegance suitable for weekends or the office.

Similarly, other jewellery and accessories can create the same effect. Try wearing larger, brighter, and more ostentatious necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, when you are heading to a part or a night out, and simpler, plainer pieces for day-wear. However, try to remember to balance out your look – don’t wear large necklaces, bracelets, and earring all at once, it could be too much!

Another accessory that ladies can’t seem to be without is a handbag. Again this accessory varies wildly in style and quality, and can be used to make a significant change to any outfit. We all have a favourite handbag, one that we take with us wherever we go and is full of our daily essentials – as well as a lot of non-essentials – but as your styles and occasions change, it might be worth mixing up your handbag habits. A large black handbag is great for carrying around every day; it can fit your lunch in for work, and gives you plenty of room to carry around an umbrella, a hairbrush, and anything else you might need to survive the winter weather. However, you could try just changing the colour of your regular handbag if you are looking for a subtle deviation. Brown and tan colour bags are always on trend through autumn and winter. If you are heading out the evening, step outside of your comfort zone a little and opt for a glittery or sparkly mini clutch bag. This will instantly add glamour to your outfit, and the upcoming festive season is the perfect excuse.

Necklaces, rings, bracelets, earrings, handbags, as well as scarves and hats, can truly change the look of any outfit, and carry your style through day to night, and many other different occasions. When you are next putting on that same old outfit, take a moment to consider your accessories – change something, mix different elements up, and be creative – you could have a whole new outfit without buying a single piece of new clothing.

The Right Jacket Could Lift a Lady's Style

As the good old British weather dictates, a suitable jacket is an essential item in any lady’s wardrobe. Even in the summer, a jacket might be needed to ward off any cold spells, and cover up when the heavens open. However, a lot of ladies will only have one jacket in their wardrobe that they wear again and again in all weather.

There’s nothing wrong with a good reliable jacket, but wearing the same one day in day out can become a little monotonous, especially when there are so many different styles of jacket available that can really add something to your style, as well as keeping you a bit warmer.

There are numerous styles of jackets that come in and out of fashion, but something like a blazer will always remain classic. You can get tailored blazers, boyfriend blazers, cropped blazers, waterfall blazers, and much, much more, so there is bound to be a style that suits you. You could add a plain neutral-coloured blazer to almost any outfit, and it would instantly make your style seem smarter and more ‘put together’, and a patterned or bright colour blazer would always add some style and excitement to a monochrome outfit. Jackets can be like an accessory themselves.

Similarly, cardigans are another kind of jacket that can have the same effect as blazers. They needn’t be saved for colder weather, as there are so many variations available, that you should be able to find one for all kinds of weather, styles, or occasions. A cropped cardigan would be perfect to add over a shirt for appropriate office wear, and a long-line waterfall cardigan would be great for a relaxed weekend style. Even on formal occasions, a cardigan-style shrug is a perfect way to cover up with something easy and light.

As we are now moving in to the colder months and winter is approaching, it might be wiser to also start thinking about warmer jacket styles to keep out the cold, while still delivering on style. Gilets and vests have had a resurgence in popularity over the past couple of years, and there is almost as much variety as there would be with any other jacket style. A gilet, or a waistcoat, such as our own Made in Italy ones, is a great choice for a winter jacket as it keeps your body warm, but allows your arms to move freely without being constricted by any thick coat sleeves, not to mention that they all look incredibly cosy.

In a similar way to gilets, ponchos are also becoming more and more popular as a style of ladies’ jacket. They are perfect to simply throw on over any outfit, and instantly appear appropriately snug and wintery, as well as leaving your arms free from any heavy sleeves like a gilet. Our own Made in Italy ponchos are perfect for this winter.

There are so many jackets styles to choose from, including some that you may not have thought of, that it seems like a bit of a wasted opportunity to only stick to one reliable jacket. That jacket will always be a staple in your wardrobe, but you can really change up your outfits and sense of style by trying out different jackets. Try thinking of a jacket as an accessory the next time you are looking to cover up.

Spoiled for Choice with Women's Party Dresses

October may have only just come to an end, but November means that the party season is drawing closer and closer. It may be too early for some to start thinking about Christmas parties, but there are a lot of women that like to be well prepared and have everything sorted before the parties and family fun gets started.

There is nothing quite like a gathering with all of your friends or work colleagues for a festive party or night out. Everyone always seems a lot more happy and positive at this time of year; but some women do find themselves stressing out about what to wear to a Christmas party, especially if they have several to attend. That’s not to mention taking into account the weather, the venue, and the type of party it is.

However, the range of dresses available these days should be enough to dampen anyone’s fears about finding the perfect party dress, or dresses, for any festive event.

We’ve talked previously about how long sleeved dresses can be a saviour in these winter months, and the same principle applies to women’s party dresses. You might think that long sleeves are better reserved for the office or a more casual occasion, but they can really lend themselves to a wide variety of different events.

Lace, organza, or a bit of sparkle, can elevate any dress and make it something special that you would love to wear to a festive occasion.

Long navy party dress – made in Italy 

This deep colour is the perfect shade to imply a little bit of sumptuousness this Christmas. As well as the navy grandeur, the lace overlay on this dress adds a stylish element of sophistication. If you add a long silver pendant, and a pair of sparkly heels, you’ll be all set for any Christmas event coming up.

Cream Lace Party Dress – made in Italy

The pattern on this dress is perfect to add some personality to a party outfit, and the fit and flare style dress is an extremely versatile style that has remained one of the most popular styles of dresses over the past few years. The bright, snowy colour of the lace on the dress is also a great colour to compliment the festive season.

Navy Velvet Party Dress – made in Italy

The velvet material of this dress was made for party season – what a better time for a little indulgence? The simple shape lends itself to traditional party wear, and lets you add almost any accessory to make it your own. The glamorous navy colour will make sure you stand out int he crowd.

Mocha Lace Party Dress – made in Italy

Opt for something a little different with this mocha colour dress. The fitted style and lace overlay would be perfect for a festive party or gathering, and the long sleeves and the velvet accents  at the neck line add something a little extra glamorous suitable for the Christmas and winter season.




There is such a huge variety of party dresses available for women these days that everyone is sure to be spoiled for choice. No matter what your personal style is, there are so many possible party dresses that you are sure to find one perfect for any events or parties you will be attending. Whether that is one or ten!

Karen's Italian Fashion Trip

During her latest fashion buying trip to Italy, Karen managed to take some time out to explore the countryside, which included cycling the cobbled streets of some picturesque local villages (and helping herself to some fresh lemons for her G & T from the hotel grounds).

 It all sounds fabulous fun and more like a holiday than a fashion buying trip. But the reality is far from the glamorous and glitzy image people have of fashion buying.

The challenges are continuous. Not only is Karen constantly searching for the best fashion designs to meet the demands of her customers, but she is committed to visiting suppliers herself to ensure the quality of the fabric and finishing meet her stringent standards.

At the moment, she is travelling to Italy on a regular basis to source top quality Italian designs for the many wholesale customers they supply throughout the UK and Europe, as well as to stock both of her boutiques and online shop. These buying trips are essential to enable Goose Island to be able to offer customers an eclectic range of seasonal clothing which is genuinely ‘Made in Italy’.

 Her day starts early to ensure she is able to oversee the selection of fabrics and ensure patterns and production is set up is correctly. Italy is considered to be the stronghold of the Italian textile industry and, when she’s there, Karen spends her days from 9.00 am to 8.30 pm, viewing designs, negotiating on prices, and placing orders.

To put this task into perspective, Goose Island is working with many manufacturers in Northern Italy where the factories are spread over a vast area which involves a lot of driving time and, of course, this makes Karen’s task to find the right products for her brand a huge challenge. Whether it is knitwear, which will include the very popular shirt/jumper, layered tunics, dresses, or tops, she has to spend hours visiting each different manufacturer to find just the right styles and colours.  She also has to organise the shipping and delivery to the UK within the tightest deadlines.

So bearing all of this in mind, Karen has earned her time out on her recent trip, and her G & T on the hotel veranda. Chin Chin!