2020, a cursed year. But blessed for our website in view of the articles and brands we collaborated with. We like to think that Les Indispensables Paris is like a big family in which beauty, quality and sharing exquisite taste come first. We have always been open to the international market while highlighting the exceptional French factories. One of the first brands to have trusted us is Valstar. We had written a detailed article on the Valstarino – which ranks in the list of the "Novantanove Icone" in the same way as the FIAT 500 or the Bialetti coffee maker – and we wanted to pay tribute and thank Valstar for having trusted us so early in our adventure. 

To this extent, we have partnered up with the iconic Italian brand and selected three pieces to wear this winter. The idea is to show that it is perfectly possible to wear color and patterns during a season when the Sun is not shining enough – without looking out of place, on the contrary. 

Here is the part one. 

A patterned coat with definite panache 

When we select our overcoats, we tend to go for safety: black, blue or gray. All these options are perfectly valid, almost mandatory, because these chromatic ranges allow sobriety and elegance. 

What about when we're frustrated with these colors? Personally, I spontaneously go for patterned fabrics. Some more assertive than others, but still "wearable". 

Have you ever heard of the Houndstooth pattern? The first difficulty is to start adopting these extraordinary patterns. The pleasure quickly takes over though.

How do you wear a patterned coat? 

The coat I’m wearing is referenced 407K.B042 and is in 100% virgin wool with a beautiful detail at the back of the collar, a brown leather yoke, a nod to the know-how of the Italian brand. 

While under toning an outfit is usually the way to go nowadays, I love the idea of pairing this coat with a lemon yellow shaggy quadriple brush sweater from Bosie. Winter days are short and dark, so why not add some color? If you don't own a colorful top – or don't want to wear one – simply opt for a seemingly powerful royal blue sweater, like this one from Le Minor for example. 

To match this, I’m wearing a pair of jeans. This type of coat – although more assertive than others – fits perfectly into a dressier outfit as well, which is why I'm also considering swapping my denim for a nice flannel and black leather shoes for example.

A versatile urban coat 

This coat has two deep side pockets with fleece lining, extremely comfortable in cold weather. Inside you will find two pockets that allow you to store your wallet, card holder, keys or goodies of any kind. 

The length of the coat is much appreciated! I'm 1m70cm, which is living proof that long coats don't stack men who don't caress the heights of the Mont Blanc. It reaches below my knees, not only does it protect me from the cold – tested and approved during a weekend in Vienna where temperatures were around –5°C degrees – but it also lengthens a silhouette. A generous collar completes the ensemble. 

The wool has a soft and rich hand that is extremely appreciable, it is thick and constitutes a real armature against the cold and the wind. One small regret though – very personal – it would have been nice if the coat had raglan sleeves. But Valstar offers several models of this kind, so you are served.

Valstar, the safe bet 

If we are full of praise for the Italian house, it's because we love the products coming out of their Italian factories, like this houndstooth patterned coat. 

Just like the summer fun-shirt, the patterned coat is a wardrobe essential for this winter. 

Second and third part of our winter story with Valstar.

Here are two Valstarini to wear without moderation this winter. A Valstarino in a wool Prince of Wales pattern to look like a King.

The first one, referenced 407A.D018, is made with 100% wool from the historic Abraham Moon & Sons 1837 factory. The checks lining is a Valstar exclusive, all embellished with horn buttons. 

Who said the Valstarino was made exclusively of lambskin? The beauty of this type of jacket is that it can be made of many different materials. 

We love the idea of wearing a patterned wool jacket. Understated and stylish, we think it's a great piece for winter casual-wear. The patterns here are soberer than the houndstooth coat of the first part but have a certain allure. 

How do we wear it? The answer in pictures. 

In this case, I paired it with white trousers, a royal blue Shetland sweater from our friends at Bosie and a pair of New Balance 997 sneakers. Ideal in this type of outfit. 

Small note regarding the size, do not hesitate to take a size above your usual size because the cut is short and fitted. 

Houndstooth, more houndstooth

The second one, referenced 407A.B011, is a two-tone houndstooth pattern in 100% Shetland wool, still from Moon. 

Do we still need to convince you of our love and passion for Shetland wool?

When Valstar offered us this piece, we jumped at the chance to discover this unique Valstarino. 

The houndstooth pattern is definitely one of our favorites for this winter, the rugged Shetland wool is perfectly combined in this jacket.

For this outfit, I decided to wear somber winter colors. Namely black pants with a pair of black moccasins, here the famous 180 from J.M. Weston. For the top, once again a Shetland sweater, this time in ecru. Be careful not to wear it on a cold day. Because even if the fabric is soft and relatively thick, it will not be an ideal shield in cold weather. 

In both cases, we find that the Valstarino is truly a jacket that makes the wearer look good. In addition to its iconic history that makes it one of the classics of Italian know-how, it is above all a piece that is easy to wear in any circumstance.

An Italian look 

At the close of these parts, an obvious fact jumps out at us, that you should adopt patterns in Winter. Shield from the cold and wind, but with style.