How to make your autumn wardrobe stand out – without buying any new clothes
The fashion industry might try to convince you that you need to fork out for a whole new wardrobe every time a new season comes around. But right now that feels passé, overwhelming and wildly expensive. Yes, you might like to pepper in the odd new purchase to jazz things up, but you can achieve a surprising amount by styling rather than merely wearing your clothes. Mystified? It’s all about paying attention to the little details that bring an outfit together. These are our favourite ideas to try now.
Add a blast of colour
The start of this year was dominated by ‘red theory’ – the art of adding one bright-red item to an otherwise neutral ensemble. It’s not going anywhere for autumn/winter but there are new colour forays to try. You could make the trick more seasonal by introducing a rich burgundy or venture into the chartreuse hues that are also of-the-moment.
Wool cardigan, £285, Navygrey; Sparkly ribbed shirt, £35 (reduced from £85), Cos
Use knits as accessories
The swiftest, most inexpensive route to looking chic in just a minute? Use your knitwear as an accessory. So yes, by all means wear a jumper but then deploy another as a scarf tied around your shoulders or, more jauntily, angle it so one sleeve goes over your shoulder and the other sleeve goes under your arm, then tie at the chest. You could also go nonchalant with a jumper around the waist or (very) avant-garde with a sweater tied like a scarf under the chin. An instant outfit transformer.
Do the second-hand humblebrag
The chicest answer when someone asks you where your outfit is from? “Oh, I picked it up on Vinted.” If you find second-hand shopping a minefield, approach it with a specific mission in mind. Identify a designer or high-street piece you’d like and see if you can find a preloved alternative. Brands to keep an eye on include Ralph Lauren, Jaeger and St Michael (once Marks & Spencer’s in-house label), which will often yield vintage gems.
Get clever with layers
You don’t need to invest in lots of fancy items to bring zing to your autumn outfits, it’s about how to wear what you already own.
“Layering is key this season, but stick to your basics for the easiest formula: a white tee, an oversized shirt and your favourite crew-neck jumper,” advises Pip Durell, founder of shirting label With Nothing Underneath. “Start with your tee tucked into blue denim and interchange wearing your shirt and jumper and tying the other one around your shoulders. It’s simple, but a really effortless way to combine all your classic pieces while also, dare I say it, being practical.”
Try sizing up
Break the habit of selecting the smallest size you can fit into and instead size up – not only will you feel far more comfortable, but your clothes will be more flattering, in a louchely elegant way. After all, no one sees your label and if it really bothers you, just cut it out. (This is also a great excuse to borrow from a male partner, if you fancy.)
Swap your denim for dungarees
Sick of reverting to jeans all the time, especially when you’re dressing down? Dungarees often do the same job but look more considered (and feel kinder on the waistline). If you’re unsure, try My Nice Pair, a subscription rental service that allows you to try a new design each month.
“I am loving layering up T-shirts and jumpers under my dungarees,” says founder Rose Carr-Ellison. “Double denim is always one of my favourites but a plain long-sleeved white T-shirt under one of our many stripy pairs is also a win.”
Dunagrees, £35 (rent for one month) or £250 (purchase), My Nice Pair
Power-up a scarf
Bring personality to your outfit with a scarf, whether it’s a classic silk square or – more on-point for now – a cotton bandana. All the French girls are doing it. “A scarf around the bag strap will help make it unique to you,” says Morgane Sézalory, founder of Sézane, who favours a leopard-print square. “For an added touch of French style, the scarf can be styled around the neck or used in your hair,” she adds. Pip Durell of With Nothing Underneath likes to tie her neckerchiefs “round a belt loop… It adds a small pop of colour to any classically styled outfit.”
Neckerchief, £35, With Nothing Underneath
Dress like a celebrity at the airport in the ‘90s
Retro celebrity airport dressing is a very specific genre. From Gwyneth Paltrow to Cindy Crawford and Elizabeth Hurley, anyone who was anyone tended to wear straight-leg jeans, a neutral cashmere sweater or plain shirt, a blazer and low-heeled boots or loafers.
Not the comfiest transatlantic travelling attire but it might just be the perfect formula on an “I don’t have any idea what to wear” day. And on the plus side, it’s highly likely you will already have the basics of this very simple approach nestled away in your wardrobe.
Make your coat your outfit
Don’t know where to begin with cold-weather dressing this year? Focus on an excellent coat.
“An oversized maxi trench coat or long puffer coat is a great wardrobe staple no matter what your style, so it’s worth investing in one that will last a lifetime,” notes Victoria Prew, founder of fashion rental platform Hurr. “This year, I’m looking for ankle-skimming, pavement-grazing maxi coats,” she adds – the kind of thing that will make you look polished the second you slink it on, no matter what lies beneath.
Charlotte Simone coat, rent from £58.30, Hurr
Bling up with a brooch
Party season will be upon us before we know it but you don’t have to go for head-to-toe sequins. Instead, an unexpected piece of jewellery can do the trick. “I have never been a dress girl, so I go for a crisp shirt, oversized naturally, and add a vintage brooch to the open collar. It’s subtle, but adds instant elevation,” says Pip Durell of With Nothing Underneath.
Vintage gold-plated and crystal brooch, £275, Susan Caplan
Seek out a double-duty jacket
In search of a cover-up that isn’t too formal or too bulky – and can be worn inside if you’re feeling the chill? Florist Willow Crossley suggests a wool bomber jacket is the two-for-one answer.
“I am living in them at the moment. Half jacket, half cardigan, they’re a perfect transitional piece when it’s not quite cold enough for a coat and it’s too chilly for just a sweatshirt,” she says. “I have a bright-red Tabitha Webb cashmere one that I’ve lived in and have just bought a grey and a navy one from Sézane which I’m wearing on a loop.”
Cashmere bomber, £265, Tabitha Webb
Pile on holiday jewellery
The nights are drawing in and you’ve made your first shepherd’s pie but don’t abandon your summer accessories entirely. “I tend to lean on my summertime jewellery well into autumn,” says style consultant Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey. “Nostalgic, yes, but a great way to pep up the back-to-work look, come rain or shine. I layer beads, shells, neon friendship bracelets, charms and other holiday finds with denim to look a bit more UK, and a little less Corfu. Just keep that summer giddiness going a little longer.”
Gemstone and pearl bracelet, £58, Astley Clarke; Gold-plated and zirconta earrings, £85, V by Laura Vann
Show off your socks
There’s something about a fresh pair of socks that can magically refresh your style mojo. “My latest obsession is my new socks from Community Clothing. I make sure they can be seen – I wear them with cropped trousers, I wear them over my navy leggings. It’s a bit country, it’s as Gen Z as I’ll ever get, but it’s also practical as ankles start to feel the chill,” says Chadwyck-Healey. Crossley agrees: “I live in cropped jeans and can’t believe how much joy a well-made, glittery or striped sock paired with a brightly coloured trainer can bring to my day.” Ribbed, shin-length sporty socks are having a moment (and it’s likely you already own a pair). Instead of bright white, try a more practical yet eye-catching colour like olive, scarlet or emerald green.
Futureproof your trainers
After the Rishi Sunak-induced Samba-gate this spring, it’s understandable that you might be wary about making any kind of trainer investment. But don’t let the former PM spoil your fun (and comfort) – invest in an anonymous style that is immune from such ‘anti-influencers’, like these British-made Grenson 1970s-inspired runners.
Leather and suede trainers, £220, Grenson
Hang on to your summer brights
It’s rather dismal to bid adieu to the cheerful tropical-print shirt you wore on holiday just a month or two ago until you see the fellow next year. Instead, wear it with a suit or with a thin-gauge knit underneath – a rather ’90s aesthetic. It’s also worth keeping your lighter summer shoes in operation for a while longer – just add chunky socks to the loafers you wore for aperitivo hour in high summer, or on warmer days, try espadrilles with a suit for an unexpected twist.
Opt for an in-betweener
Do as the Italians do in these so-called ‘shoulder months’ and opt for a gilet. It’s a stylish and flexible solution for navigating changing temperatures. A gilet’s more of a country staple here, but in Italy it’s thoroughly metropolitan – a lightweight technical number fits sleekly underneath a blazer and atop a shirt. Perfecto.
Quilted vest, £67; Zip vest, £150 (both Asket)
Play with proportions
Autumn’s the time for shrugging on a hefty jacket, but you can also get more mileage from chunky knitwear, says model Richard Biedul. “I sometimes tie a loose, big jumper around my shoulders when I’m wearing a suit for a bit of an unexpected cover-up, and I also really like the dramatic look of a full-length duster coat, which works well on taller frames like mine,” he says. Biedul also opts for gloves in bright tones of leather – red and purple are two current favourites – for a splash of the unexpected on grey days.
Wool-blend overcoat, £450, Nudie Jeans; Chunky merino lambswool, £245, Sims Wear
Don’t fade to black
Some men look devastatingly chic in noir tones – the late Samuel Beckett and the very now Bill Nighy, for starters. But while it feels like a natural shift to switch to darker tones, they can age a man dramatically, particularly those of us with sweeps of grey. So consider digging out clothing in hues that chime with the autumnal mood – cinnamon, claret and sage tones in knitwear and coats rather than the clerical austerity of black. Just because the autumn and winter can be a challenging time of year, it doesn’t mean you should look entirely funereal.
Wool-blend overshirt, £178, Reiss
Illustrations by Marcos Montiel
