Perhaps these are pieces you already own; perhaps there are one or two in which you need to invest. The thing that unites them is versatility, because you’re not going to get much wear out of a pair of boots that can only be worn with one skirt, no matter how much you love them.
Most importantly, they should lift the spirits, to the extent that overcast skies and drizzle become a welcome opportunity to wear clothes you really love.
If you are yet to do your big wardrobe switchover, packing away the shorts and linen, and retrieving your full arsenal of cashmere and coats, this capsule wardrobe of autumn essentials will help tide you over in style…
The do-it-all coat
A long wool coat with an oversized boyfriend fit will be the hardest working outerwear in your wardrobe. It’ll work as well with jeans and trousers as it will with midi dresses (the hem of the coat should ideally be longer than the hem of the dress worn underneath).
“It’s a given that your winter coat should come in a beautiful fabric and be well-made,” says Mandy Watkins, founder and creative director of Hush. “I want to be able to wear it through the entire season, which means the fit needs to work with layers or a chunky knit.”
Don’t feel obliged to go for black, navy or grey – this bold check and fresh cornflower blue will be just as easy to coordinate, and make a more original style statement.
