It’s a bit of a running joke among my friends and family that I have expensive taste. Whenever I’m shopping with my mum or browsing the rails with my best friend, they always chuckle whenever I pick something up, only to place it coyly back down after reading its price tag. Still, I consider this innate attraction to premium-looking pieces to be a gift, not a curse, as it also helps me hunt down the most expensive-looking pieces on the high street, which, in my experience, are always the first to sell out.
Excuse the humble brag, but I can go into any affordable store and find items that look like luxury. How? It’s taken over a decade of analysing, but the main factors that come into play are colour, fabrication and silhouette across both trend-led and timeless buys.
Which pieces caught my eye on my most-recent shopping trip this past weekend? Unsurprisingly, the high street has begun gearing its product toward autumn, with knitwear, coats and boots commanding most of my attention. So today, I thought I’d share my findings by running through trends I’m most excited about buying on the high street this autumn. Keep scrolling to add these affordable yet elevated autumn trends to your wardrobe this season.
Style Notes: Stripes might be considered more of a wardrobe staple than a trend, but the sheer amount of Breton knitwear out there right now signifies that it’s a major look for autumn/winter 2022. Handily, the high street has a jumper to suit every sensibility and budget.
No, that price is not a typo.
Polo collars remain a huge knitwear trend this year.
This also comes in a colourway where the cream tone is more dominant.
Style Notes: The tailoring trend is proving even stronger as we head into autumn, with the high street serving up looser silhouettes especially well.
I’d layer this over my collection of summer slip dresses to give them a cool autumn spin.
Split-hem trousers are going to be huge—mark my words.
Karen Millen’s tailoring is slightly more expensive, but it’s worth it for the cut.
The ultimate wide-leg trouser.
Style Notes: Although micro top-handle bags might be sweeping the designer collections of Jacquemus and Balenciaga, on the high street, things are taking a more practical turn with hands-free sling bags becoming the most coveted. COS and Arket have styles that feel very The Row, but naturally, come in at a fraction of the price.
This bag has sold out and then been restocked more times than I can count.
I’ve seen this in real life, and it honestly looks designer.
Lift your autumn outfits with the addition of an eye-catching bag.
Style Notes: Whether you opt for real or faux, there’s no denying that leather trousers always look sleek. Especially when worn with a simple black tank top, as it turns out.
These come in sizes 4 to 26.
Style Notes: Although robe coats are widely considered to be pretty classic in terms of outerwear, they have taken a back seat to puffer coats over the past few seasons. For 2022, however, I have a feeling everyone is going to be swathing themselves in this silhouette.
Is there anything more expensive-looking than a cream wool coat? I think not.
Fabrics like this always make outerwear look so high-end.
I just know this versatile coat is going to fly.
Style Notes: Last year, I practically lived in a knitted trouser co-ord that I snapped up on sale in Mango. This year, I plan on doing the same, only this time around, I’m looking to knitted skirt sets to achieve that rich-girl aesthetic.
I’m into Zara’s fresh take on trending green.
Zara has more knitted skirt sets than anywhere else this season.
The colour!
I plan on styling my knitted skirts in the very same way: with black knee boots.
Style Notes: Of all the boots that are starting to come through, it’s clear that buyers are backing cowboy boots in a big way. It’s unsurprising, really, seeing as everyone from Celine to Isabel Marant made them an integral part of their autumn/winter 2022 collections. Don’t worry—there are plenty of affordable options on the high street, too.
M&S always sells out of its cowboy boots.
I know this applies to everything else in this edit, but these boots look so much more expensive than they are.
