It was a warm old summer (well, the couple of weeks that we had), so you can’t blame us for being excited by the idea of wearing jeans, jackets and tailoring after months of linen dresses, bare shoulders and sandals. After all, no matter how long ago you left school, September brings with it that feeling of starting afresh. It’s a good time to edit and fill in wardrobe gaps: perhaps a leather blazer or an Instagram-worthy handbag? Though it’s not the time for a complete seasonal switch just yet (we’re officially in that end-of-summer period), you can still wear your summer investments whilst introducing new autumn pieces too. We’ve scoured the latest outfits of some of our favourite dressers to bring you a little inspiration for what to wear during what the French call la rentrée. Enjoy.
Style Notes: Suede is stealing the show left, right and centre this autumn, and here’s a case of styling an easy jacket with summer’s white wide-leg trousers, and raffia accessories. It’s an age-old formula, but if it ain’t broke, why fix it? You may just want to swap out sandals for something with a little more coverage (it’s grey outside as I type this).
Smart, sleek and stylish.
Yes! You can get away with your summer trousers in autumn with the right layers up top.
An investment bag you’ll use for years.
Style Notes: In case you haven’t noticed, cargo trousers are set to be a winner for A/W’23. But to make it more autumn-appropriate, add a trench coat to neutral layers like Monikh’s khaki hues. The baggy trousers look great with sleeveless tops and sandals now, but they will also work well with a fluffy knit once the temperature drops.
This top comes in 10 different colours, so the choice is yours.
The chic way to do cargo.
A Who What Wear favourite.
Style Notes: Printed dresses are a winner no matter the time of year, and as Karina shows, even your floral sundress can be repurposed for cooler weather with some clever styling. Simply add a boxy blazer and knee high boot to your floral dress; then throw in a contrasting accessory to break it up.
This blazer is a cult classic for a reason.
You can wear Rixo’s floral printed dresses all year round.
These are currently top of my autumn wishlist.
Style Notes: We envy a lot of Lucy Williams’ effortless outfits, but even she gets thrown by the unpredictable weather. She captioned this shot “‘Don’t tell anyone but I actually love it when London summer weather means my favourite leather jacket every single day. Even when it might actually be a little too warm.” and she’s exactly right. This easy formula looks just as good without the jacket if it gets too hot, but right now we’re off to replicate this look ASAP.
A strong alternative to the classic black biker.
M&S really do make some of the best jeans on the high-street.
Take a pair of simple ballet flats, turn up the style factor, and voila.
Style Notes: Can you still ankle-grazing maxi skirts come September? Of course you can. The art lies in juxtaposing them with sharp tailoring and perhaps a sensible chunky sole. See Emma Rose Thatcher for all the styling inspo you could need.
Cooler than your average waistcoat.
A fresh take on an old classic.
I’ve lost count how many times I’ve spotted this bag on some of Instagram’s best dressed.
