What should I wear in autumn?

‘Fall’ in love with your autumn wardrobe

‘You like potato and I like potahto’. I say autumn and you say ...fall. Sources suggest 'autumn' has been in use since the 14th century. What you might not know (I didn’t) is that fall, along with autumn, was used in England until around the end of the 17th century. Again, whilst both terms have been used, fall has become more popular in the States.

What image does the word autumn (or fall) conjure up for you? Is it the ‘season of mists and mellow fruitfulness’ the poet Keats wrote about? Whilst I love the warmer weather (when we get it!) and longer days of summer so I can sit outside after work, I definitely find my personal style comes into its own in early autumn. For me, the fun of fashion is the styling and restyling which comes through accessorising but also through layering. I love playing with colour and creating different combinations and being able to wear a jacket gives more scope to create a ‘look’.

It’s definitely been a funny old autumn so far in the UK though: even in my part of Yorkshire it’s been unseasonably mild at times. It’s cooling down now to allow for my own autumn signature style of ankle or knee-high boots, preloved biker jacket, blazer or trench coat and topped off with a beret. I’ve been adding in some warmer fabrics too such as faux or vegan leather and some lightweight knits.

I’ve not bought anything new for autumn myself, but which items and styles are ‘hot’ for this slightly cooler season? I’m in luck because pleating is ‘in’ so my favourite preloved neutral pleated knitted skirt hits the mark. If pleats don’t please, then you can mimic the 'ruching' seen on the catwalks with some simple effects using the humble hair tie. There’s been talk in fashion about so-called ‘quiet luxury’ which can include a classic but subdued look such as a blazer, crisp shirt, jeans and loafers look. Dark florals are a great transitional choice and I’ve been swapping my summer sleeveless dresses for longer sleeved favourites. I won’t be subscribing to the underwear-on-show trend (I’m not superman or a young man in the naughties with ever-lower-rise jeans!). As a southerner in the north of England, mindful of fuel bills going into winter, you’re much more likely to find me in a thermal vest. There’s a trend for every version of the autumn climate though, so I’ll be swathing myself in blanket scarves - another trend - before long. One thing’s sure: my favourite fashion colour, red, was a hallmark of the fashion runways, but I’d be wearing my ‘happy colour’ anyway.

On the subject of colour, if you’re still experiencing warmer temperatures, perhaps the way to bring a little autumn into your wardrobe is through adjusting your colour palette. Although the shades of autumn suit warmer skin tones and hair colours, we can all shake up our look for the new season by embracing the colours of the natural world. Think of the beautiful muted, earthy shades of olive green, terracotta, mustard, teal and mahogany.

So whether you’re gearing up for Halloween or bonfire night or simply lounging in front of Strictly, John Keats was quite right that we should not think of the other seasons as ‘[Autumn], thou hast thy music too’.