September has always struck me as fashion’s most confusing month. It’s too warm for the big coat, too late to rely on a T-shirt alone and nobody knows what shoes to wear. And so begins the annual September wardrobe shuffle
Judging by the new-season collections, we should already be striding purposefully through fallen leaves in huge knits and knee-high boots. But with the British weather doing what the British weather does best, there’s every chance we’ll be eating lunch outside in 22 degrees wondering why on earth we wore a jumper. The sandals suddenly seem a little optimistic and you’re not quite ready to surrender the summer dress (but somehow it needs to stop looking as though you’re expecting a waiter to appear with an Aperol Spritz). The good news is that September really doesn’t require an entirely new wardrobe. In fact, I’d argue that buying one would rather miss the point.
This is the month when many of the clothes you already own become interesting again simply because you start wearing them differently. The white shirt comes back; jackets emerge from wherever you abandoned them in May and jeans are suddenly an appealing choice after months of avoiding anything that touches the backs of your knees.
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STYLE EDIT: THE SEPTEMBER TEN
1: Early autumn is when the jacket is doing most of the work – and if you buy one thing this September, then this is it. This lightweight, preppy style jacket from Tu at Sainsbury’s has exactly the relaxed shape I’d be looking for right now – enough structure to pull an outfit together, without feeling like summer has properly left the building. Wear with a white T-shirt and jeans, add loafers or trainers, and you’re done.
2: Trenches are one of those wardrobe staples that earn their keep precisely because they’re not quite a coat. Wear over a dress on cooler evenings, then add knitwear underneath as autumn sets in properly. This stone double-breasted style from New Look has that classic shape that works just as well with tailoring as it does with denim – and right now, it’s infinitely more useful than the beautiful wool coat you’re being tempted to buy while it’s still warm outside.
3: There appears to be an unwritten rule that white jeans must be escorted from the premises at the end of August. Ignore it. Team them with chocolate brown, burgundy, navy or suede and they immediately lose their summer-holiday credentials. M&S’s best-selling ecru barrel jeans are an easy way to make the switch – the mid-rise shape feels current, while the softer shade is far easier to take into the cooler months than brilliant white. And if the words barrel leg fill you with dread (let’s be honest, fashion could have come up with a more flattering name), don’t dismiss them until you’ve tried them. The shape is surprisingly easy to wear.
4: Ease into autumn with one of the season’s richest shades. Chocolate. Espresso. Conker. Tobacco. Caramel. Fashion has essentially wandered into a coffee shop and called it a colour palette. You don’t need to wear it head-to-toe – so these wide-leg tailored trousers from Mint Velvet are a great place to start. The relaxed, slightly menswear cut keeps them modern, while that deep chocolate shade looks particularly good with cream, navy, red or pale blue. Add a simple shirt or fine knit and you’ve shifted into autumn without so much as looking at a leaf-print dress.
5: Burgundy is performing much the same trick and, again, you don’t need much of it. This Primark The Edit Lace Hem Tee brings the colour in with a little flash of lace, while still being easy enough to wear with the jeans and trousers you already own. Exactly the sort of September update I like – inexpensive, useful and capable of making an old outfit feel new again.
6: It’s time to bring back the layers, but you still need to be restrained as we’re not at the heavy jumper stage just yet. For now, the knitted tank is just about perfect. Wear this dark brown sweater vest from H&M over a crisp white shirt when there’s a chill in the air, or on its own when September inevitably decides it’s summer again. The colour does a rather good job of making both options feel suitably autumnal.
7: And now for the shoes. Sandals? Possibly. Boots? Steady on. Trainers? Always. But occasionally one would like to look as though one has made an effort. Which is why the loafer is so useful. These suede ones from Next work with practically everything we’re talking about here, and have the useful ability to make an outfit look more expensive without requiring the outfit itself to be more expensive.
8: If you bought a pair of ballet flats earlier in the year, keep wearing them. If not, there are excellent inexpensive versions around now. These square-toe Ballet Flats from Matalan are an great price, allowing you to flirt with the ballet-flat revival without feeling obliged to love them until 2034.
9: Boho is still with us for autumn, but it’s moving into slightly more substantial fabrics. This embroidered puff-sleeve blouse from Mango, has the right laid-back feel, with its embroidered detailing and softly puffed sleeves. Wear it now with paler denim and loafers, then later with dark jeans and boots. It’s an easy way to nod to the new season without looking as though you’ve dressed for October six weeks early.
10: If you’re going to splurge on one thing this season, make it something you’ll still love when the trend reports have moved on. The bowling bag is one of autumn’s key shapes, but there’s nothing particularly fleeting about its neat handles and classic proportions. The Aspinal of London Hudson Leather Bowling Bag at Selfridges, comes in the perfect tan. Yes, it’s an investment, but it’s one that will happily see you through season after season. Consider it less of an autumn fling and more of a long-term relationship.
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September dressing doesn’t need a whole new wardrobe – just add a few clever additions, some judicious layering and the acceptance that whatever you put on in the morning will almost certainly be wrong by the time you sit down for lunch.
