Top 11+ easy ways to revamp your wardrobe for autumn

1. Try a new colour combination, 2. Rediscover your skirts, 3. Pull your shirt cuffs out from your jacket sleeves, 4. Add a belt, 5. Wear a jumper like a scarf, 6. Bring on the knee-high boots, 7. Wear something suede, 8. Add a bag charm, 9. Layer in some lace, 10. Buy – or make – a pendant necklace, 11. Slip on some silver

How will you refresh your wardrobe this September?

Even though the weather hasn’t changed a great deal since August, there’s something about September, and that back to school feeling in the air, that makes us want to pull our socks up, straighten our ties and generally inject a little more polish and care into our wardrobes.

That feeling is more acute than ever now, with fashion weeks looming and with them, the pressure to look the part on the front row.

This is the point at which I have to remind myself, despite an inbox chock full with temptation in the form of brands’ new season lookbooks, that I don’t actually need to buy anything new to look stylish and current.

Analyse the new collections, and you’ll find that a lot of them are made up of staple pieces you already own. Striped shirts? Check. Trench coat? Check. Straight-leg jeans? Check. What seduces us is actually the styling, and that, with a little inspiration and guidance, is free – or at least, inexpensive.

One of my favourite resources is Substack newsletters: The Alli by Allison Borstein and The Cereal Aisle by Leandra Medine are always rich with ideas.

Another source is in the way brands style their new season collections, whether it’s an in-store mannequin, or e-commerce photography. You might see a particular shoe/trouser shape combination that you could recreate, or a new way to layer two garments – Me+Em’s lookbook is full of mini masterclasses.

And then there are those little mood-boosting purchases that deliver a lot of bang for a reasonable buck, because sometimes a small accessory can do more heavy lifting in raising your outfit’s game than a pricey new coat.

What retailers don’t want you to know is that you may only need one or two new things, and a little style savvy to give your existing arsenal of clothes a new lease of life.

Of course, if there is a gap in your wardrobe, say, for the perfect pair of knee-high boots or blazer, then now is the time to get them – watch this space for the best buys on the high street this season. For now, this is how I’ll be dressing during fashion’s busiest month.

1. Try a new colour combination

Black and navy are usually our default partners for brighter colours – but break free from that formula and you can really elevate your look.

Just consider Bel Powley’s Me+Em outfit at Wimbledon, a zingy red and blue combo, or Alexa Chung pairing khaki with a pale sky hue on her Instagram feed. One I’m wearing on repeat currently is chocolate brown with pastel pink.

1. Try a new colour combination, 2. Rediscover your skirts, 3. Pull your shirt cuffs out from your jacket sleeves, 4. Add a belt, 5. Wear a jumper like a scarf, 6. Bring on the knee-high boots, 7. Wear something suede, 8. Add a bag charm, 9. Layer in some lace, 10. Buy – or make – a pendant necklace, 11. Slip on some silver

Bel Powley arrives at Wimbledon 2025 - Neil Mockford/GC Images

2. Rediscover your skirts

Already, this is shaping up to be the season of the skirt. Take a leaf from Greta Gerwig and Laura Dern at the Venice Film Festival: both wore A-line floral midi skirts with crisp white shirts, and it made for an elegant look. If florals aren’t your thing, try a maxi pencil skirt, or a wrap style, or, my favourite, a kilt.

1. Try a new colour combination, 2. Rediscover your skirts, 3. Pull your shirt cuffs out from your jacket sleeves, 4. Add a belt, 5. Wear a jumper like a scarf, 6. Bring on the knee-high boots, 7. Wear something suede, 8. Add a bag charm, 9. Layer in some lace, 10. Buy – or make – a pendant necklace, 11. Slip on some silver

Laura Dern at this year’s Venice Film Festival - Gisela Schober

3. Pull your shirt cuffs out from your jacket sleeves

As seen on Julia Roberts and Amanda Seyfried in Dario Vitale’s Versace in Venice. The day after we wrote about the look, I recreated it myself for work, and it was the cuffs that made it. So easy, so many compliments.

1. Try a new colour combination, 2. Rediscover your skirts, 3. Pull your shirt cuffs out from your jacket sleeves, 4. Add a belt, 5. Wear a jumper like a scarf, 6. Bring on the knee-high boots, 7. Wear something suede, 8. Add a bag charm, 9. Layer in some lace, 10. Buy – or make – a pendant necklace, 11. Slip on some silver

Julia Roberts wore the same outfit as Amanda Seyfried at Venice; so I recreated it too - Elisabetta A. Villa/Getty Images

4. Add a belt

Another key component of that preppy new Versace aesthetic – a belt injects a degree of polish. With Nothing Underneath founder Pip Durell has collected lots of vintage ones over the years, and uses them in the styling of her collections. Massimo Dutti and Black & Brown sell classic belts in that vein.

1. Try a new colour combination, 2. Rediscover your skirts, 3. Pull your shirt cuffs out from your jacket sleeves, 4. Add a belt, 5. Wear a jumper like a scarf, 6. Bring on the knee-high boots, 7. Wear something suede, 8. Add a bag charm, 9. Layer in some lace, 10. Buy – or make – a pendant necklace, 11. Slip on some silver

Fine poplin shirt, £95, With Nothing Underneath

5. Wear a jumper like a scarf

In the style of Carlton from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air; it adds texture and colour to your outfit, as well as a degree of cosiness. All the fashion pack are at it.

1. Try a new colour combination, 2. Rediscover your skirts, 3. Pull your shirt cuffs out from your jacket sleeves, 4. Add a belt, 5. Wear a jumper like a scarf, 6. Bring on the knee-high boots, 7. Wear something suede, 8. Add a bag charm, 9. Layer in some lace, 10. Buy – or make – a pendant necklace, 11. Slip on some silver

A show attendee at Milan Fashion Week wearing a bright green jumper in lieu of a scarf - Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

6. Bring on the knee-high boots

Yes, already – but with bare, suntanned (or faux-tanned) legs. Team with a dress or skirt that’s as short as you dare, but even a sliver of knee is enough.

1. Try a new colour combination, 2. Rediscover your skirts, 3. Pull your shirt cuffs out from your jacket sleeves, 4. Add a belt, 5. Wear a jumper like a scarf, 6. Bring on the knee-high boots, 7. Wear something suede, 8. Add a bag charm, 9. Layer in some lace, 10. Buy – or make – a pendant necklace, 11. Slip on some silver

Influencer and blogger Leonie Hanne paired her beige trench coat with long, black boots during Milan Fashion Week - Raimonda Kulikauskiene/Getty Images

7. Wear something suede

Bonus points if in the tan/khaki/brown palette of colours for peak autumnal appeal. It might be a bag, or a pair of boots, or a jacket.

Ideally you will already own something, but if you don’t, this faux suede shoulder bag from M&S is one of the most expensive-looking pieces I’ve seen on the high street in a while. There are also some convincing Toteme dupes in store right now too.

1. Try a new colour combination, 2. Rediscover your skirts, 3. Pull your shirt cuffs out from your jacket sleeves, 4. Add a belt, 5. Wear a jumper like a scarf, 6. Bring on the knee-high boots, 7. Wear something suede, 8. Add a bag charm, 9. Layer in some lace, 10. Buy – or make – a pendant necklace, 11. Slip on some silver

Faux suede bag, £26, Marks & Spencer

8. Add a bag charm

It doesn’t have to be a Labubu doll – for something less faddy, look to Anya Hindmarch’s nostalgic leather Pez and Love Hearts, or Loewe’s adorable leather Puzz collection (for inspiration only, spending £475 apiece is not in the spirit of this article). Scour Etsy – this croissant is fun – and assemble your own assortment. It’ll feel almost as exciting as a whole new handbag.

1. Try a new colour combination, 2. Rediscover your skirts, 3. Pull your shirt cuffs out from your jacket sleeves, 4. Add a belt, 5. Wear a jumper like a scarf, 6. Bring on the knee-high boots, 7. Wear something suede, 8. Add a bag charm, 9. Layer in some lace, 10. Buy – or make – a pendant necklace, 11. Slip on some silver

Model Leia Sfez customised her bag with a multitude of charms during Paris Fashion Week - Raimonda Kulikauskiene/Getty Images

9. Layer in some lace

You don’t have to do full lingerie-as-daywear to try this look, but lace is a definite part of the fashion conversation right now. Perhaps your nod to it will be an old camisole, layered under a V-neck knit, or an ankle sock peeking from your trainers.

1. Try a new colour combination, 2. Rediscover your skirts, 3. Pull your shirt cuffs out from your jacket sleeves, 4. Add a belt, 5. Wear a jumper like a scarf, 6. Bring on the knee-high boots, 7. Wear something suede, 8. Add a bag charm, 9. Layer in some lace, 10. Buy – or make – a pendant necklace, 11. Slip on some silver

Lace-trimmed tank tops were seen on guests during Copenhagen Fashion Week - Edward Berthelot/Getty Images

10. Buy – or make – a pendant necklace

Leather cord necklaces strung with a single sculptural charm are a modern way to inject freshness and interest to an otherwise understated outfit. You can buy them everywhere, but it’s also just as easy to repurpose something you already own.

Just buy a strand of black or brown leather cord, or bright paracord (a la Miu Miu), and thread on a pleasing ornament. It could be an old brooch, a tassel, a chunky bangle – anything that you feel is worthy of display.

1. Try a new colour combination, 2. Rediscover your skirts, 3. Pull your shirt cuffs out from your jacket sleeves, 4. Add a belt, 5. Wear a jumper like a scarf, 6. Bring on the knee-high boots, 7. Wear something suede, 8. Add a bag charm, 9. Layer in some lace, 10. Buy – or make – a pendant necklace, 11. Slip on some silver

Pendant cord necklace, £23, & Other Stories

11. Slip on some silver

Feels fresh after aeons of gold dominating the style agenda – and it looks very chic mixed in with gold too. It’s a great time to reconsider your “furniture” jewellery (aka the stuff you wear every day) and mix in some silver pieces that you may have forgotten you had.

1. Try a new colour combination, 2. Rediscover your skirts, 3. Pull your shirt cuffs out from your jacket sleeves, 4. Add a belt, 5. Wear a jumper like a scarf, 6. Bring on the knee-high boots, 7. Wear something suede, 8. Add a bag charm, 9. Layer in some lace, 10. Buy – or make – a pendant necklace, 11. Slip on some silver

Sterling silver Wave earrings, £175, Otiumberg

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