It’s that time of year again!

So, it’s now time to seriously think about our autumn/winter wardrobe, and be honest, are you panicking about it slightly? Apparently, there is an actual thought process that makes us worry when we think of what we are going to wear when it comes to a change of season. After all that’s totally normal. We go from wearing bright colours and soft fabrics to more muted shades and thicker, heavier fabrics. What changes too is that our feet go from wearing sandals and light shoes to boots, heavier shoes and more often trainers. I have to say that personally I love autumn/winter clothing. I love the rich colours of plums, claret and wine shades and the warm chocolate browns. In recent years I’ve become a fan of navy too and tend to wear less black than I used to. Is this an age thing perhaps? Navy is such a classic shade. I really like the concept of navy with claret, navy with pink and with camel too. These go so well together.

Where do we start then with planning our new wardrobe?  Well, I tend to look first at my summer clothes and see what I can take over to autumn/winter. Many dresses can be worn with tops underneath and cardigans over and of course there are our good old faithful jeans that can be worn throughout the year. Once you’ve worked out what can be carried over you need to look at what you have already got from the previous autumn/winter season. If you have built your wardrobe on basics then you should have clothes that are ready to be refreshed and worn again this year. I also really find going to charity shops really useful at this time. You can get such a great range of clothing on a second-hand basis, with some brilliant labels. For those of you who are fans of the great label Scamp and Dude, I recently found a beautiful blouse of theirs for £2 in a local charity shop. I’ve also bought items for no more than £4 from labels such as Phase Eight, Mint Velvet and Joules. Great bargains and a brilliant way to be sustainable as well.

I have read that your basic capsule autumn/winter wardrobe should comprise of between 20-40 pieces. This needs to include work basics, leisure wear, and several items for more dressed up occasions. I confess to owning much more than that though. Am I the only one? What about coats too? I have many coats and jackets and see them as an integral part of my wardrobe. They would take me well over the 40 mark.

Anyway, the most important thing to remember is just to wear what you want. If you prefer brighter colours in the winter, then just go for it. If wearing argyle is not your thing then there is no need to follow it just because we are told it’s the latest thing. Be comfortable, be warm and be yourself!