It’s as much about the way one holds a bag as it is about the bag itself. Two useful updates, as seen at Prada. 1. The side-squish: turn bag on its side, hold by its zip, let handles poke outwards from your body. Photograph: Davide Maestri/Prada
The pout is out. Autumn 2011 is the season for perfecting your camera roar, which yes, is the new way to do fierce. It’s basically an aggressive pout, which probably requires an actual animal noise to create. See Naomi Campbell kneeling on a cushion in the new Givenchy ads. Photograph: PR
Here’s a trend that won’t die. The latest chapter: leopard cocktail jeans. Current Elliott’s Stiletto style picks up where the bright trouser buzz of summer left off.
£200, by Current Elliott, matchesfashion.com Photograph: PR
Mad Men, The Hour, Mildred Pierce – yes, thank you, the high street, we know we can get the look. We know too that the heritage look – country casuals remixed – is also back. Retro dressing – there are distinct references to the 40s, 60s and 70s this autumn – is tricky. As a rule, best limit an outfit to one piece, a tweed jacket say, and then modernise.
£43.50, debenhams.com Photograph: PR
Remember when Madonna wore a polka-dot crop top and bell bottoms on the Blond Ambition tour? That is what to avoid in real life: anything too twirly-whirly and fun. Instead, add circles to your normal wardrobe, a spotted shirt with denim (à la Alexa Chung), say, or a strict, dotted pencil skirt with a plain jumper.
£29.99, zara.com Photograph: PR
In the new Chanel campaign, Freja Beha Erichsen is wearing feline whiskers and a balaclava with ears. At Louis Vuitton, models nurse dogs in the back of a car, and yes, the dogs wear LV monogram leads. But really the most fashionable animal-related thing to do is not dress up as one or carry one. It’s not even to wear something furry to look like one. What you need is a jumper with a picture of one. Honestly, dog jumpers are well hot.
£38, topshop.com Photograph: PR
There are three distinct colour stories for autumn: jewel, boozy or bold. The high street has embraced all, but let’s talk coats. This year, to avoid the usual bored-to-sobs-of-wearing-the-same-coat-everyday-by-November syndrome, get one in banging orange or something similarly hot. Then alternate it with the sober ones you’ve already got in your wardrobe from the past few years to reflect your mood.
£120, Asos.com Photograph: PR
The new party-season accessory will be a bunch of colourful balloons. Sarah Jessica Parker carries some in forthcoming flick I Don’t Know How She Does It, they star in the new Marc Jacobs menswear campaign and appeared on Louise Gray’s catwalk, worn as headdresses. Follow Gray’s lead: strap some heart-shaped ones on your head and say it’s the new trilby. Photograph: Jonathan Hordle/Rex Features
Stirrups are back. MaxMara’s have graced British and French Vogue and there is a pair for £20 on topshop.com. This look slots into both the 60s and the trousers-with-tunics trends. NB: Céline’s pre-fall collection featured very narrow slacks verging on a ski-pant sans stirrup – this is called a “skinny ribbed trouser” at Cos. Photograph: Mauricio Miranda/Max Mara
When you’ve got that dog jumper on, please flash shirt collar beneath (see Paul Smith). Why? Shirts are the new blouses, collars are the new necklaces, crews the new V-necks. In other collar-related news, this week Grazia has invented the blirt – a shirt-blouse hybrid.
Styling by Sara Ilyas and Melanie Wilkinson Photograph: PR
