... or berry, or boozy or however you term it. It’s the colour of the season. If you have bad school uniform associations, avoid it, but if you want just the one thing to inject a shot of this season into your wardrobe then give it a go. Emerald green and burgundy is PhD-level. Check out Jonathan Saunders’s catwalk show.
£65, Topshop, topshop.com Photograph: PR
Satchels are done. Doctor’s bags have the momentum now. Again it’s a Céline trend (sorry but Phoebe Philo is head girl, you know). Zara has done its darnedest to come up with something luxe-looking but affordable and with more than enough room for some ibuprofen and a travelcard.
£39.99, Zara, zara.com Photograph: PR
These are this season’s wedge desert boots – in that they are easy to wear but with a fashion slant. You want something trad at the front with a little court heel at the back. Céline did these on the catwalk, which is the equivalent of a teacher setting some homework for the high street. So far, Maje has earned itself an A*. There’ll be more to come.
£280, Maje, maje-paris.com Photograph: PR
The best way to do a pencil skirt some style justice is to add heels. Ankle boots, plus pencil skirt, plus crew-neck jumper, plus hands in pockets is 9-to-5 appropriate – but will win you fashion points too. Boyish shirt, pencil skirt and court shoes is also a bit of a look.
£45, Oasis, oasis-stores.com Photograph: PR
Decade dressing is risky as it can look twee. But the joy of the 40s look that enjoyed favour on the catwalks of Miu Miu, Donna Karan and Louis Vuitton is not about retro styling. The appeal is more prosaic – 40s dresses mean longer hems, sleeves and general wearabilty.
£45, River Island, riverisland.com Photograph: PR
Jumpers are the main event, so remember: 1 Sloppy knits need tight bottoms – slim trousers or pencil skirts; 2 Polo necks are best under tunics or coats; 3 Visible shirt-tails poking out from below a shorter jumper semaphore high-fashion not scruffiness; 4 Belt your cable knit: feels wrong but looks right.
£40, Asos, asos.com Photograph: PR
Lots of women never gave up wearing dresses over trousers and if that applies to you then congratulations – you’ve hit the style jackpot this season. But we’re not talking summer dress over jeans here. This is all about a tailored, sleek tunic worn over sleek, tailored trousers.
£49.99, Zara, zara.com</em> Photograph: PR
Full-length coats are in, but they don’t work for everyone, being a bit Mary Poppins. Fake fur is still around so you can stick with last year’s, but if you are up for something new, go mannish. Try a leather trim or a contrasting sleeve. Forget about gold buttons – we’re not concerning ourselves with such things this season.
£180, Topshop, topshop.com Photograph: PR
1 Ski pants
Stirrups. Bit hard to stomach, aren’t they? A sewn-in front seam is just about the right amount of ski you want in your pants, so well done Cos.
£59, Cos, cosstores.com Photograph: PR
Much as we’d love to see anyone attempt a Louis Vuitton-style Night Porter hat during rush hour, we fear this fetish trend is not going to fly. It’s not to be entirely dismissed though. A leather sleeve or a leather collar provides an instant “I geddit” moment.
£65, Whistles, whistles.co.uk Photograph: PR
