WHAT TO WEAR THIS WEEKEND

GROWN-UP GINGHAM

SCHOOL UNIFORM IS NOT THE LOOK YOU’RE AFTER

It may conjure up ideas of cotton tablecloths, picnic hampers and school uniforms, but this seemingly timeless, even kitsch, summer fabric is everywhere — albeit reinvented for autumn 2019. Put any ideas about pastel checks to one side; Dorothy from the Wizard Of Oz is not what you’re after.

DESIGNERS DOING IT BEST

BalencIaga’s double-breasted blazer is top of my wish list, but at £2,115, it will have to stay there.

the matching high-waisted trousers look dreamy, but the £735 price tag is nightmarish.

thankfully, Zara has something similar at a fraction of the price.

gingham hasn’t totally shed its little House On the Prairie connotations, but the new styles are more grown-up than we’re used to.

DON’T WANT TO SPEND THOUSANDS? TRY...

tHe belted shirt dress I’m wearing from mix/teija (£139, next.co.uk). Perfect for a still-warm autumn day, but it will also carry you well into winter, teamed with a roll neck and knee-high boots.

avoid gingham accessories — with a gingham outfit, they look absurdly matchy-matchy, and clash with anything else.

For work, try something bold, but sophisticated, such as marks & spencer’s belted pencil skirt. It looks great with a lightweight knit and simple court shoes.

MY TOP STYLE TIP

stIck to a sophisticated, monochrome palette. and not predictable pedal pushers and pinafore dresses either.

Pick structured pencil skirts, tailored trousers and smart jackets, pieces more suited to the boardroom than the yellow Brick Road.

Avoid bright accessories: go top-to-toe monochrome Choose something structured with an empire line or a belted waist — or you might look like you dressed with offcuts from a haberdashery department Look for black and cream rather than a black and white check; it’s softer against every skin tone I’m a big fan of the ‘no tights until November’ rule, which means mules are perfect for this time of year