IN THIS ISSUE

Because I am a magazine editor, all the mums I meet on the school run ask me, ‘What’s in fashion?’, ‘What should I be wearing?’ And, to be honest, I’ve never really managed a succinct answer, because I firmly believe that what someone ‘should’ wear is…whatever the heck they want to wear. Forget fashion. Think about style and what your personal version of that may be. Mary Berry, our chic cover star, lives and breathes this mantra. She knows what she likes. She knows what suits her. And she will not be swayed by fleeting fashion fads, thank you very much. It helps her exude a self-assurance that I love. (Although I’m delighted that we managed to coax her a few steps away from her comfort zone in what I proudly feel is one of her most glamorous ever photoshoots.)

Fashion used to be a word, an idea, that delighted and terrified people in equal measure. It used to feel like a test, set up for most of us to fail when we stepped out in a trouser cut that everyone else had secretly decided was over. But as fashion has been a part of my job for so long now, I’ve been pleased to see the ‘rules’ slowly disappear. I’d love to thank, from the bottom of my heart, those trailblazers who decided you can wear black with navy, that leopard-print and stripes are neutrals that go with everything and elasticated waistbands are not a sign you’ve given up on life. I’m particularly grateful to the designers who somehow managed to make the humble trainer the chic staple of every working woman’s wardrobe. Although Mary is yet to make her peace with this one and she would take a very dim view of my outfit today: a black and white spotted dress with white trainers.

But the point is, in bygone times, there were so many self-imposed strictures about the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to dress. No more. So, with this, YOU’s special Fashion Issue, to celebrate the new autumn season (and this weekend’s London Fashion Week), we’ve made it our mission to bring you wearable, affordable, great buys that will slot into your wardrobe. We’re not about slavishly following trends. We are more of the Mary Berry school of thought: know what you like, what suits you and find fashionable pieces that fit in with your style, not the other way round.

Enjoy the issue.

WHAT ‘SHOULD’ YOU WEAR? WHATEVER THE HECK YOU WANT TO WEAR ”