Purple reigns

A regal hue for autumn

While I’m all about white jeans, pale pink nails and bright sandals during the warmer months, as soon as autumn rears its gloomy head, my wardrobe does an about‑turn. This time each year, I pull out the burgundy clothes and camel coats that have been patiently waiting in my wardrobe for cold weather, and pack away anything pastel until early March.

Up to a few weeks ago, I was pretty set on my usual autumnal uniform. That was before until I tried on an oversized lilac mohair knit by Ganni. At £330, it’s a big investment for anyone, and especially someone on a budget, but it’s worth every penny in my opinion; rather than looking out of seasonal step, the icy lilac hue deems it perfect for right now, and it’s so cosy I don’t need to wear a coat yet.

It isn’t a one‑off, either. Since pricey‑jumper‑gate, I’ve been spotting the shade everywhere, and it seems purple, in all of its luxurious varieties, is having a moment. If you’re keen to expand your autumnal palette (as I unknowingly was) it’s a great colour to invest in.

The darker shades are a gentler first step for the sceptical; if you can’t bear to part with burgundy, go for plum hues, which offer a similar look but are less ubiquitous than that winter neutral.

You’d think the paler colours would be the most difficult to wear, but they’re very flattering against your skin, and a cooler and less overtly feminine alternative to pink. Lavender and amethyst tones look particularly good with grey and navy. A coat in either colour would liven up the commute, and this Mango wool version with large lapels would look great with an oversized navy roll‑neck, dark denim and white ankle boots. Speaking of which, Mango should be your first port of call for lilac. There is also a chic pussy‑bow blouse (£35.99, mango.com) that would look lovely layered under a darker jumper, and a chunky round‑ neck knit (£39.99) that’s a doppelgänger of my Ganni one.

Uterqüe, though a bit pricier, has a gorgeous pair of violet velvet ankle boots (£120, uterque.com) that would work for day and night, as they have a slightly higher but still walkable heel.

These divine velvet culottes from Zara tackle the purple winter challenge beautifully; they have a matching long‑sleeved top (£19.99, zara.com). Worn together, they remind me of the purple choc from the Quality Street box – a look I hadn’t imagined I’d ever want to emulate, but this season, I’m not ruling it out.

It seems purple, in all of its luxurious varieties, is having a moment