Boden early Autumn 16 – dressing for the weather (again)

Today saw the release of the Boden early Autumn 16 collection with some great trans-seasonal pieces to see you through this ‘not Summer’ weather. With every day bringing a new sartorial challenge, these pieces will help you to layer now and all the way through to next Spring.

Soft blouses like this have been my failsafe this season, they have enough arm coverage to stop you shivering but are loose enough for you to still feel cool when the sun suddenly emerges from behind the clouds. Also available in sunny yellow and plain navy

Cardigans are having a comeback after a couple of years in exile. If buttons annoy you, simply fold the placket in and you have clean lines. There is a rainbow of colours available but this is the most summery. The high cotton content means you won’t look unseasonally dressed.

This simple cotton sweater has on trend military detailing with the gold buttons on the cuffs. The stepped hem means it will sit smoothly over the hips.

My ponte blazers have been by far the most worn items in my wardrobe this year – smarter than a cardigan but with plenty of stretch so that you can move fluidly. Boden have a collection of shorter and longer cuts. Longer cuts tend to be more flattering unless you have very long legs.

Girlfriend jeans are an easy way to get used to stiffer denim with a looser cut. They’re more flattering than boyfriend jeans and very easy to wear. Balance them out with fitted tops.

If you’re just dipping your toe into cropped flares, this is a god place to start. They’re easier to wear than wide leg trousers because they are more fitted at the thigh and the small flare balances the hips. Available in navy, black and burgundy – a big colour for Autumn this year.

A Boden classic, the v-necked ravello is sexier than the round neck. The silky drape dresses up jeans or if you wear it with smarter trousers, it adds a hint of relaxed elegance. Avoid the patterns and stick to the plains: grey, ivory, black and navy.

I love these mid heel shoes. I have the scalloped flats in the snow leopard from last year and they’re like a touch of chilli – they improve every basic outfit. I’ve found the ponyskin to be very durable too, it copes with the elements without a problem.

…and there’s a drawstring bag to match! It’s expensive for a high street handbag, presumably because they have used ponyskin on both sides rather than having one side as plain leather. It’s purely personal but I find the snow leopard to be a little more chic than classic leopard.

It is so difficult to find this French staple – the dark indigo cigarette cut jean but it seems Boden may have the answer this season. You want them to cut at the narrowest part of the ankle, before the calf starts to widen so you may want to try a few different lengths to hit the right point.

The trend for simple, delicate jewellery is continuing into Autumn. Longer necklaces draw the eye downwards, breaking up the horizontal planes (which is a complicated way of saying they have a slimming effect).

So, a quick post from me today to help you deal with the unpredictable weather and also to celebrate the arrival of something new. At the moment Boden are offering 10% off the new collection with code J5N5.

Don’t forget that tomorrow I will be posting behind the scenes coverage of the shoot for Hope Fashion that I’m taking part in on the Midlifechic Facebook page. I’m planning to expand our community on Facebook with more of this sort of thing in the Autumn so don’t forget to click the ‘like’ button to receive extra tip offs straight to your timeline. I’m leaving you with the only outfit shot that I had taken this weekend, when the torrential rain stopped for an hour.

Whistles blazer (past season); Joules breton; Whistles cropped kick flare jeans SS16; ASOS heels SS16; Cos orb necklace

Have a great week everyone.

Disclosure: this is not a sponsored post