As promised, it’s a new season try-on today and as I continue the transition from blog to Substack this will appear in both places so you can choose where to read it. If you’re new here, you’ll now start to understand why I started Onwards with so much style theory. These try-on posts are the ones where you see me putting it into action and referencing all of the stylists’ terms that we’ve been through over the last few weeks. As always it’s a joy to be commissioned to pull together some autumn outfit ideas for John Lewis. The way it works is that they give me free rein over the fashion floor with the only brief being to come up with autumn outfits that my readers might like. I’ve managed to keep them full of colour which wasn’t an easy task this year because apart from cobalt, most of the collections are focusing on grey, brown, black and burgundy – but I did it!
What’s new at John Lewis? The Rixo collaboration.
Before we get to the outfits though, let’s have a quick catch-up on what’s been going on at John Lewis because it’s been a busy few months since I last featured them. I’m sure you’ve already heard the big fashion news which is that they have a collaboration with Rixo coming very soon. If you’ve ever coveted one of Rixo’s floaty, vintage-style dresses you’ll understand why the fashion editors are excited. John Lewis is calling it the biggest fashion collaboration they’ve ever done. The collection has 44 pieces and it drops in every John Lewis fashion store as well as online on 22nd October with prices starting at £65. What interests me is that for the first time, John Lewis has dipped into its own textile archive for this collab (it holds around 30,000 designs going back to 1799), so there’s an exclusive floral print based on a block-printed fabric from 1849. It’s used in two dresses, a blouse, a skirt and a scarf… whether this is it I don’t know, it’s the only preview shot that they’ve released.
JL x Rixo arrives 22nd October
What’s new at John Lewis? Changes at the top.
There’s been a change at the top of John Lewis too. Peter Ruis, the managing director who’s been steering John Lewis through its latest revival, stepped down in early September to pursue new projects. He returned to the business in January 2024 (he’d spent nine years there before as buying and brand director) and in less than three years he brought back Never Knowingly Undersold, started an £800 million investment in the shops and introduced a lot of new brands, Topshop’s return earlier this year among them.
His successor Will Kernan took over in mid-September, just in time for the run-up to Christmas. He’s a fashion man through and through, having run River Island and The White Company and spent thirteen years at New Look before that. So he’s inheriting a store with a redesigned womenswear floor on Oxford Street, a £50 million refurb programme planned for the Glasgow, Cambridge, Leicester, Reading and Liverpool shops and there’s a big website refresh underway.
So that’s the big news. Let’s move on to new season and I thought I’d write this a little differently this time. One of the great things about Substack is that it’s much easier for people to comment and I’ve had a few requests for style tips on specific topics (chic dog-walking outfits coming soon!). And so today I’m going to use questions from readers, in addition to conversations I’ve had with friends, to drive the outfits I’ve put together.
How can I look chic at work without aping my younger colleagues?
Oh how I loved this. I could have veered towards great, updated trousersuits and stylish work dresses but instead I had to start with this scene stealer. You’ll have seen this skirt in magazines and supplements everywhere but I wanted to see how it would work on a more everyday body. It’s a direct reflection of the catwalk’s ‘car wash’ trend and I just wish I went to a snazzy office so that I could wear it. The quality is every bit designer because it comes from John Lewis’s collab with Amanda Wakeley. It’s made from sumptuous wool flannel so it feels fantastic to wear… and walk in because everything moves and swirls around you. And each woollen strand is tipped with grey felt so the detail is flawless. If you have any kind of event coming up and you’re looking for something special, please buy it… although only a few were made so there aren’t many left. I’m wearing a size 12 and not only is it true to size, it’s so beautifully tailored that it contours your body…
Soft funnel neck top; Fringe skirt
…as I’ve tried to show you with the side profile here.
It would, of course, look great with a blouse or shirt in cotton or silk. I wanted to pair it with something softer though and so I chose this very affordable felted funnel neck top – cobalt is one of the key colours this season. You’re probably going to think it’s acrylic because of the soft, fleecy feel but it’s made from breathable Ecovero viscose. It has a nice athleisure addition of thumbholes which makes it great for dog walkers or anybody who likes a sporty look. And of course the funnel neck is much kinder to duck necks than a roll-neck (plus it won’t trigger hot flushes). This is one of those tops that’s perfect for a chilly day – snuggly isn’t my favourite word, but snuggly it is, you have to see it for yourself to appreciate just how special the texture feels. It comes in six colourways and I’m wearing a medium which is true to size.
I need a bright jacket to go with my new plan of navy column dressing
Sadly there’s nothing gamine about me at 5ft 8 but because of my shorter legs, people often expect me to be petite when they meet me so I’m going to try to pull this off. So here’s the look I’ve put together and it’s scalable so it should work regardless of your height.
Turn up blue jeans, pink tipped jacket
I’m going to start with the jeans because I bought a pair in August and I’ve been meaning to talk to you about them. The new straight-leg cut is an easy way to update all of your casual outfits this season and the idea with these is that you can wear them turned up as I am here if you want to make a feature out of your footwear, or you can simply turn them down to make them full length when the weather gets colder – you can see the difference here.
Turn up blue jeans, pink tipped jacket
I always love the dye levels and washes that this brand does with its denim but because they’ve been obsessed with barrel legs, I haven’t bought any jeans from them for ages. I’m so pleased to see them heading towards straight legs because for years they were the only place I ever bought denim from. These jeans are straight but they have slight stretch so I’m finding them comfortable for sitting at my desk all day. Some reviews say they come up small but I’ve found them true to size, if not generous and they stretch a little with wear. Here’s a back view to show you pocket placement.
Turn up blue jeans, pink tipped jacket
However, it’s the jacket that this outfit is all about because I agree that it’s really hard to find bright outerwear this year. I have a hankering for a coat or jacket in Cadbury’s purple but there’s nothing so far. The good thing about this though is that you’ll be as happy to see it in spring as you are now because it isn’t a distinctly autumn colour. And it gives you texture – remember that we’ve been talking about how critical that is at this time of year, flat weaves do nothing for you in winter. It’s perfect for those of you who are adopting the navy column dressing method, it’s exactly the right length for wearing with wide/barrel/straight cut bottoms and with a dress or skirt too.
Turn up blue jeans, pink tipped jacket
And I just have to show you what was going on behind me as we were taking these photos. Over the last few months the elderly ladies of the district have been busy crocheting poppies. So many community groups have pulled together and now volunteers are stitching them lovingly onto this huge camouflage net. The building that we’re in here is known as the Sacré Coeur of the North and for Remembrance weekend, this display will cascade down the building from its spire. Watching them work away made me shiver, it’s so moving seeing these acts of commemoration to the many people who, as my Bomber Command dad used to phrase it, “did what they had to do.”
How can I update my go-to breton and jeans look?
I completely understand this because there’s nothing easier than jeans and a breton… which is why so many women wear it as a combo. Why do we love it so much? Because the stripes break up the expanse of chest in the same way that a graphic tee does and so instinctively we know that they force the eye to move around a bit rather than settle on a specific point.
So how to update it? The place to start is with up to the minute jeans and I know you’re probably turning towards the hills because you think I’m going to suggest a barrel cut. Well I’m not. In my view barrel jeans just about work with a heel but like so many things, they only look great on the willowy. With my big shoulders and sturdy thighs I end up looking as though I’ve escaped from the circus and lost my red nose.
As always, fashion finds an antidote to the look that’s now saturating the high street and it’s replacing volume with a slimmer look. So thankfully, as I’ve already said, straight-leg jeans are back in a big way this season in different kinds of cuts, cloths and washes. Now most of us here probably haven’t worn straight-leg jeans since the turn of the century. I know when I tried them on again for the first time I was almost whiplashed back to feeling 29 again. We’ve worn cigarette cuts but they’ve stopped at the ankle bone whereas the straight leg goes all the way down to the foot. And once you’re used to it, it feels great because you can wear longer tops if you want to rather than being restricted to a cropped waist… and all kinds of coats and jackets and shoes and boots and trainers work again.
Here I’ve amped the straight jean up a bit because I’m wearing Japanese denim which means the stiffness of the fabric is key to the effect. It’s been woven on vintage looms in Okayama so it really is very special denim. These jeans are rapidly becoming a cult discovery amongst what I’d call the Danish architect crowd who are finding them to be almost as good as selvedge and it’s interesting reading the comments to see that people are finding them good for an apple shape.
They’re a neat fit at the waist but I’d say the 12 was true to size; any bigger would have added more volume in the leg. Looking at the photo here I can see that if I’d rolled the legs once more the break with the boots would have been perfect. They have 20% off until Monday (19th October).
I’ve added a red cardigan which is another way of boosting your breton looks. If you have a breton with a solid navy stripe like this then you’re doing column dressing so all you have to do is build a collection of brightly coloured (or neutral) cardigans and you have what feels like a strikingly new outfit whenever you switch them around.
This cardigan is outstandingly good, it’s a soft blend of 90% merino and 10% cashmere and it comes in camel too. You can see that it falls just below the waistband if you’re wearing a high rise and so it helps to keep the one-third break whilst also skimming over any muffin overspill. It will work perfectly with dresses and skirts as well and I just don’t know how they’re producing it for such a reasonable price. It feels as though we’ve gone back seven years to the days when a cardigan didn’t cost as much as a winter coat used to – and there’s 20% off until Monday (19th Ocotober).
Japanese denim jeans; Soft red cardigan; Navy striped breton; Red triangle scarf with ivory scallop trim
If your bretons need updating this is a good one because the navy base with white stripe works better for winter than one that has the contrast the other way round. As you know I like a neat fit on my tops to balance my shoulders so although I’m wearing a medium here, I’d go for a small. I love the boat neckline that reveals the clavicles, it’s so much nicer than a crew neck.
I’ve finished it off with a triangle scarf just to add a little extra outfit flair. These scarves do a multitude of favours for those of us who have duck necks because they take the eye away from the fact that we’re not like our swan sisters. And yes, before someone asks, I should’ve added a belt – I’d probably go for a navy leather one because the waist is a little lower than my narrowest point.
I want to find some brown jeans that aren’t so…brown!
This was actually a conversation with a friend and I knew what she meant – I returned every pair of brown jeans that I tried last year. And I agree that there’s something about brown corduroy that just makes me think of being stuck in classrooms with teachers of subjects I didn’t like… maths… physics…geography. However finding a practical version of a brown trouser has stumped me – I love brown wool flannel but it doesn’t love my life of wet dog daily walks.
BUT – then I saw a woman wearing these jeans in the wilds of Heathrow Airport. I circled her for a while, expecting her to be a Milanese… until I heard her speaking with a Surrey accent so I went over to ask her about them. And here they are and they’re every bit as wonderful as she said (I’d been surprised that she would fly in jeans but she told me they were incredibly comfortable and it’s true).
Why are they so good? Well (don’t groan) it comes down to the texture. Rather than being overdyed, which is what makes brown jeans look flat, they’ve been woven as brown denim. So you have all of the grain of the warp and weft. They’re in my favourite flared cut which is a classic and so good for anybody with broader shoulders, bust or hips. AND see how the vertical line from the central stitched seaming makes you look leaner and taller… and the patch pockets visually narrow your hips further.
Oh how I love them and they come in four other colours too including a deep indigo with distinctive white stitching… just think how great that would be for navy column dressers. I’m wearing a 30R here rather than my usual 29 and they were a very nice fit so I’d say it might be worth going up an inch on your usual size. I would also probably go for the Long if I wanted to wear them with a low heel. Note that they also come in a petite fit that is recut rather than just shortened so you don’t lose the drama of the flare.
Brown patch pocket jeans; Brushed cardigan
This photo is a bit dappled but it shows the brushed texture of the cardigan. Brushed cashmere exploded last winter but it was very expensive at around £300 a piece. This year you’ll see that retailers have come up with alternatives like this. The way to look at this cardigan is to view it as a jumper with detail because it needs to be worn fastened for the tie to sit properly but it gets around the duck neck issue by adding a flattering distraction. Once again it’s a colour that you’ll still be happy to wear in spring so it’s a two season buy, it’s super soft and I’m wearing a medium which is true to size.
Brown patch pocket jeans; Brushed cardigan
I finished the whole outfit off with a beautiful double-faced wool jacket which has the added benefit of a double zip so that you can shape it to sit perfectly for your outline. It’s so important with an oversized piece like this because it allows you to keep the two thirds architecture in your outfit. It isn’t easy to find jackets in 100% wool like this these days, especially with the luxury of double-facing and at a pricepoint like this one. It comes in grey too and I’m wearing a S-M but it would have been better for me to go down to an XS-S because of my preference for a neater fit. And see how much more interesting this cardigan is than a plain crew neck would be when worn under a jacket.
Brown patch pocket jeans; Brushed cardigan; Double faced jacket
So that’s it from me today because I’m rushing off to spend time with some of you. It’s our third Midlifechic Retreat of the year this weekend and I’m looking forward to getting into the nitty-gritty of it too, personally as well as professionally. The last two Retreats helped me to move on from feeling a bit stuck so I’m going to enjoy the thought-provoking sessions and conversations that we have and look at things in a whole new context. And that’s as well as just relishing the company of a great group of thinking women – some of whom I already know… others I don’t.
Going back to one of my dad’s sayings again – “your best friends often turn out to be people you haven’t even met yet.”
Isn’t that a great thought for the future?
