How to Have a Seamless Seasonal Wardrobe Shift, Autumn 2021 Style!

The seasonal switch between the last languid days of Summer and the first flickers of dusky Autumn is one of the most significant in the wheel of the fashion year. 

While there might be maudlin connotations to folding away the hopeful summer garms, there is still plenty to celebrate in Autumn’s unmistakable style signature: especially with the theme of the ‘reemergence wardrobe’ shining bright in 2021. 

This season’s standout looks pack more punch and reflect a nation ready to strut freely into the crunchy leaves of a less restricted Autumn season. Think glitterball ‘OUT out’ statement pieces colliding with sleek boardroom chic, all topped off with a sensible puffer jacket for the cold. This is the UK, after all! 

If you’re ready to plan your Autumn wardrobe by rotating or adding a few key pieces, here are the AW21 vibes we are falling for this season. 

1. Jewelled Colours 

Image: Ellie by The Shirt Company 

Autumn’s jewel-like colours are turbo-charged this year and more muted topaz tones make way for shining emeralds and amethysts. 

To really plunge yourself into the AW21 enthusiasm for bold colour, dress in the same shade from head-to-toe! For a less matchy-matchy but equally showstopping look, pair a bright splash with glitter or winter florals. 

2. Shirt Layering 

Image: Colleen by The Shirt Company and Simone Rocha

Our return to the office has created a kind of Devil Wears Prada celebration of over-the-top boardroom glamour this season, but why restrict your best shirt to life under a blazer? 

A crisp white shirt under a black strappy (or strapless!) dress is an Autumn 2021 standout and real winner for any capsule wardrobe enthusiast. We are all about reincarnating simple staples here at The Shirt Company and shirt layering can breathe inventive life into old faves. 

3. Winter Flowers 

Image: Left to right - Ulla Johnson, Victoria Beckham and Erdem

Florals pop up as predictably as Spring bulbs as soon as the sun comes out, but they are here to stay in AW21. Recycling your favourite floral dress for the Autumn season won’t look out of place this year but muted floral coats are the real standout. 

As an investment piece, we think a patterned coat is a smart choice to give your more muted winter outfits some pizazz. 

4. The Strong Suit 

There’s nothing like almost a year of hunching over your laptop on the sofa to make you nostalgic for a suit! 

Autumn 2021’s power dressing trip continues with a trip down memory lane to more relaxed jacket silhouettes and floaty wide-legged flared trousers.  

5. 50 Shades of Brown

Brown gets a bad rep but as an Autumn colour it can really pop. Think shiny chestnut thoroughbred horses or a well-polished mahogany dresser. 

Rich brown colours are a real Autumn 2021 vibe and a good opportunity to dig out brown boots and leather jackets from decades gone by which may have been put into fashion retirement. 

6. Lady and the Tramp Styling 

Image: Marc Cain, Baum und Pferdgarten and Celine 

This is my personal favourite for Autumn 2021. Let me paint you a picture. You know when you get home from a night out but you need to walk the dog so you throw a giant puffer jacket and some boots on over your frock? That. 

Now there’s no need to worry about people spotting you in your slightly eccentric Lady and the Tramp ensemble because it’s finally been embraced by the fashion elite! 

Just shove anything that straddles the casual/scruffy boundary with anything a bit posh and you’re done.

7. OUT Out Sparkle 

Image: Netflix

You know that outfit that sits wistfully gleaming in your closet but is so extra it never sees the light of day? Wear it! This season is for all of the shimmering, glittering gladrags. We’re going OUT out. 

8. The Long-Awaited Return of the BIG Bag

You know those tiny bags that you can’t even cram your phone into? Thankfully they are dying a death and channeling your inner Mary Poppins with a jumbo handbag is back. Yay!