This is my take on autumn dressing when I want everything to feel put-together without looking like I’ve tried too hard. The starting point is the light-grey balloon trousers. The pleated waist gives them a little more shape at the top, whilst the tapered leg and cuff detail keep the silhouette neat. They’re a good alternative to the wider trousers I’ve been wearing through summer and feel instantly more suited to the change in season.
I kept the rest of the look in the same muted palette, pairing the trousers with a fine grey polo neck and layering a black collared Henley shirt over the top. I like the way the two necklines sit together, adding interest without introducing another colour or competing detail. The black classic ballet flats and a ’90s-inspired shoulder bag finish off the outfit without taking away from the simplicity of the clothes.
Whilst I like it as a full look, each piece has plenty of potential beyond. The trousers would work just as well with a chunky knit and loafers, and the black Henley shirt could be thrown over jeans or worn open over a simple tee.
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M&S Half Moon Shoulder Bag
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COMING SOON
M&S Balloon Trousers
BY Humaa Hussain
THE LOOK
T
here’s a very specific point in the year when you can feel your wardrobe asking for a reset. August has been about linen, sandals and wearing as little as possible, but now, the mornings are starting to feel cooler, the evenings are drawing in and suddenly that lightweight jacket you ignored all summer is looking very appealing.
Autumn is officially on its way.
This in-between period is notoriously tricky to dress for, because it’s not quite cold enough for heavy coats and chunky layers, but the days of relying on a floaty dress or linen trousers are numbered. We’re looking for pieces that can carry us through the changing weather: easy tailoring, light layers, trousers with a bit more shape and knits we can actually look forward to wearing. These are the kind of clothes that make sense now, but won’t feel out of place once the temperature really drops. That’s where M&S comes in.
L
BEFORE
DARK
ACE
This might be Marina’s perfect autumn outfit. The checked bomber has that “cool, slightly oversized feel” she says she always looks for in a transitional jacket, making it an easy layer for those first cooler days when a coat still feels like too much. What really makes the outfit work is what she’s paired it with; the brown and red tones in the check print sit surprisingly well against the khaki cargo barrel-leg trousers. “I didn’t expect those colours to work quite so well together,” Marina says, but it’s that slightly unexpected combination that gives the look personality.
The trousers are relaxed through the leg, with side pockets that bring in the cargo influence, whilst the barrel shape gives them more of a fashion feel than a traditional utility trouser. Paired with the slightly oversized bomber, the proportions are deliberately relaxed. “The relaxed proportions make the whole look incredibly effortless, but it still feels considered,” she notes. That’s what makes this such a useful autumn outfit. It has the ease you want from a throw-on look, but the combination of shapes and colours means it doesn’t feel like you’ve simply reached for the nearest jacket and trousers.
Marina finished with burgundy ballet flats, which she chose to pick up on the deeper tones in the bomber. “They add just the right amount of polish,” she says. The black shoulder bag keeps things simple and gives the look a little more structure. It’s easy to picture this for a Saturday of relaxed plans, and because neither piece relies on the other, there are plenty of ways to wear them separately. Try the trousers with a chunky knit when the weather gets colder, or throw the bomber over jeans for an even more laid-back take.
“This is exactly the kind of easy, throw-on outfit I’ll be relying on all autumn,” Marina says. And really, that’s what makes it feel like such a good starting point for the season.
UTILITY
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M&S Checked Funnel Neck Jacket
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M&S Pure Cotton Cargo Barrel Leg Trousers
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M&S Leather Chisel Toe Ballet Pumps
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M&S Shoes Coming Soon
LOOK 01 / 03
LOOK 02 / 03
REMY FARELL Fashion Editor
The Statement Collar
HUMAA HUSSAIN Junior Branded Content Editor
Minimal Layering
MARINA AVRAAM Senior Shopping Editor Everyday Utility
The Looks
The new M&S autumn collection has landed at exactly the right moment, full of plenty of pieces to work into our existing wardrobes. After months of heatwaves and barely there clothes, we’re more than ready to play around with texture, tailoring and layers again, and there’s something particularly satisfying about putting on a jacket or knit for the first time in months.
So, rather than waiting for autumn, the three of us decided to get a head start. We each picked a look from the new M&S collection that we could genuinely see ourselves wearing, then put it through its paces. From Marina’s take on autumn utility to Remy’s answer to the 2026 suit, these are the outfits we’re bookmarking for our own seasonal reset.
EVERYDAY
LAYERING
MINIMAL
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M&S Leather Bow Square Toe Flat Ballet Pumps
For Remy, the starting point was the jacket. This blue bomber has a relaxed shape, but its long brown fur collar gives it something more. It’s the sort of detail that can make an otherwise familiar piece feel completely different. “I love an outfit that starts with one unexpected piece,” Remy says, and that’s exactly what happened here. Rather than adding lots of competing details, she let the bomber set the tone for the rest of the look.
The grey pinstripe trousers were an intentional counterpoint. They’re classic, but wearing them with a bomber takes the overall vibe somewhere less predictable. “The contrast is what makes it work for me,” says Remy. “The trousers have that tailored feel, whilst the bomber keeps everything relaxed.” The result is an outfit that feels sleek without looking too formal. The brown collar brings in a warmer autumnal tone, which Remy picked out again with burgundy pointed flats to “bring out the warmer tones in the jacket without competing with it.”
A black shoulder bag keeps the accessories simple, allowing the collar to remain the focal point. It’s a combination Remy could see herself wearing for an autumn lunch, a gallery visit or drinks afterwards—somewhere you want to look like you’ve made an effort, but don’t want to feel dressed up. “I wanted to keep the rest of the look simple,” Remy explains, though the pinstripe trousers could easily take on a more relaxed feel with a fine knit and trainers. The bomber could be worn with jeans or thrown over a simple dress when you want your jacket to do all the work.
When it gets cold, a heavier knit and ankle boots would make the bomber feel right for the chillest part of the season. “It’s the kind of jacket I’d build an outfit around,” Remy says, and with that collar, it’s not hard to see why.
COLLAR
THE STATEMENT
LOOK 03 / 03
AUTHOR: Humaa Hussain | PHOTOGRAPHY: Hannah Cosgrove
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M&S Faux Fur Scarf Flight Bomber Jacket
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M&S Pinstripe Pleat Front Straight Leg Trousers
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M&S Leather Chisel Toe Ballet Pumps
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M&S Textured Double Zip Grab Bowler Bag
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M&S Snake Print Colour Block Shoulder Bag
Sponsor Content Created with M&S
WE TRY BEFORE YOU BUY:
We’re Calling It:
These Are the Updated Wardrobe Staples Fashion People Will Be Wearing This Autumn
Autumn wardrobes aren’t built in one go; they take shape gradually, as new-season pieces find their way into our everyday rotation. To kickstart the process themselves, three Who What Wear UK editors turned to the new M&S autumn collection, each choosing an outfit that reflects their personal approach to getting dressed for the season ahead.
