The first autumn drops are in – these are the pieces worth knowing from M&S, Zara and more, from £24

So here they are. My first edit of the very best transitional summer-into-autumn affordable-ish buys you can make now and wear for the rest of the season feeling very happy with yourself.

I’m sharing them early, because, well, this is when they come into the shops, and when clever shoppers like me and you start looking and buying. Leave it for later, and you’ll miss some, though, I promise, not all of these pieces. More on these in a minute.

The funny thing is, while yes, it is still summer, autumn collections have arrived into stores in August for decades. It’s just how the fashion system works, and when you know that you can be prepared.

So onto the clothes: the first thing I want to tell you about is a brilliantly cut, highly detailed very Chanel-esque cotton denim jacket with frayed collar detail, pretty buttons and huggy arms which is probably the best thing I’ve seen on Zara, well, ever and it’s £79.99. A minute after I shared it in my group chat, our editor-in-chief bought one.

Marks and Spencer have already released what they call The Trench, (yes, in August!) and for good reason. I tried it on last week and this is another one of those excellently cut items, that looks a lot more expensive than its £95 price tag suggests, and you know is a winner as soon as you slip it on. I felt chic and pulled together in ten seconds with this over my jeans and white T-shirt. If, like me, you haven’t yet added a lightweight autumn trench to your wardrobe, unless you have £1000 burning a hole n your pocket, this is the one.

Other items of note also include M&S satin sneakers, asymmetric hem lace-trimmed skirt, and black lace-trimmed camisole, all affordable investments into the new season you can wear for many months.

Next’s belted cotton black dress, at £36, has a touch of a Me+Em inspiration to it, and will look polished and elegant with a red ballet shoe or a slingback, and topped off with that Zara denim jacket.

Finally to the one thing I have ordered: Cos new Umbra dark denim jeans, which the brand describe as “the new icon” of their denim collection. I tend to agree, they're made from 12oz rinsed denim and have a five-pocket design and slightly curved, tapered legs that fall to the ankle. I can see myself living in them all season, and by some miracle, they are just £65. For now, at least.