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Perfect loafers, car coats and sleek dresses, John Lewis has all you need for a stylish autumn
Style director Melanie Rickey on the 10 pieces worth knowing from John Lewis’s new-season collection
There really is a lot to love at John Lewis this autumn – if you can find it. When I previewed the John Lewis own-brand collection a few weeks ago, I was struck by how many great pieces there were: bags, shoes, coats and knits especially.
Yet when I subsequently went looking for those same pieces online, they weren’t easy to locate among the dozens of other brands John Lewis sells. So I’ve done the digging – and the editing – for you.
I've already written about their brilliant black godet midi-skirt, which leaves me to share 10 further pieces genuinely worth your attention. Together, they make a convincing case for John Lewis as a fashion destination in its own right.
There are excellent silhouettes, crisp lines and clever details, but nothing feels overdone or try-hard. Instead, these are clothes for a modern British woman who wants her wardrobe to look current, with a little sleek pizazz thrown in, of course, but who also expects what she buys to last for years.
That means a beautifully cut car coat rather than another generic winter cover-up; a neat merino cardigan with the proportions we want now; handsome leather loafers; relaxed dark denim; and dresses that deliver instant impact without needing complicated styling. Even the peplum shirt taps into fashion’s great untucking while remaining sleek and flattering.
Good-quality fabrics, considered leather accessories and careful construction make each of these pieces – from the cord sneakerinas to the car coat and saddle bag – feel like proper fashion purchases rather than quick fixes.
Here are the 10 pieces I’d buy first.
Hand Sewn Wool Rich Double Breasted Short Peacoat
Hand Sewn Wool Rich Double Breasted Short Peacoat
This cropped double-breasted coat style in zingy olive green is an ideal style to wear with shirts, jeans and skirts for everyday, until the weather calls for a more substantial coat.
It is well cut, and its worth noting this is finished by hand - a rare occurrence on the high street. With its streamlined shape and chunky buttons this jacket is sleek, timeless and worth it. For a more quietly luxurious take, this cropped coat also comes in soft chocolate brown.
Alexa Short Sleeve Jersey Midi Dress, Black
Alexa Short Sleeve Jersey Midi Dress, Black
You know a good black dress when you see it, and this one has the sleeves and pockets we all secretly love, plus sleek lines and a full skirt that will flatter all sizes from 6-20.
This dress has already sold out once, but at the time of writing this is full stocked up to a size 18.
Single Breasted Cotton Blend Car Coat, Red
Single Breasted Cotton Blend Car Coat, Red
The car coat is fashion's new darling, and this John Lewis version is refreshingly clean-cut with its line of simple buttons.
It’s a classic multitasker that makes the perfect antidote to oversized outerwear, its neat collar and a cut roomy enough to take a knit, or even a gilet, underneath without becoming bulky, and it works perfectly with jeans and trousers and a smart shirt. This style also comes in a classic check.
As ribbed skirts go, this is in a great slimline shape, with a well-placed front slit. This skirt is dressy enough for the office and easy to wear with a cropped shirt or T-shirt and a cropped jacket once the temperature starts to drop.
It's styled here with John Lewis's newest loafer style, their sleek Cigar Apron Loafer, £85, and their red leather Baguette bag, £119.
This round necked-cropped to just-below-the-waist 100% merino wool cardigan is the shape that best fits the mood and style of the autumn season, and is reminiscent of the cut of a Chanel jacket, giving it an extra layer of elegance.
This cardigan also comes in black and soft beige, and at £49 is good value for money, the Cos version of this style, also in 100% wool, is £85, making the John Lewis version a smart buy.
The great un-tucking has commenced! With layering clothes becoming an autumn sport, a shirt with a peplum is the easiest way to lean into the look. The version, in white cotton with lace details is crisp and fresh, and works a treat over jeans.
John Lewis also has versions of this in pale blue and pink stripes, though these are made from polyester blends. No matter how you look at it, though, a peplum lets your shirt do the talking, with no tucking needed.
If you're looking for a pair of great jeans that won't go out of style for years, these dark denim raw indigo straight leg jeans are it.
At £65 they are truly worth it, and will prove to be the perfect backdrop to anything you'll want to wear with them.
They are so versatile they can be worn casually with a T-shirt or sweatshirt, or smartened up with a shirt and blazer, or a light knit and a cropped coat.
Ruched Front Short Sleeve Midi Dress, Red
Ruched Front Short Sleeve Midi Dress, Red
If you're looking for a dress to make you feel both confident and stylish, you can't do better than this.
Designed with a tick box line-up of flattering details - v-neck, flutter short sleeves, ruching detail, and a swingy midi hem - adding this to your autumn wardrobe will give you a signature dress for the season. When it gets cooler, wear with knee-high kitten-heel boots and layer a snug knit underneath.
This sleek leather satchel is the latest bag created John Lewis head of accessories, Carrie Cooper.
Within days it became a bestseller and I can see why; it has the energy of a classic Chloe saddle bag style, yet comes in a softer, more pliable and slightly squishy leather, making it easy to carry either cross-body using the shoulder strap, or by hand, using the top handle.
With its curved lines, gilt hardware, and carefully placed inside pockets and a magnetic closure, it has everything you want from a stylish bag, which is handy for work or everyday, and can even pass muster for evening, at £145.
Ebony Folded Corduroy Runner Trainers, Chocolate
Ebony Folded Corduroy Runner Trainers, Chocolate
Are they... cord trainers? Yes, they are! John Lewis in-house design team have taken the sneakerina trend in a new direction by using jumbo corduroy to create a comfortable, sleek about town shoe in a soft texture.
This shade of dark chocolate is ideal for an autumn shoe, and as with all things for autumn it seems, this shoe also come in a lipstick red cord.
The bomber jacket gets a tailored update
Barrel leg trousers get a cord update for winter
The Princess of Wales looks chic in tartan
Cosy and colourful jumpers are a must-have
