It's all about red, red, red...

Although the colour red has been big in the fashion world for over a year now, it's still a staple colour for this Autumn/Winter. Personally, I'm a huge fan, and have been trying to incorporate more berry tones into my wardrobe for the season. The great thing about this colour is that there's a huge variety of tones to choose from, and red is great at brightening up even the simplest of outfits. I've been looking for ways to incorporate it into my daily, casual outfits, and the three key things to look out for this season is:
1. Red knitwear. A great staple piece for the everyday.
2. Red stripes. A little retro, a little sailor, and very flattering.
3. Red ankle boots. Something I don't personally own, but would love to. A total statement for any outfit.

After rummaging around our family storage wardrobe, looking for some inspiration as always, I happened to stumble upon three brilliant pieces of red knitwear. Two 100% cashmere pieces from United Colours of Benetton in a deeper, berry shade, and one 100% wool jumper in a brighter, post-box red from La Redoute. All three used to belong to my Mum, and are great, versatile pieces to easily incorporate into an Autumn/Winter wardrobe. So I decided to style all three (and another red piece that I found in the Topshop sale recently) to create four casual Autumnal outfits incorporating this seasons top colour.

1. the cashmere crew neck

Jumper - United Colours of Benetton (old) / Jeans - Topshop (Straight Leg) / Trench Coat - Topshop / Ankle Boots - Office / Belt - Salvatore Ferragamo (similar here) / Scarf - Vintage / Sunglasses - Rayban

Outfit one incorporates this beautiful, berry shade cashmere crew neck from Benetton. It has a slightly cropped length, which is great if you want a fitted jumper to tuck into high waisted jeans- it prevents the unflattering bulges of badly-tucked-jumper poking out left right and centre. And ofcourse, the high waisted straight leg jeans, the easiest every-day trousers. Add some heeled ankle boots, a statement vinyl trench coat, and a patterned neck scarf, and you have yourself a less-than-boring, but still relatively relaxed, outfit -  great if you're running errands or going to meetings in the city.

2. the candy-striped shirt

Trench Coat - Aquascutum / Shirt - Topshop (sale) / Jeans - Levi's (outlet) / Slides - Ego (similar here) / Sunglasses - Rayban (same as above) / Bushy Tail - Benjamin the Cat

If, like me, you can't bear the thought of summer being well and truly over, then a red & white pinstripe shirt is the perfect solution. When paired with dark denim, a pair of slides, and a trench coat, it's the perfect way of bringing a little bit of Summer into the Autumn. What I love most about this shirt is the shape of it - the off the shoulder detailing and the versatility of the length is what drew me to this piece  most when I found it in the Topshop sale. I found it looked most flattering, and most fun, when tied at the waist, but you can just as easily tuck it in to make it a little smarter, or have one half tucked in and one half out to bring a little bit of Summer relaxation into a simple outfit.  Great if you're going for a relaxed weekend brunch.

3. the cashmere roll neck

Blazer - Massimo Dutti / Roll-Neck - United Colours of Benetton (old) / Jeans - Asos (old) / Trainers - Converse (old) / Sunglasses - Rayban (same as above)

I loved piecing this outfit together - the pale blue kick flares against the deep red tone of the roll-neck just gives me ultimate that-seventies-show vibes. Add a checked longline blazer against a pair of checked Chuck Taylors, and you've got a great juxtaposition of The Office meets Skater Girl. A super relaxed outfit to wear if you're going out for a day trip with friends.

4. the wool pullover

Jumper - La Redoute (old) (similar here) / Jeans - Vintage Levi's / Belt - Salvatore Ferragamo (similar here) / Trainers - Adidas (Superstars) / Sunglasses - Rayban (same as above) / Lipstick - Charlotte Tilbury (Love Liberty)

And lastly, the outfit that has been my absolute saviour when I have no clue what to wear. I am obsessed with this red jumper from La Redoute - it feels like the ultimate, cosy 'I-just-bought-this-in-Rokit' piece, and it goes with absolutely everything (I even wore it on a night out last week with my vinyl trench coat, some black trousers, and ankle boots). For this outfit though, I've gone for the completely laid-back look by pairing it with my favourite ever jeans, my vintage Levi's, some silver Adidas Superstars, and a deep red lipstick, for that extra, a little bit retro, touch.