The good news is that you probably own all the individual pieces necessary to step out in this easy-to-wear trend right now. Look for rich earthy shades, such as chestnut, rust and brown, plus dark camel can feature here too. The key is to keep it tonal as you layer your clothes, rather than matching colours exactly. And play with texture. Head-to-toe shades work particularly well when the fabrics are varied. Think suede, canvas and leather, as seen at Rochas, Tod’s and Tory Burch. If you’d like to buy something new, consider a slightly oversized jacket or slouchy trousers, which will become timeless separates when you tire of tonal dressing. 

Boots are huge this winter – and for once, fashion is being quite democratic. It seems this season, anything goes. The only thing that really matters is that whatever you wear, add boots. The style we love best at Wardrobe ICONS – and have found to be utterly wearable year on year – is round-toe, stacked heel, slightly slouchy knee-high boots. The retro feel makes them a perfect match for winter dresses and midi-skirts, and they’re glam enough to work with everything from evening dresses to the leather leggings we live in for most of the winter. If you do want to invest, opt for a tan, dark red, rich brown or chestnut pair. You’ll wear them forever. 

The catwalk’s answer to colour this season is bottle green. It’s so dark it’s almost black – and we’re completely in love with this perennially grown-up green. Chances are you already own a cable knit jumper or wool blazer in this shade. In which case, combine them to make more of a statement or simply add them back into high rotation. Perfect for when you want to take a break from winter neutrals such as navy and charcoal, this shade looks sharp in relaxed, tailored pieces, like Peter Pilotto’s silk pyjama suit, or as an outerwear refresh in a cropped utility jacket, as seen at Atlein.    

Traditional fabrics we’re used to seeing on Savile Row or on a fox hunt (you know, because we’re regulars) suddenly feel fresh everywhere else. In the current climate of female empowerment, it seems only right that tweed, houndstooth and herringbone get reimagined for us. Take, for example, Emilia Wickstead’s flowing check midi-dress, The Row’s waterfall suiting, or Erdem’s boxy tartan blazer over a sparkling slip. The key to nailing this look with pieces you already own: pair tailored checks with flouncy blouses or skirts to soften them for day, or wear checks over your most sparkly or floral dresses for night.  

When in doubt this winter, reach for a jumper or cardigan. No longer just for the weekend, swap it with your go-to blazer, denim jacket or winter coat if weather permits. It might feel a little sloppy at first, but wearing a chunky cardigan over your loveliest floral dress (as seen at Miu Miu) is the perfect way to hit refresh this winter. You could always add a belt to make it feel smarter. Ditto for jumpers, which will look fab layered over flowing skirts (we’re loving the graphic knit and floral combos seen at Michael Kors and Tory Burch), printed silk trousers and summer dresses.

Animal prints may seem wild, but weirdly, they’re actually a timeless way to be a little more adventurous with your winter style. The runways were awash with belted, leopard-print coats (as seen at Givenchy, Victoria Beckham and Max Mara) which, for the record, are one of the easiest and most classic ways to wear it. However, you can ease your way in, too. For instance, a leopard-print skirt with all black looks smart for work, while leopard loafers will go with every pair of trousers you own (note: clashing your prints is a good thing).   

If you buy one new skirt this winter, go for pleats. Rather than free-form, flowing ones, this season is all about much stiffer knife and box pleats, which are most flattering when they hit below the knee. Resist the urge to pair them with equally prim pieces like a delicate blouse and fitted blazer. Instead, give the look a little edge with oversized tops (that cover the waistband) and heels or boots. On the catwalk, we loved them over trousers (as seen at Valentino), with a fluffy jacket (admired at Louis Vuitton), or styled with deconstructed shirting (shown by Rejina Pyo).   

Give your wardrobe a jolt of newness with something silver, which is an easy way to put a fresh spin on neutral wardrobe staples or to really shine at your next party. The catwalk was all about statement metallic pieces, from Emilia Wickstead’s dreamy, belted evening dresses to Alberta Ferretti’s 80s-inspired metallic gowns, while Tibi offered us a daytime spin that we adored: a blinding silver pencil skirt teamed with an oversized charcoal knit and knee-high boots. Perhaps what we love most about silver is that, while head-turning, it’s still a timeless choice that feels bold and contemporary, even when it’s not all over the runways. 

Get ready to slither into autumn (excuse the pun). Marni, Tom Ford and Emilia Wickstead all sent snakeskin-print coats, suits and skirts down the runway, while must-have accessories were shown by Louis Vuitton and Valentino. We love that python print manages to look both racy and sophisticated at the same time. Look for smart pieces, like a silk shirt you can pair with your favourite suit, a wrap dress, or classic pumps. The print, whether in a more natural palette or colour-soaked, looks as good with neutrals like navy, grey and cream, as clashing with other prints like stripes or leopard.   

We wear tights every season for practical reasons, but designers have embraced them as a legitimate fashion statement this winter. At Alberta Ferretti, there were shimmering black tights worn boldly with body suits. At Chanel, most looks came with dark, glittery legs, while Erdem showed slightly loose, spotty ones that we loved. This is one of those easy trends that takes something we all do anyway to stay warm and makes it just a little more interesting. Try swapping your usual hosiery for spots, stripes, sparkle or sheer with a pattern, which can be surprisingly slimming on the legs.

We’ll be adding some checks to balance our winter wardrobes. Reimagined in super-feminine puffed sleeves by Emilia Wickstead, sharp, high-waisted trousers at Isa Arfen, and a wrap jacket at Michael Kors, plaid is all grown-up this winter and showing no sign of its wild 70s punk past. How to wear it? Go for polished with smart, feminine pieces like a tailored dress or trousers. If you have a tartan shirt, tuck it into a high-waisted pencil skirt and throw a cardigan over the top. And if you’re still not entirely sure where you stand on tartan, why not give it a nod with a fabric-covered headband.