The autumn edit: what to buy now, what to wait for

Buy the coat in September, the knit in October, the dress in January. Retail timing is not a secret; it is a calendar.

September: outerwear

Coats arrive first and sell out in the right sizes before the cold. If you need one, buy it while the full size range exists.

October: knitwear

Merino and lambswool restock through the month. Buy the colour you will wear weekly, not the one that photographs best.

November: the party pieces

Silk and occasion dresses appear now, often at full price. If you have a specific event, buy early; if not, wait.

January: the sale, carefully

Discounts are deepest on the pieces nobody needed. Buy only what was already on your list, in your size, in a colour you would have paid full price for.

What not to buy in autumn

Linen, light cotton and sandals - unless you are travelling. The markdowns arrive in six weeks.

See the current edit.