By Zachary Costello
Autumn is, in my opinion, when getting dressed becomes interesting again. Summer has its pleasures, but there is only so much one can do with a linen shirt and a pair of sandals. Come September, the wardrobe acquires layers, texture and, most importantly, jackets.
This year I am less interested in anything that looks as though it has emerged directly from a trend report. The best autumn jackets already have a history. Think waxed cotton, corduroy, Harris Tweed, suede, cavalry twill and old-fashioned tailoring. The trick is to find something with enough character that it looks as though you have owned it for years.
Here are the ones I would be looking for.
01. The Vintage Barbour Beadnell
The Beadnell is the obvious starting point, but there is nothing wrong with an obvious choice when it is a good one. Barbour's women's wax jackets have the useful combination of practicality and polish, with the Beadnell offering a more feminine silhouette than many of the traditional men's styles.
For autumn, I would specifically look for an older version rather than buying the newest one. The beauty of a Barbour is what happens to it after years of wear: the creases, fading and slightly battered cuffs are part of the point.
Wear with: corduroy trousers, a cashmere jumper and riding boots.
Vintage hunt: £60–£120 is a sensible place to start; vintage examples are currently appearing around this range.
02. The Harris Tweed Hacking Jacket
Every woman should own at least one tweed jacket that makes her look as though she has somewhere considerably more interesting to be.
Look for a proper Harris Tweed jacket with a slightly nipped waist, generous pockets and a good check or herringbone. Brown, moss green and burgundy are particularly handsome for autumn.
Harris Tweed works because it has texture. It does not need embroidery, logos or complicated styling. The cloth does the work.
Wear with: a white shirt, dark denim and loafers.
Where to look: vintage is particularly rewarding here, with current second-hand examples around £40–£100 depending on age and construction.
03. The Vintage Aquascutum Jacket
Aquascutum deserves considerably more attention than it receives. The British house's reputation was built on outerwear, and its vintage pieces have exactly the slightly eccentric, slightly grown-up quality I want from an autumn jacket.
Look for corduroy, quilted styles or a proper wool jacket. There are currently vintage Aquascutum examples available for around £60, with older coats appearing at roughly £100–£125.
Wear with: a silk scarf, straight-leg trousers and an enormous pair of sunglasses.
04. The Corduroy Equestrian Jacket
There is something wonderfully English about a corduroy jacket with a slightly equestrian cut. It suggests the stable yard without requiring you actually to own a horse, which is perhaps the ideal fashion purchase.
Look for dark brown, tobacco or forest green, preferably with a velvet or corduroy collar.
Wear with: a checked shirt, cream jeans and tall brown boots.
And don't be afraid of buying men's. Some of the best vintage country jackets were made for men and look considerably better oversized.
05. The Vintage Laura Ashley Jacket
A little romanticism never hurt anybody.
Vintage Laura Ashley is particularly good when you want an autumn jacket that feels more country-house than country-sporting. Look for corduroy, tapestry-inspired prints, velvet collars and slightly generous 1970s shapes.
The point is not to recreate an entire Laura Ashley catalogue. Pair one beautiful old jacket with otherwise very simple clothes.
Wear with: black trousers, ballet flats and a small leather handbag.
06. The Quilted Country Jacket
There is a moment every autumn when the weather becomes too cold for a blazer but too mild for a proper coat. This is where the quilted jacket earns its place.
Look for old Barbour, Aquascutum or country-sports examples rather than something overly technical. A slightly boxy shape looks particularly good with a long skirt or wide-leg trousers.
Wear with: a wool skirt, chunky knit and loafers.
07. The Velvet Smoking Jacket
Finally, one for the evenings.
A vintage velvet jacket - preferably burgundy, bottle green, midnight blue or black — is one of the easiest ways to make autumn dressing feel rather more glamorous.
You don't need an occasion. That is the whole point.
Wear it to dinner, to the theatre, to drinks or simply over jeans when you feel that an ordinary Tuesday deserves improving.
Wear with: black trousers, a silk camisole and very good earrings.
The common thread between all is that none of them needs to look new.
In fact, I would argue that they look better when they don't. A jacket with a little history has something that the immaculate version cannot quite manufacture: evidence of a previous life.
So this autumn, before buying another anonymous coat in the season's approved shade of beige, have a look at the vintage shops. Search for Barbour, Aquascutum, Burberry, Harris Tweed, Laura Ashley and the obscure British manufacturers whose names have largely disappeared.
You may find something better than fashion.
You may find something you want to keep.