When the days are still warm and relatively long, it can feel premature to start planning what you’ll wear once the leaves begin to fall. But the smartest shoppers know that autumn/ winter collections drop in August, and the best of them is often snapped up in early September. And if you’re keen to make minimal purchases with max impact, consider one of the following five items, all of which will give your existing outfits a fresh ’26 spin.
The elevated track jacket
The track jacket exploded last spring with Miu Miu’s retro sports-coded windbreakers spearheading the trend and has continued its ascendence to wardrobe fundamental. A track jacket is a versatile layering staple that can be thrown over summer dresses when the autumn chill sets in, then layered under winter coats once we hit autumn proper – and it’s lightweight enough to stuff in your handbag should you overheat on the tube. This season swerve the primary colours and sporty stripes in favour of more muted tones and luxe fabrics; gym gear this is not.
Five to shop:
Celine windbreaker
Topshop leather-look track jacket
H&M nylon jacket
Rotate track jacket
Reformation track jacket
A pop of cerulean blue
Minimalist dressers have long been reliant on a pop of pillar box red to enliven their otherwise pared-back palettes. The simplest way to inject a fresh 2026 spin? Swap the tomato for something in a punchy swimming pool blue. A cerulean shirt looks great with wide leg white denim for the last days of summer, but it’s when paired with wintery navy and deep chocolate brown that the aqua shade really comes into its own.
Five to shop:
Reformation silk knee length skirt
Victoria Beckham ruched top
Massimo Dutti short sleeve sweater
Alaia mohair cardigan
Topshop drape-front top
The retro sneaker
Season after season retro sneakers continue to reign supreme, and for autumn ’26 the smart money is on ’70s styles. From Nike’s Moon trainers, first released in 1972, to Dries Van Noten’s elevated ’70s marathon runners, the heritage silhouettes to shop this season are sleek and streamlined. And we are calling it now: the Puma Speedcat is about to have a major Samba-esque revival.
Five to shop:
Dries Van Noten suede sneakers
Nike Moon Trainers
Puma Speedcat trainers
Miu Miu Plume sneakers
M&S brown suede trainers
The boatneck ¾ sleeve top
This might sound like an oddly specific pick but sometimes the devil is in the detail, and for autumn ’26 the best-dressed women will be swapping their basic crewnecks and long sleeve tees for boatneck tops with ¾ length sleeves. Perfect paired with sleek denim or ’90s knee-length slip skirts, the collarbone-skimming style is at once polished and pared back. Plus, you can pick up excellent options for under £15.
Five to shop:
M&S slash neck top
Arket boatneck top
Reformation boatneck top
With Jean Lili top
Stradivarius boatneck top
Shield shades
If you’re looking for that one purchase to make last year’s autumn wardrobe feel bang up to date, look no further than a pair of giant, face-obscuring shield sunglasses. The summer saw supersized and sporty wrap styles replace skinny silhouettes and for autumn the memo is very much bigger is better. From Phoebe Philo’s Bombe shades to Saint Laurent’s sell-out Howl style, the season’s coolest shades have a decidedly celeb feel … plus they’re perfect for hiding a hangover.
Five to shop:
Jimmy Fairly The Luz sunglasses
Phoebe Philo Bombe sunglasses
Le Specs Dream Boat
H&M polarised sunglasses
Saint Laurent Howl sunglasses
