Autumn Collection 2024

After putting together my sewing goals for the year, and deciding on the timeline by season, it occurred to me that I was somewhat planning in advance like a fashion designer would for their next collection.

(And I don't mean to flatter myself by comparing my haphazard, self-taught sewing prowess to that of the admirable sorcery that is a revered fashion house, but it certainly got me thinking about what I could harness to help me simplify my wardrobe.)

The goal for my minimal wardrobe is sort of a three-pronged affair.

I want to love every thing I have, by eliminating surplus, inferiors, and compromises.
I want to own as little as I can, but with enough diversity to indulge a love of clothing I've had as far back as I can remember. (I was the primary school kid who actually wrote down, in a notebook, observations on other children's outfits.)
I want to make as much of it as I can, myself.

So, the experiment was born; to set about curating my first seasonal 'collection'.

If you'd like to see the collection in motion, you can view the video

The colours

Of all the seasons, I feel that autumn is the most genteel.

Though it's a time of transformation, and ultimately loss, the gentle transition communicates nature's acceptance of change amidst a covertly melancholic shade of beauty.

It isn't loud or bold, and thus has a sense of discretion that borders on the polite, and refined.

This is where I started from, in terms of patterns, colours and fabrics. I wanted the hushed sounds of tweeds and twills against the soft rustle of crisp collars and cottons. I wanted the repeated patterns of herringbone and houndstooth that mimicked the predictable seasonal cycling.

Colour would creep in sparingly, but with presence.

Greens and golds were an obvious direction, with most tones being more yellow-based, than blue. I drew from the natural world in its state of transition, noting where bursts of vibrancy were still thriving post-summer, and where other shades of russets and gold were littering the path with a crunch underfoot that echoed change.

The palette I decided upon was my neutral base of predominantly black and grey, with the tonal accents of greens and browns. Complimentary contrast was in the sparing use of red and blue to lift the foundations and point not to themselves but to their sombre counterparts.

The collection

Here's the approach I've implemented thus far, to see how I can curate an autumnal collection.

Outerwear - 2 coats.

Black, wool coat made by me. This is for when autumn moves further into winter, and I am standing on the pier waiting for my ferry.
Burberry trench coat in a stone colour, which serves as a raincoat. You can read more about my thoughts on this over at my Craftsmanship post

2 Jackets/Blazers.

Grey leather jacket that is more like a leather shirt, in a colour my mother would likely describe as 'elephant.' (Fitting, because it was hers before it was mine.)
My wool blazer, refashioned by me, that is reminiscent of an autumnal foreground, with it's tonal houndstooth of greens and browns.

2 Collared shirts.

I work in a corporate environment, but I am only in the office 3 days a week. I decided 2 collared shirts was sufficient.

An olive green, cotton shirt as a nod to the yellowing of green leaves, soon to collect at our feet as autumn settles in for her stay.
A pale blue cotton shirt as a complimentary colour, lifting the outfit like the intermittent peeking of blue through an otherwise grey sky.

2 Cardigans.

Layers are best for autumn, in my opinion. I noticed that leaving the house in the morning is nothing at all indicative of coming home later that day, by way of temperature.

A black cashmere 'grandpa' cardigan serves as a layer that can insulate beneath a jacket, or simply be worn open over something lighter.
A grey cotton by Uniqlo which I've taken to wearing as a top. Layering the two is a fun repeat of the front design.

2 Sweatshirts.

Russet-coloured merino turtleneck. I think this looks really nice with the olive green and pale blue shirts. Also, something about it beneath the wool blazer feels like a nod to old-school Burberry; and whilst that may just be in my head, all my creations begin in my head.
Black, cotton-cashmere vest to layer under or over a shirt; the latter because I am still channeling Tár vibes

2 Pairs of pants.

Brown, cotton trousers I made a few months ago, with a herringbone pattern. They're a thicker twill with some stretch, and something about the pattern feels indicative of autumn.
Black leather leggings. These are the easiest thing I own to wear, (seriously), and are also an unexpected twist on every other staple. I like to add something unpredictable to my outfits to keep them well out of the realms of cookie-cutter catalogues.

1 Skirt.

The skirt was originally going to be the khaki green one I made recently, and I have to say, I was so excited to wear it with the other greens and browns I had planned for this season; but the temperatures dropped sooner than I expected, (or perhaps my tolerance did), and I feel that a full-length skirt is going to wind up being my default no matter how lovely khaki is with a pale blue shirt.

For that reason, I've gone with my Harris Tapper tuxedo skirt. (I will likely save the green skirt for spring.)

2 Pairs of jeans.

Two days a week I work from home, and then I have the weekends, where I also wear jeans.

Dark but still vibrant indigo to help lift the tonal palette by way of contrast.
Light grey to offset the blues and pops of red in my scarf.

2 Scarves.

Tan merino to keep to the earthy tones of the natural world.
A cashmere, vibrant plaid on one side, with navy, grey and red. A blue and red herringbone on the other side.

2 Pairs of shoes.

Vivaia grey boots
Vivaia black boots

My two pairs of Vivaia boots are going to be my go-to. I don't like the grey shoes with my brown trousers, so they will be worn exclusively with the black pair. The outfits seem more or less interchangeable.

It's a good idea to alternative shoes throughout the week, to increase their lifespan. Previously I've been one to live in the same one pair of shoes day in and day out, no matter the weather or event, and suffice to say, though I wore them all until they were completely irrepairable, I could've done better to alternate them, at least.

(I definitely do not suffer from the cliched obsession of shoes that [apparently] many women do.)

Additions.

Black Calvin Klein belt that was my partners, once upon a time, that I have managed to commandeer.
Brown leather belt (not shown in the video)
Brown, herringbone, wool Tilly hat. (It looks very fitting with my self-proclaimed "Burberry inspired" collection!)

I am open to t-shirts and tanks making their way in and out of outfits, where required. I only have them in black, white and grey, so I feel anything I choose shall seamlessly blend in. But I haven't orchestrated them into any particular outfit, and so for the collection itself, I shall stick to the items given above.

Here are some stills from my video