Serious capital spending...how to splash the cash this autumn

While the high street will always have its place in our hearts, there’s no substitute for a little luxury.
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15 October 2012

THE COAT (£2,820)

Should owning a piece of fashion history be your thing, may I suggest you buy this coat. A standout piece in a definitive collection, the deliciously crafted wool-and-angora bank buster featured in Raf Simons’s swansong for Jil Sander. Coupling Grace Kelly glamour with squeaky clean minimalism, it’s a buy now, adore for ever purchase that will rise in value as it hangs in your closet. (net-a-porter.com)

THE BAG (£558)

Almost all high-end shopping mistakes are handbag-related. There’s something about haemorrhaging cash on luxury leather that requires we all take leave of our senses. What works for us while eyeing up labels in Selfridges rarely works two years later, which is why I suggest you bypass in-your-face logos and instead opt for a bag that bears no branding whatsoever. This rectangular box bag by Sophie Hulme is a kitchen-sink carrier with major appeal. (liberty.co.uk)

THE SKIRT (£450)

While magnolia is the failsafe shade for property developers, navy is its fashion equivalent. And for good reason. There is, after all, no other colour that gets along so swimmingly with the rest. From hot French label Carven, this A-line skirt will go with pretty much anything — opaque tights excluded. (net-a-porter.com)

THE DRESS (£875)

This neon “18-hour” dress from Preen is an investment purchase but not as we know it. While you may not be wearing it for seasons to come — neon’s shelf life rivals David Cameron’s — it’s a dress you can count on for all formal occasions between now until at least next September. The savviest shopper invests in a dress like this every other year. Join her. (net-a-porter.com)

THE SHOES (£480)

Be still my beating Céline-obsessed heart, these angular courts are shoe perfection. And not just because they’ve graced the design table of the masterful Phoebe Philo. Despite its relative scariness, gold is a hugely wearable shade and these bad boys will add a hint of edginess to the simplest outfit. Invest in these for a lifetime of guaranteed coolness. (doverstreetmarket.com)

THE JEANS (£875)

Having always preferred the high street alternative ahead of jeans with a three-figure price tag, I approached J Brand’s leather skinnies with reluctance. Of course, having tried on a pair, now I’m a convert. The wonderful thing about high-quality jeans is — they fit. Designed to mould to the skin, they stretch and hug in all the right places. Be warned, though: getting the right size is essential. (trilogystores.co.uk)

THE JUMPER £350

Jonathan Saunders’s sweaters have transcended flash-in-the-pan trend territory and are now a wardrobe staple coveted by style plates across the globe. Buy one this season and you’ll long be grateful for it. The beauty of this knit is that it works as well with an evening skirt as it does a perfectly fitted pair of jeans. (shopatthebluebird.com)

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