The Art of the Autumn Transition: Marc Cain Has It Sorted

Start with a great shirt

The shirt I’m wearing is a perfect example.

It’s a pinstripe, but not a boring one. Marc Cain has added those little details that make a classic feel rather more special, with a clever centre detail at the back, beautiful buttons at the front and a pretty pleated detail at the cuff.

The fabric has a lovely drape, making it one of those shirts that looks polished without feeling remotely fussy.

Wear it with trousers now, then swap to your favourite jeans when autumn arrives. Easy.

Add a little fun fur

If there’s one thing we’re rather pleased to see returning, it’s the fun-fur bomber.

This one is particularly gorgeous in a soft, pale slate grey. It has a lovely relaxed shape, practical front pockets and — importantly — it’s washable at 30 degrees.

Because looking fabulous is one thing. Spending your life worrying about how to clean it is quite another!

It’s the perfect lightweight layer for those cooler mornings when a coat feels like overkill.

And then… the coat

Now, this may just be our star of the collection.

A gorgeous coat trimmed with pleather, with a beautiful cut and a belt at the front that can be tied as loosely or as neatly as you fancy.

It has oversized pockets, lovely detailing at the back and a shape that does all the flattering for you.

And if you’ve been wondering what’s going to be everywhere this autumn and winter, pleather is definitely one to watch.

Pleather, but make it comfortable

Marc Cain has taken pleather well beyond the usual biker jacket.

The ¾ trousers are wonderfully soft, with an elasticated waist and side pockets — essentially, everything we want from a pair of trousers.

Then there’s the pleather dress.

We’ve always found pleather dresses to be incredibly popular, and this one is a beauty. It sits around the knee, has pockets, elasticated cuffs and a neat little silver zip.

But the real selling point is the fabric. It’s incredibly soft and has a lovely quality feel. This is definitely one of those pieces where you need to touch it to appreciate just how good it is.

For a little more drama, there’s also the wide-leg pleather trouser. These are intentionally long, creating that lovely sweeping silhouette when worn with the right footwear.

Front pockets, back pockets, a zip and plenty of attitude. What’s not to like?

The pieces that keep coming back

One of our favourite things about good fashion is discovering those pieces that simply refuse to date.

There’s a Marc Cain blouse in the collection that reminds us exactly why.

It has ¾ sleeves and a beautiful frill detail down the front, and it’s the sort of style that can quietly become a wardrobe favourite for years.

In fact, I’ve still got a similar one from a previous season in electric blue. It comes out year after year, washes beautifully and somehow always looks right.

That’s what we call a good buy.

This season’s version is available in beautiful shades including cream and deep blue — both incredibly easy to style.

The chicest combination?

For those days when you want to look effortlessly polished, we love the high-shine off-white tie-neck blouse trimmed in black.

Add black trousers and you have one of those combinations that simply never fails.

White, cream and black.

Classic, elegant and wonderfully easy.

And if you want to make it feel a little more relaxed, simply switch the trousers for a pair of great-fitting jeans.

Speaking of which…

Don't overlook the jeans

The Marc Cain Frenda jeans are a lovely everyday option, with a regular waist, 33-inch leg and a subtle bootcut shape.

And we’ll say it again: Marc Cain jeans are ones you really need to try on.

They have that wonderful combination of fit, comfort and shape that is difficult to explain until you’ve actually got them on.