Charity shop suits, anoraks and DIY pom poms: eight easy wardrobe updates inspired by the catwalks

It’s been a whirlwind four weeks of shows, celebrities and competitive street style peacocking. The season kicked off with US first lady Jill Biden swinging by the Ralph Lauren extravaganza in the Hamptons in New York, and wrapped up with Kylie Jenner closing the Coperni show at Disneyland Paris. But while ready-to-wear collections won’t enter stores until next spring, with most pieces carrying a four-figure price tag, there are plenty of catwalk-inspired tweaks you can implement now that don’t require a lot of money – or any at all. Here are eight to get you started …

The new high-low mix

In fashion it turns out opposites really do attract. Who knew that a yellow rain mac and silver cocktail dress would work so well together? Mrs Prada and Raf Simons, that’s who! The unlikely pairings at their spring/summer 2025 show were an embrace of the confusion created by the internet’s proliferation of micro-trends and -cores. Daniel Lee at Burberry caught the chaos bug, too, popping fuzzy hooded parkas over glittery party dresses. Those lucky enough to have nabbed a ticket to see Oasis next year should take note – it’s the perfect combo for a rainy British summer night.

Double up on hosiery

At Alessandro Michele’s catwalk debut for Valentino, models wore slingback shoes with lace tights styled underneath pointelle ankle socks. (Sorry gen Z, but it turns out millennials were on to something.) The high street already has plenty of frilly ankle socks on offer, which is handy as we head into colder months. For pom poms like those that adorned some of Valentino’s styles, dig out some old yarn and a fork and follow this DIY tutorial.

Fuzz your collar

At Emilia Wickstead, preppy shirts were given an unexpected sultry twist with the addition of faux-fur collars. To emulate the trend, visit your local fabric shop and ask for its fuzziest fabrics to give a tactile update to a tired-looking polo.

Check the tag

Vetements has been disrupting fashion norms for the last decade. Its most recent show, in Paris, kept up the tradition, with creative director Guram Gvasalia (brother of Demna at Balenciaga) choosing to leave labels and security tags on the streetwear-inspired pieces. While flaunting an anti-theft tag might be a styling step too far, at least the next time you leave a care label untucked you can confidently claim it’s a styling decision.

Pimp your trainers

Coach took trainer accessorising to the max, adorning scruffy white kicks with charms including cassette tapes and miniature models of vintage cars. While you may not want to ruin your old teen crush’s mixtapes, you could zhuzh up grubby trainers by adding some mini charms or kitsch souvenirs, or by simply swapping out the original laces for striped ones. See the walking boot section of the online retailer The Shoe Lace for a plethora of colourful options.

Giddy up your belt

Ralph Lauren’s Hamptons spectacle saw plenty of outfits that embraced the equestrian mood. Fashioning a belt out of a snaffle bit is one option, but for a simpler take, just style two leather belts together. Fasten one slightly higher up on your hips, then let the second fall below.

Ergonomic bag handling

Toteme is the Swedish brand that spawned the now ubiquitous scarf coat. So when models paraded down its most recent catwalk with scarves placed over tote bags, it was obvious that this niche trend will soon make its way into the mainstream. Other models were seen clutching shoulder bags rather than swinging them over their ball and socket joints, while some wrapped bag straps around their wrists as if they were bracelets. Meanwhile, at Gucci, shoulder bags were worn sideways under armpits.

Size up your suiting

According to Saint Laurent, next season will be all about the supersized suit. Get ahead by scouting out the menswear section of your local charity shop for an XL blazer. Follow the catwalk styling by placing a striped shirt underneath a baggy blazer then pushing up the sleeves, and secure with giant gold bangles. Again, your nearest secondhand store or online shop is the best starting point for affordable costume jewellery.

What’s hot – and what’s most definitely not – this week

Going up

Office merch | Season three of Industry has finally hit UK screens, but will you be ditching your season one Pierpoint & Co branded hoodie for a Kit Harington-approved Lumi logo cap?

Laundromats | Is a trip to the launderette the next prime Instagram content opportunity? Thanks to Beyoncé and Levi’s, we reckon it will be the new version of posing at a farmers’ market.

Shellfish fatigue | Between oyster-shell door knockers, giant clam vases and conch-shaped candles, we have officially reached peak mollusc.

Going down

Rainbow bookshelves | Liz Truss has finally killed the 2020 default Zoom background, AKA the colour-coded bookshelf.

Peaked lapels | Follow Harry Styles’ lead on the Valentino front row and go for a pie-crust collar.

Beards | Right now it’s all about the teeny-tiny tache. See Timothée’s prickly version.

Melanie Wilkinson, styling editor, solves your wardrobe dilemmas

Q: We are going to Venice for Christmas this year and have booked dinner in a hotel restaurant for Christmas Eve. The dress code is “formal attire”, and I’m not sure what to wear that will be stylish, comfortable, winter-appropriate and fitting with the dress code. – Brenda

A: What an enviable Christmas plan. Formal attire often means floor-length when it comes to dresses, however the right style of midi dress can also be appropriate and it will probably have more longevity in your wardrobe. I love this olive green dress from Ghost – it’s long-sleeved, not too tight and with just the right amount of festive flair. I would style it with gold jewellery and a pair of statement heels like these from Dune London. If you feel more comfortable in trousers, you could also go down the co-ord route. This two-piece from Cos (pictured above) is a bold statement, but also chic, relaxed and perfect for the evening. I would add a clutch bag and some sparkly earrings.

Got your own style question? Send it to fashionstatement@theguardian.com.