Bringing out the coats and piling on the layers - picking the right clothes for Autumn is always tricky. Luckily the guys at Croydon’s Centrale shopping centre are helping the sartorially challenged.

The shopping centre’s Autumn Fashion Fix sees them working with Irish fashion TV presenter style entrepreneur Darren Kennedy, who lives in south London, on five digital catwalks full of inspiration and styling tips.

We caught up with Darren to find out the steps you can take to look good...

Get the basics right

If you don’t know where to start, then that’s simple: the basics.

Darren said: “If the foundations aren't right, then structurally you're not going to be sound and you are going to run into the issues along the way.

“So really build up a wardrobe of basics that are kind of going to take you and cover you for so many different occasions.

“You know, I am talking about the simple things like a crisp white shirt, a good pair of trousers, a really good fitting pair of jeans.”
 

 

 

 

Only use what works for you

It sounds obvious, but if you look great in skinny jeans, then buy skinny jeans.

Darren said: “If high waist isn’t for you well ignore high waist jeans. Keep your eye on a prize, which is making you look your best. If you know that certain things work and certain things don’t, build your wardrobe up of kind of classic staple pieces based around that.”

Trust a trench coat

“The trench coat, this season, is amazing. You know, especially at this time of year, at the transition into a kind of the colder weather, trench coats are brilliant.

“It is really easy to get caught in the rain and that is what they're for. And, I am just going to add, you can pretty much wear anything under the trench coat, and the coat will give a perfect finishing touch. That would be my top tip”

You don’t have to break the bank

“You can find a good piece of trench at the high street in the places like New Look or Primark.

“On a high street you will find good quality ones and you know, not only a quick fix at this season but they will pay over into other seasons if you buy the right one and treat it well.”

Look backward

“The biggest trend that we're seeing continuing this season is the retro 70's vibe, a little bit of the 60's but very much 70's - you know, the wide leg trousers, flared trousers, cropped culottes.

“So the good thing is that lots of those things you already have in your wardrobe, from some previous seasons should carry forward, it is not like you are ditching those pieces and buy into 70's vibe.”

Don’t get too complex

Darren’s biggest fashion bug bear is people who overcomplicate.

He said: “People who over complicating the things, you know who over think an outfit.

“Fashion and style is not rocket science. It still does not need to be perfect; no lives are going to be lost as a result of potentially getting something wrong and so like just having a bit of confidence.

“And I think, you will find what is like to be comfortable in your own skin, and you will find what fits you and what is to your own taste”

Autumn Fashion Fix is at Centrale in Croydon. Download the Centrale plus app for discounts. Go to centrale.co.uk