How do they do it? Penneys, the chain store, has a black suede, full-length coat that costs £80.
Real suede bonded on to fake fur, it looks terrific and is just one item in a long list of good value. Put together with a bit of flair, these clothes look priceless. That is the message of the autumn ranges coming into stores.
Coats are the fashion news of the season. If it isn't suede, it could be moleskin (£35), a wool mix for a 1970s prim cut in red (£40), or a full-length camel in a cashmere mix (£45). All these tie in with the Prince of Wales check, moleskin or tweed trousers (around £16), the chunky knits, including a long, tie-belted cardigan (£14) and the polo sweaters (£10).
Keeping colour to a minimum makes it look classy. Cord bags (£4) and leather boots (£40) also add to the style. There is nothing new about any of this, but who can query the classical?
Classics loosen up a bit, however, with more studenty microfibre hooded jackets (£18) teamed with fleece tops and wide-legged cord trousers. There is also an update on distressed denim with the belted coat/dress (£30) looking new and sporty.
Evening dress is mainly black, but there is a dash of raspberry red to jazz it up. A red chunky tunic (£14) worn with a beaded red satin skirt (£16) and a one-button black coat (£25) is as good as it gets. Prices continue to surprise, and now that sizes are more generous, things are really looking up at Penneys.