The leaves have been falling for a while now, autumn's full glow is giving way to darker evenings and this week seems to have brought the first real chills of winter to come ... but I love this time of the year when the season becomes more obvious and we embrace crisp leafy walks, cosy nights in and the warmth of home cooked food with a glass of hearty red wine! A time to embrace comfort and practicality. That's why I love wearing corduroy this time of year. It's soft and smooth, pretty like velvet but practical enough to be worn every day. It seems to take on a softer patina each time it's washed and has the ability to be at home in both country and city. 

But corduroy is not all about cosy and nostalgic, this autumn the catwalks have succumbed to it's retro charm. A recent article by the Guardian 'Why corduroy-loving geography teachers are right on trend' describes the fabric as 'the height of style for this season' and cites Prada, Mulberry and Gucci with it's 'librarian chic'. (see link below) My styles tend towards soft femininity rather than 'geography chic' with both looks loosely inspired by the Seventies.

With a nod to playful irony, corduroy is having it's moment.

I've been using needlecord since my first season. My Petticoat Lane dress has become my signature style, shown here, in Vintage Red. 

This year I added Autumn Gold and Black into the same corduroy collection.

And here, in a new style, the Bloomsbury Dress in an inky navy cord.

I've also introduced a new, chunkier cord in a wider wale, meaning the furrows of soft velvety pile are thicker and further apart. I used this for my Dulwich Duster coat and for my Seventies inspired Chelsea skirt.

The cord is sourced in Lancashire by a family business who have been running since 1869. Where possible, I try to find local sources who support small businesses like mine.....but rumour has it they also make for Prada!  

 Just now, I'm wearing my Bloomsbury dress all the time. Love how I can wear it over a simple polo or a nice canvas for a favourite scarf. And of course, like all my other cord dresses, it has all important pockets ! 

Happy Autumn! 

You can buy all these pieces online now or in store at 99 Essex Road.

 https://www.justinetabak.co.uk/collections/here-comes-autumn

https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/2017/aug/29/corduroy-loving-geography-teachers-on-trend