What to look for in autumn

I look forward to autumn. I like to kick against the trends. Most people are clinging to the last few days of sunshine. But I love wet autumn days. When the colours of the damp stones match the colour of the sky and the wet pavements smell fantastic.

And whilst what makes autumn acceptable for most people is the beauty of the countryside at this time of year, for me it is all about how buildings and fashion come together in real harmony. Cities smell better in the autumn. They look better.

And so do people. Layers of greys, blacks, browns. Raincoats flapping, with shoulders damp and dark from the wet. Woollen scarves, gloves, jumpers – preferably grey or striped. Shoes with socks, laces dipping into puddles. There are so many more ways to dress in the autumn.

And umbrellas. Tiny fold-aways. Stupid big golf ones. Cool see-through-domes. Plastic children’s umbrellas with cartoon characters on them. Even the word umbrella is nice.

The French word parapluie is even nicer. And Pluie sounds just like a drop of water..