You may think early August is a little too soon to be thinking about a winter wardrobe, particularly if you have spent the past few months in Britain waiting for summer. Actually it’s a little late. The fashion magazines published their catwalk supplements weeks ago. But I put a restraining order on myself in an attempt to prevent too much tiresome early chit-chat in these columns about next season. And guess what? I think there may be benefits in not rushing in and laying claim to all the “key” pieces, because what seems “key” when those supplements are being compiled (back in March, shortly after the shows and while still under the influence) doesn’t always seem so important as the season approaches.

While we’re on the subject, a word about that word, season. It’s over. The new world order can’t be doing with seasons, which is quite sensible really. Think about it. Apart from coats and woolly tights, the requirements for dressing don’t change very much throughout the year, give or take a few layers. That means that old, comforting rituals such as swapping your clothes around in May and October have disappeared. Which may in turn mean that things are turning into a swamp in your wardrobe. Oh well, we’ll address that another time. Meanwhile, although it’s not always easy to decide what you want to wear today, let alone a couple of months hence, here are three areas to think about.

Leather, specifically biker jackets. You may not have worn one since you were 18. You may never have worn one. But they’re fantastically useful for adding gloss, polish and a bit of attitude to any outfit. Take your pick from Topshop’s utterly brilliant short-sleeved version (£120, in store now, but not for long) to Mike and Chris, a cult label that sells ultra-soft leather (www.netaporter.com, from around £600).

Minimalism. It’s been creeping back for a while, and the immaculate, plain-fitted dresses from labels such as Jil Sander and Bottega Veneta have made the fashion press take notice. It’s hard to pull off, but suffice to say, the days of boho and piling on clutter are numbered – for a while.

How to get dressed: the Miraclesuit

Although you should always be cautious of any label with 'miracle' in it, this swimsuit does the job

BACKGROUND

• How to get dressed: Sunglasses

• Louboutin: the most wanted shoe brand

• Why everything is now designer

• Matching your hemline to the economy

Trousers. They’ll be everywhere – and not just the old fall-backs of jeans, straightlegs and drainpipes. The tailored trouser is back. The most modish are high-waisted, short-legged (they stop at the ankle – it’s a must) and need to be worn with heels and neat, tucked-in tops. YSL’s are the template, but Gap will have good versions, so will Joanna Sykes at Matches and, under the expert eye of Jane Shepherdson, the new, rebranded Whistles should be your first port of call. These are worth stalking, I promise.

For the first time in ages, we have genuine fashion statements that flatter pear shapes. Time to stock up.

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• The A-Z of winter style rules
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