Possibly the biggest fashion purchase you’ll make all year, buying the right coat has become more a badge of sartorial honour than the practical purchase of old. Some of fashion’s greatest hits in recent years have been coats or jackets: the shearling wrap-around; the cropped military jacket and of course the biker jacket. They all did some serious time in our wardrobes, and had the good grace to match coverage with style. But no longer is the coat just a means of keeping out the winter chill – the hardest-working item in your closet has moved from after-thought to main event.

This season sees the biker jacket go into storage as knitted coats and blouson jackets take centre stage. Fashion has recently fallen back in love with its softer side – prepare to become very familiar with ‘duck egg’ in Spring 2012 – and this winter is steering us gently but firmly into a new way of dressing.

Fashion’s softer edge has not only introduced gentler silhouettes into the mix (blouson jackets at Marc Jacobs and capes from Burberry) but coats this autumn are covering every base when it comes to how fashion feels. Even the dramatic, sweeping coats featured at Rodarte and Hermes are not just showing off their structure, they are masterpieces of 2011’s super-trend: texture.

The sharp-eyed among you will have spotted that fashion has been steadily introducing softer textures in many guises. They have been everywhere from pussy-bow blouses at Chloe, to the star-spangled jumpsuits from Dolce & Gabbana. Even the tougher finishes have been given a little finesse – the superstar sequinned skirt from Louis Vuitton transforms a bold idea into ladylike chic. There is fluidity in this year’s fashion that hints at a deeper, wiser flexibility: better to be a willow tree than an oak.

This transformation of fashion from hard-as-nails to soft and tactile is a major ideological shift and has turned the idea of the winter coat, our defining outer layer, on its head.

This year, the emphasis is on comfort. It isn’t about hiding away or taking refuge, but rather discovering an element of joy in being unbuttoned, loose and free. Most coats on the runway were shown undone; the Rodarte prairie coats were a particularly moving example of fashion that’s big on volume but not short on ideas. Bold and expansive, the Rodarte collection feels like a breath of fresh air. The strict, military jackets of five years ago in comparison seem like a distant memory.

Fashion is particularly good at responding to the mood of the moment. The ebb and flow of financial markets have always influenced what we wear, but more than ever before, we’re seeing fashion not as a passive response to outside influence, but hard at work to provide solutions.

The generosity of Autumn’s new coats – with swathes of material on display – is fashion’s grand design for tough times. Fashion knows all too well that to cut corners is to send out a financial SOS; but generous folds of luxurious material send out a message that you’ve got it covered.

After years of celebrating tough, urban fashion, the tide seems to be turning. If we dressed for battle during the early part of the recession, as we do our best to ‘keep calm and carry on’, what we need now is comfort.

It’s no accident that our faithful friend shearling returns for another winter, cosseting us up in sophisticated glamour. The wealth of knitted coats available (Chloe, Rag & Bone, Etro) invites us to wrap ourselves in cosiness. The way clothes feel is rapidly becoming the big idea of this decade: the lightness of the looks coming down the runway celebrating freedom, not constriction. It’s not only our range of movement that gets a break this winter: the roomy silhouettes of cocoon coats and capes give us room to relax and take stock. If you’re already feeling the pinch, the gentleness of a cocoon shape won’t fence you in.

But don’t be fooled: fashion’s new affection for softness isn’t about denial; it’s right there in the heat of the action. Swapping tried-and-tested fashion formulas for new textures and bold design is a game-changer, but one that will see fashion going from strength to strength in 2012. Turning away from perceived wisdoms has proved that the fashion industry is still relevant, creative and above all, more than capable of turning in a profit. Back in 2008, many predicted the decline of the fashion industry: nearly four years on, the economic climate hasn’t changed but fashion has. In times like these, fashion is far from frivolous: it has something very profound to say about the art of survival. No matter what, fashion has our back.

HELEN TOPE

Unless you’ve been spent the past few months in a fashion black out, you won’t have failed to notice that this season, what’s old is new. Whether you take your fashion straight up or with a dose of irony, what’s on offer is the best of the best. Ranging from the Seventies to the Forties, there’s no better time to sample a pure nostalgia hit. With some of fashion’s biggest names joining the party, it seems rude not to indulge…

1970’s

Key Collection: Gucci

The Seventies doesn’t have the greatest reputation when it comes to fashion longevity. However often it flits in and out of our lives, the flare will always be a little bit retro. But where the decade cleaned up this season is in figuring out a colour palette that celebrates the unexpected.

Tobacco and mustard have become this season’s hottest new shades. They shouldn’t work (but they do), and teal clashing with royal purple lifts a winter complexion better than any blusher.

The 70’s also had hard-core glamour down pat. Frida Giannini’s collection for Gucci was almost dizzying in its wealth of detail. Corsages and fedoras, belted jackets and silk blouses, Giannini described this collection as having a ‘cinematic allure’, and it really is a look that requires an audience.

If you’re fashion-confident and believe head-to-toe commitment is essential, the 70’s will challenge you. Demanding a serious amount of swagger, the pay-offs from getting it right will be exhilarating. Bianca Jagger, Diana Ross and Faye Dunaway remain fashion royalty, with their best-known looks continuing to inspire today, with everyone from Chloe Sevigny to Kim Kardashian borrowing a bit of fashion copyright.

If living the Studio 54 lifestyle (the second time around) isn’t for you, delve into this season’s obsession with knitwear. The best offerings this year are from British designer Markus Lupfer, who has turned his proudly-retro quirky knitwear into a season winner.

It may not win the prize for Most Loved Decade, but we can learn a lot from the resilience of 70’s fashion. Glamour is often seen as a ‘soft response’ to tough times, but the Seventies, at their best, represent the intersection where dressing and armour meet. Bold, witty and wise – this often overlooked decade has much to teach us about feeling the fear and wearing it anyway.

1960’s

Key Collection: Burberry

The Sixties was a unique point in the 20^th century. Casting off the slump of the post-war 50’s, the 60’s was nothing short of a renaissance for popular culture, and fashion was smart enough to tag along for the ride.

The biggest innovation was in raising hems to create the mini-skirt. Seen this season at Calvin Klein and Prada, the mini gets a thinking-girl’s makeover, with tone-on-tone separates and graphic-print pinafores. This take on the 60’s classic piece is smart and sophisticated, taking the best of the mod spirit and blending it with ladylike fabrics that are anything but stuffy. If you’ve leaned away from this look before, thinking it was a bit too ‘finishing school’; Burberry has come to the rescue with a bold, breezy collection that’s made for the streetwise.

The 60’s revival is all about channelling the optimism and energy of the decade; it’s hard to feel glum when tooling around town in technicolour.

If you prefer a more sedate approach, prepare to rejoice as monochrome will become your new best friend. From Marc Jacobs to Oscar de la Renta, everyone had their interpretation covered. The devil’s in the detail, with skinny patent belts and Peter Pan collars hard-wiring 60’s references into any outfit. With a colour palette this flexible, the sky really is the limit.

The takeaway from the 60’s is to have fun with whatever you’re wearing. Famously creative, the 60’s celebrated their moment with art, music and fashion that galvanise us even now into making brighter, bolder choices. The unstoppable energy of this decade calls to us with this simple message: enjoy yourself. It’s later than you think.

1940’s

Key Collection: Miu Miu

Think of the 1940’s and you tend to think in khaki. In an era where women were keeping Britain going, they were determined to dress the part, and their response was sheer, feminine bravado.

Shaped shoulders, flirty hems: this look has a great deal to offer when it comes to showcasing curves. The most figure-friendly of the decades explored this autumn, the 40’s look appeals to those who want to do vintage without the legwork.

Leave it to Miu Miu to put in the hours for you, producing a new version of the 40’s silhouette that has serious mainstream credentials. Also featured in the collection for Louis Vuitton, the beauty of the 40’s is that it’s so easy to accessorise. The Miu Miu dandelion dress only asks a pair of T-bar shoes and a slick of red lipstick to make the look complete.

If the 60’s seem like a technicolour nightmare to you, and the 70’s do not leave you feeling groovy, the 40’s could well be your decade of choice. The cut is simple but effective: the originals were constructed at a point where fabric was strictly rationed. There was no room for excess: every inch had to count. It was glamour cut close to the bone, but the end result was a look that charms and seduces. This was a time where looking good wasn’t about vanity, it was about defiance.

Still one of the most hotly-sought decades in vintage stores, 1940’s glamour is perfect for the occasions that tailoring just won’t touch. Prepare to fall hard for this homage to fighting spirit.

What about now?

Fashion’s revisionist phases always cherry-pick the best of the decades. The unwieldy platforms or boiler suits are edited out: it’s the kindest thing to do. These swings in style often point to larger issues at work, and this season’s obsession with all things past is no exception. Returning to what’s gone before can be a source of comfort, not least when times are hard. It’s no coincidence that the last time tea-dresses were in vogue was in the early 90’s. Fashion raged against the machine, but now we have social networks, the whole business of getting your protest on seems that much easier.

With our hands-on approach to this economic crisis, grunge as a sartorial response just feels wrong. Countering gloom with grime feels like a misstep, and what we’ve learned during boom and bust is that style is our strongest defender against corporate malaise. Britain has always appreciated great design, and when it comes to big ideas, we’re not afraid of going there first.

Fashion understands – more clearly than most – that confidence is a head-game. Without it, a dip turns into a tailspin. Its love affair with our best days isn’t about finding a sartorial safety blanket, but a way forward that fortifies and inspires. Far from being nostalgic for better times, fashion is showing us that when it comes to building a future, the past still has much to teach us.

HELEN TOPE

There is no better place to kick-start your red-carpet campaign than the Emmys. At the apex where film and television meet, the usual rules for red-carpet dressing don’t apply. In a ceremony where the biggest stars can take the biggest fall and newbies can walk away with Best Dressed, in fashion terms, all bets are off.

The recurring theme was metallics. From the lightest silver in Armani Prive to Elie Saab’s deepest black, shine was inescapable. There was barely a neutral to be seen: this was a red-carpet in technicolour where the colours were bright and the metallics wowed. Everyone who went for dazzle did not regret the decision.

Mad Men’s Christina Hendricks made a bold try for Best Dressed in a shimmering champagne gown by Johanna Johansson. In a shade deliberately chosen to highlight Hendricks’ pale skin, and a cut that showed plenty (but never too much), the dress was a bona fide hit.

Hendricks has previously struggled to find a red-carpet running mate, with experiments that resulted in over-exposure and cover-ups that swamped her figure. With Johanna Johansson, Hendricks has found a designer that knows how to dress curves. The secret is in the fit: the dress hangs perfectly on Christina – as a result, the daring split and plunging neckline have an air of elegance, flattering Hendricks’ famous figure.

For Hendricks, this represents a personal triumph. For Johansson, she can expect her red-carpet career to soar: Hendricks’ appearance has done for her what Halle Berry did for Elie Saab at the Oscars. Expect to hear (and see) a lot more from Johansson very soon.

The sartorial hits kept on coming: Cat Deeley charmed the US in a bronze-flecked gown from Monique Lhuillier and Elisabeth Moss got her glam on with a delicately-embroidered Marchesa.

But the real surprise of the night was just how many attendees chose to go to the dark side. Black and navy are a notoriously hard choice to wear, as any detail tends to be washed out by the cameras. The answer? Bring on the metallics.

Emily Blunt and Evan Rachel Wood both opted for Elie Saab. Blunt shone in a richly-textured gown and Evan Rachel Wood gave Hendricks a run for her money in a deeply glamorous, heavily-beaded column gown. Wood kept the hair and make-up soft and light, resulting in a very modern kind of drama.

Those who went for shine also opted for colour: Claire Danes revisited the strapless look in a midnight-blue gown from Oscar de la Renta. Park and Recreation’s Amy Poehler sold us on a sharply-tailored, dark blue gown from Peter Som. Covered in sequin detail, with only a narrow black belt to emphasise the waist, the dress was a master-class in red-carpet know-how. Want to sparkle? Keep it simple.

The other big story of the night was the return of red, from pillar-box to hazy blush. Like black, it can be a tricky colour to handle. The key to not blending into the carpet, and a note taken from previous years, was to employ strong, angular shapes that can’t be missed.

Proving he can also do gowns without the glitter, Elie Saab dressed Kate Winslet, who chose a red column dress from his Resort 2012 collection. Expertly tailored, this dress simply didn’t have a bad angle, making Kate a winner on every front.

Glee’s Lea Michele also demonstrated how much she has learned during her short time on the red-carpet circuit. A newbie in 2009, two years on, Lea has graduated from fulsome ballgowns to sleek and chic. Her red gown, with a dramatic scooped back, was a sophisticated take on the dramatic look that she clearly leans towards. Drama on the red-carpet doesn’t always have to equal volume: Lea Michele’s look from Marchesa is a great lesson in how to make an impact when you don’t want to be burdened by acres of fabric. Lea looked youthful, current and most of all, comfortable.

The Emmys wouldn’t be the Emmys without an upset or two, and the biggest shock of the night was Nina Dobrev from The Vampire Diaries nearly sneaking the Best Dressed honours right out from under Winslet and Michele. Dressed in a blood-red gown from Donna Karan, Dobrev took it to another level by keeping the styling uncomplicated. Only accessorised with a Neil Lane choker, Nina worked the red-carpet with glamour and confidence. For Dobrev, it was a very good night.

The softer side of red was also in evidence, courtesy of Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara and Sarah Hyland. Both wearing similar shades of coral, Vergara and Hyland wooed us with asymmetric detail and pleating. Sofia’s gown from Vera Wang was sultry, but carried with aplomb by Vergara, who has learned how to make her sex appeal red-carpet friendly. In a dress that showcases her curves, the element of restraint provided by Vera Wang means that no-one could possibly object.

Sarah Hyland took a risk with a custom-made design from Project Runway winner Christian Siriano. With a fitted bodice, beaded belt and softly pleated skirt, Siriano produced a gown that was high on romance, making Hyland a stand-out on a red carpet filled with drama.

Whatever way you looked at it, this was the most optimistic red-carpet in years. Filled with colour and light, even those who chose to go with black, opted for gowns packed with detail. It was an unabashed celebration of glitz and glamour, with attendees going for drama, whether it was in the scoop of a fishtail train, or a boldly executed origami pleat.

No-one faded into the background, or went with a choice that was safe or expected. As a result, it was hard to pinpoint any gowns that didn’t hit the mark. With other highlights including Cobie Smulders in turquoise Alberta Ferretti and Kristen Wiig in a cocoa-coloured Zac Posen, there were very few looks that didn’t impress.

The overwhelming success rate was down to celebrities feeling the fear and doing it anyway. Dressing to score with fashion pundits rarely works, but dressing to please yourself nearly always does. Gwyneth Paltrow’s midriff-baring Pucci ensemble was a definite gamble, but with her glowing make-up and minimal use of accessories, this mother-of-two pulls it off. Whether you liked it or loathed it, there was no missing it, and in terms of red-carpet spec, that’s job done.

This year’s Emmy attendees wowed us because they struck the right balance between risk and pay-off. Dramatic silhouettes, bold detail and great colour all made for a red carpet that was as beautiful as it was memorable. After several seasons spent in neutral, red-carpet fashion is finally ready to shine.

HELEN TOPE

Doing duty for another summer, the maxi-dress returns with only one objective: to win you over. Unfairly seen as the dowdy companion piece to the mini-dress, this year, the maxi goes all-out to silence its critics, challenging the mini with a look that can go from floaty ethereal to flat-out sexy. The maxi’s campaign is based on its long-standing but rather persuasive slogan: fit and flatter, for every size, every shape and every woman.

We all know the power of a maxi-dress; to hide the bits you’re not so crazy about, but what about the times you just want to show off?

Designers choosing to show a maxi-dress in their collections this year have heard you: body-hugging cut-outs and dare-devil splits have transformed the maxi, making it less garden party and a serious competitor to the body-con dress. Thought the Herve Leger bandage dresses was a tough wear? The multi cut-outs shown by Pucci demand a body that’s toned and tanned – no ifs or buts.

The maxi’s makeover is more than cosmetic: it takes on the chief criticism levelled at maxi-dresses: in offering to cover a multitude of sins, do they in fact conceal too much? Lanvin’s thigh-baring dress with tan harness is fashion’s response: a perfect balancing act of reveal and conceal.

The hidden genius in this year’s gowns is a lightness that defies its coverage. It’s not always through transparency (although Valentino’s gossamer-light layers of tulle offer a beautiful take on the idea), but a lightness of touch on the cutting table, that makes these gowns a joy to wear.

Erdem’s version of the maxi covers from head to toe, but with the emphasis on flow rather than volume, the dress gently contours the body making it long and lean – and that’s never a bad thing.

You don’t have to be a maths whizz to figure out that minus the volume, the maxi becomes a different animal. The quiet elegance of Alberta Ferretti and Donna Karan showcases slinky, body-conscious form – a truly great option for those who want the body-lengthening qualities of a maxi dress that’s high on sophistication. Striking the right note in eveningwear can be a minefield, but these versions of the maxi-dress are perfect for nights when only glamour will do.

But if you love the maxi-dress for its Seventies connotations, there’s plenty of choice to be had. Whether it’s Marc Jacobs’ bright and breezy halterneck, or Derek Lam’s light and airy leopard-print, the classic, billowing shape of the maxi is a crowd-pleaser. Cool and comfortable even in the height of summer, it’s become an urban classic, seen on every high street. Why pound the pavements when you can glide?

It’s a popular shape that has lasted another summer because, like all the great pieces in fashion, it creates its own language. Simple to wear, even easier to accessorise, its ability to charm us is all in the ease of use.

In the heat of summer, the cool seduction of the maxi-dress is very hard to resist. They work in every situation, from a beach-to-bar cover-up to summer weddings. Ideal for summer formals, if you want to drop some serious hints, it’s hard to beat the romance of Paul & Joe’s poppy-covered gown.

The enduring appeal of the maxi-dress isn’t hard to fathom. It remains a summer favourite because it delivers the goods every time. Waist-whittling, leg-lengthening and all in a shape designed to make a girl feel good about herself, even after that third helping of gelato.

A piece that pleases virtually everyone is a near-impossible find in the fashion world. There’s always going to be someone who doesn’t appreciate the LBD, or feels out of place in classic tailoring. Meeting the terms of a catch-all is equally elusive: some people want a piece that will be there for them during the low-confidence days, others’ go-to piece will be something that shows a little skin. Like all great fashion pieces, the maxi-dress excels because of its simplicity, and it has evolved this summer to give everyone a little bit of sartorial heaven, whether you want romance or smoulder or something in-between.

While the search for fashion’s ultimate piece continues, but, for now, the maxi dress really is as good as it gets.

HELEN TOPE

More often associated with street fashion, this season sportswear is getting out of its niche and onto the catwalk. Taking the best of what sportswear has to offer, and taking it to the next level, sports-luxe is a new spin on an old favourite.

With hi-tech details such as zips, racer-backs and sheer panels on display, sportswear as a luxury concept was sold as a chic alternative to the tracksuit. Where it was shown on the runway, it was featured as a complete head-to-toe outfit. As with all runway looks, sports luxe needs some adjustment for real-life application. In singles or doubles, the individual pieces translate brilliantly, coming into their own in situations where practicality has to take top billing.

Sportswear with keep-cool, breathable fabric and weather-proof finishing were seen at several shows including Isabel Marant and Marc by Marc Jacobs, making them essential packing for festivals. With Glastonbury recently swinging between mud-bath and heatwave, sportswear suddenly seems like the smart option.

Its practical side is well-documented, but where the runway pitched a real curve-ball is in the idea of sportswear as glamour. Diane Von Furstenberg showed hooded jumpsuits in coloured silk; Bottega Veneta went with sophisticated shirt-dresses with sheer panels and Versace did red-carpet sporty with skin baring cut-outs and cropped tops – all designed to showcase a gym-honed body.

Working glamour into sportswear is in the finer details. Leaving Sue Sylvester’s mink-trimmed leisure-suit aside, doing sportswear as an all-in-one and making it glamorous is a sartorial mission impossible. Its associations with the running track mean that radical thinking is required to transform it into a product of desire. DVF’s multi-coloured jumpsuit works because it’s evening fabric applied to a sporty shape. Stella McCartney showed racer-back details on evening gowns – a perfect way to make formal dressing palatable if you spend more time on the treadmill than the dancefloor. The unexpected mix of cool, athletic lines and out-and-out glamour makes for a transformation that’s game changing.

The glitz isn’t just assigned to night owls either. If you loved Kate Middleton’s take on Wimbledon chic at Centre Court this week, flirty, sports-themed day dresses are giving florals some serious competition.

Temperley’s tiered dress is definitely more suited for court-side but Thakoon presented a series of dresses made for play – a bandeau bra or seam-free vest and this look becomes completely wearable.