7 Affordable Autumn Trends the High Street Can't Seem to Keep in Stock

It's a bit of a running joke among my friends and family that I have expensive taste. Whenever I'm shopping with my mum or browsing the rails with my best friend, they always chuckle whenever I pick something up, only to place it coyly back down after reading its price tag. Still, I consider this innate attraction to premium-looking pieces to be a gift, not a curse, as it also helps me hunt down the most expensive-looking pieces on the high street, which, in my experience, are always the first to sell out.

Excuse the humble brag, but I can go into any affordable store and find items that look like luxury. How? It's taken over a decade of analysing, but the main factors that come into play are colour, fabrication and silhouette across both trend-led and timeless buys.

Which pieces caught my eye on my most-recent shopping trip this past weekend? Unsurprisingly, the high street has begun gearing its product toward autumn, with knitwear, coats and boots commanding most of my attention. So today, I thought I'd share my findings by running through trends I'm most excited about buying on the high street this autumn. Keep scrolling to add these affordable yet elevated autumn trends to your wardrobe this season.

1. Striped Knits

Style Notes: Stripes might be considered more of a wardrobe staple than a trend, but the sheer amount of Breton knitwear out there right now signifies that it's a major look for autumn/winter 2022. Handily, the high street has a jumper to suit every sensibility and budget. 

2. Slouchy Suiting 

Style Notes: The tailoring trend is proving even stronger as we head into autumn, with the high street serving up looser silhouettes especially well. 

3. Sling Bags

Style Notes: Although micro top-handle bags might be sweeping the designer collections of Jacquemus and Balenciaga, on the high street, things are taking a more practical turn with hands-free sling bags becoming the most coveted. COS and Arket have styles that feel very The Row, but naturally, come in at a fraction of the price. 

4. Leather Trousers

Style Notes: Whether you opt for real or faux, there's no denying that leather trousers always look sleek. Especially when worn with a simple black tank top, as it turns out. 

5. Robe Coats

Style Notes: Although robe coats are widely considered to be pretty classic in terms of outerwear, they have taken a back seat to puffer coats over the past few seasons. For 2022, however, I have a feeling everyone is going to be swathing themselves in this silhouette. 

6. Knitted Co-Ords

Style Notes: Last year, I practically lived in a knitted trouser co-ord that I snapped up on sale in Mango. This year, I plan on doing the same, only this time around, I'm looking to knitted skirt sets to achieve that rich-girl aesthetic. 

7. Cowboy Boots

Style Notes: Of all the boots that are starting to come through, it's clear that buyers are backing cowboy boots in a big way. It's unsurprising, really, seeing as everyone from Celine to Isabel Marant made them an integral part of their autumn/winter 2022 collections. Don't worry—there are plenty of affordable options on the high street, too. 

Next Up: The 9 New-In Pieces I'm Adding to My Wish List This Week