I Just Tried On Zara's Autumn Collection—These 4 Pieces Will Earn Me So Many Compliments

Welcome to The Great Try-On. With autumn well and truly in the air, we seized the opportunity to try on some of the best new-in pieces from some of your favourite brands, documenting the process along the way. We believe the best way to shop online is to see an item IRL and read candid reviews, so we hope that this leads you to your most successful purchases of the year.

Autumn has arrived, and with it, a new style moment. As the sharpest shift from one season to another, the break between summer and autumn can feel like a quick rush to pack up the linens that kept us cool over the warmer months, and steadfastly return our trusted knits, denim and outerwear to pride of place. Like many, I found myself rejigging my wardrobe for October, and in doing so, soon found there were clear gaps where mild-weather heroes should be. As the colder days have set in and will stick around until spring breaks into sunshine, now is prime time to make clever additions to my hard-working autumn wardrobe.

When it comes to making space for new buys in my wardrobe, I often look to investment pieces, but with so many strong collections on the high street, this is always my first port of call. As ever, when I part with my hard-earned cash, every piece has to meet my high standards of being easy to style, timeless in design and expensive-looking no matter the price point. So naturally, I headed to Zara.

Shopping at Zara, whether online or in-store, is always something I look forward to. For many, it can feel overwhelming because of the sheer amount of new styles, but I find this means there are plenty of real gems to be found that will earn their keep in my wardrobe for years to come. I usually shop online for ease, but as you may know, I do a lot of in-store try-ons to give extra guidance to our readers. I've tested out new high-street coats, the very best jeans and trending footwear; and now I'm sharing my autumn Zara finds.

After a quick scan of the shop floor, I'd already honed in on four key pieces. The perfect forever coat, the easy co-ord, the layering piece with a twist and the standout shade. With my sights set on these items, four outfits quickly came to fruition as I moved around the store, piling pieces onto my sister's outstretched arms ready for the changing room. Even editors like to get a second opinion, and few are as honest as a sibling's.

Whilst a feathered piece or sky-high heel can instantly turn my head, in the spirit of adding only truly worthwhile pieces to my basket, wearability and versatility of styling were forefront of my mind. I put them with pieces that can be mixed and matched with the much-loved staples already in our wardrobes, like a great white button-down or trusty pair of knee-high boots—the items that consistently prove their worth in timeless appeal. But if you're yet to add these basics into your arsenal, I've linked them below, too.

For guidance, I'm 5'2" and tend to wear a size 8 or small in coats and jackets and a 10 or medium in bottoms. I've also included the sizes I've tried on, with advice on whether to size up or down depending on each style, just to make things even easier.

Keep scrolling to see the Zara autumn 2024 pieces I tried on, and read my honest thoughts.

See My Favourite Pieces From My Zara Autumn 2024 Try-On

Style Notes: Today, I finally turned my heating on, so it's time to declare that coats are back in business. Immediately, I was drawn to this understated coat with a minimalist appeal that I won't tire of. The shade is a soft camel, known for easily blending with most other colours and adding a premium edge with its refined nature. With a simple single-breasted design, flap-front pockets and crisp lapels, I instantly knew this was a piece I'd wear on repeat.

When considering how to style it, I went classic, relying on a white button-down, wide-leg jeans and easy boots to complete the look. The look is fuss-free, refined and elegant, ready to take on a variety of occasions from drinks with friends to a day in the office. The coat's wearability means it can finish a variety of looks, be it a tailored ensemble or a dressier evening look.

I took my usual size small and was impressed that it fitted perfectly without feeling restricted, as some structured coats can. At 5'2", it hit me just below the knee, which is the ideal length, in my opinion. The button-down is slightly oversized, so I opted for the size XS for a neater fit, which still felt roomy. Wide-leg jeans are one of my most worn items, and this pair has a chic dark wash. They come up slightly big though—I tried the 10 but would actually go for the size down. As you can see, the length is suited for much taller people, but any petite person knows that a dry cleaner can easily take care of that.

SHOP THE LOOK:

Style Notes: Layering season is in full swing, and whilst there's an array of brilliant cardigans and jumpers around, I was looking for something special. I found it in this lightweight cardigan in a soft green shade with an intriguing scarf detail. I've long been a fan of adding a scarf to a simple T-shirt to bring a pop of colour, print or texture—something my mum has always embraced as a key part of her daily uniform. As we move into the cooler months, tie-neck details can be found on scarf coats or created by slinging a jumper over your shoulders, and now this detail can be embraced in knit form, integrated into cardigans and sweaters for a fun twist.

As this cardigan is a standout piece, the rest of my look takes a more understated approach. Naturally, tailored trousers were what I searched for, and as someone who wears trousers more than anything else, I hope you'll take it seriously when I say these are some of the best I've tried. The wide-leg silhouette is perfectly draped for that modern edge, whilst the sharp pleats boast tailoring expertise that would easily make you think they were designer, not to mention the false pocket with a button detail that further adds to the considered design.

Whilst the look could be dressed down with trainers or flats, I wanted to bring a touch of elegance to the wide silhouette of the trousers with a pointed-toe shoe peeking out underneath. I tried a size small in both the cardigan and the trousers, and it was just right.

SHOP THE LOOK:

Style Notes: If there's one piece that deserves unlimited praise it has to be the co-ord; on days when you only have five minutes to get ready, a sleek two-piece will always be your saving grace. For autumn, I look to cosy knitted fabrics to take on the new-season chill in style, and this high-neck top and fluid skirt combination is one I'll turn to over and over again.

The brilliance of a co-ord is its versatility. Not only do the pieces have a perfectly matched companion, but they can be separated for various outfit options. The high-neck top can be styled with classic jeans, sleek tailoring, denim skirts and plenty more, whilst the skirt can rise to any occasion with a nice top or classic button-down. The soft fabric brings just enough warmth to shield you in the colder moments, and as I tend to run hot I like the idea of a sleeveless silhouette. However, if you prefer to cover your arms, a simple shirt can be layered in to complete the look. Both styles come in three colours: grey, cream and camel, all of which are incredibly expensive-looking.

Better still, the sizing is just right. Here I've taken the size small in both the top and skirt and elevated the look with a pair of refined kitten-heel boots. A true staple, a great pair of knee-high boots will see you through every autumn, winter and spring.

SHOP THE LOOK:

Style Notes: For a long time I've been a dedicated minimalist, mostly turning to neutral shades as my daily uniform. But after the bright summer days, I'm hoping to hold onto the rejuvenating effects of bolder shades, especially through the greyer months. As we're well and truly into the days where outerwear is a must, I'm starting here when adding a new hue into the mix.

This bright red is a break away from my norm, so I'm turning to a timeless silhouette to keep it wearable and relevant in my wardrobe. Here, it's by way of a sweet structured jacket with a tweed-look fabric, with white and black thread running through the red. The sharp shape with padded shoulders, front pockets and vintage-style buttons brings a polished finish, even when paired with a simple T-shirt and jeans.

Straight-leg jeans are a must-have in any wardrobe, and the mid-wash of this pair brings a casual edge to balance the put-together feel of the jacket. Whilst the jeans appeared cuffed when on the hanger, it turns out they're simply turned up, not sewn, and as they came up short even me, I unrolled them for a puddle effect.

The sizes for the jacket were limited in-store, so I tried a medium, which by chance, fitted. The sleeves felt slightly restricting though, so I would have gone for a large if it had been available. For the jeans, I took my usual size 10 and liked that they weren't too fitted around the thigh. Finally, to sandwich the elegant top and relaxed jeans, I added a pair of cute bow-motif mules with a sharp pointed toe in my usual size 5.

SHOP THE LOOK:

SHOP MORE ZARA PIECES WE'RE LOVING: