Emily has grown up with Salcombe Trading and is now very much part of running it day to day. So when she picks out the Chalk Clothing pieces she actually wears, this is much more wardrobe tour than styled wish list. These are the things that fit into real days - getting out of the door, working, lunch, the school run and everything in between. As the weather changes, good autumn layering becomes less about constructing an outfit and more about having dependable pieces ready to go. Everything we stock is tried, tested and loved, and these are the ones Emily keeps reaching for because they make easy outfits feel properly put together without asking too much of you.
1. Fleur Striped Top
A stripe is one of those wardrobe ideas that never needs much explaining. The Fleur gives a plain pair of trousers an instant point of interest, while still being simple enough to sit under another layer. That makes it particularly useful at this time of year, when the day can move from chilly morning to unexpectedly mild afternoon. Worn on its own or under the Abby Gilet, it earns its place by doing a lot of the styling work before you have really started.
I am a sucker for a stripe. It does all the work for you.
Emily, Salcombe Trading
Wear it with: Abby Gilet
2. Megan Navy Jumper
There is a reason a navy jumper becomes the thing you reach for without thinking. Megan has the easy, pulled-together feel Emily likes - comfortable enough for an ordinary day, but smart enough that the whole outfit still feels considered. Navy also plays nicely with almost everything else in this edit, from the Pepper Wide Leg Trousers to the Lucy Charcoal Joggers. It is exactly the sort of dependable layer that makes autumn dressing easier, particularly on mornings when choosing clothes is fairly low down the list.
Navy is my safe place. It goes with absolutely everything.
Emily, Salcombe Trading
Wear it with: Pepper Wide Leg Trousers
3. Abby Gilet
The Abby is the women's gilet for days when you want warmth without feeling wrapped up for winter. It gives a simple top-and-trouser combination a bit more shape and intention, while still being easy enough to wear from morning onwards. Over the Megan now, then over the Rebecca or a T-shirt when the weather softens, it is a useful extra layer rather than a piece that needs its own occasion. That is exactly why it works - it slips into the wardrobe you already have.
One of those pieces I'd throw on for the school run and still be wearing at 6pm.
Emily, Salcombe Trading
Wear it with: Fleur Striped Top
4. Pepper Wide Leg Trousers
The Pepper Wide Leg Trousers are a good example of comfort and polish meeting in the middle. A wider leg gives a simple outfit a stronger shape, but the styling can stay very straightforward. Add the Megan jumper, the Rebecca striped top or a plain tee and you are essentially done. They work particularly well for those days when joggers feel a touch too casual but anything fussy is out of the question. Easy with trainers and equally useful when you want to dress things up a little.
Wide-leg trousers are my cheat code for looking smarter while still being comfortable.
Emily, Salcombe Trading
Wear it with: Megan Navy Jumper
Shop the Pepper Wide Leg Trousers
5. Lucy Charcoal Joggers
Lucy is for the days when comfort wins, but you would still quite like to look as though you got dressed on purpose. The charcoal colour keeps these joggers feeling a little smarter than a standard grey pair, which makes them easier to take beyond the sofa. Add the Megan jumper and trainers and you have one of those easy outfits that works at home, on errands or out for coffee without a costume change. Practical, comfortable and very much in the spirit of getting ready in 30 seconds.
Basically permission to wear joggers while still looking respectable!
Emily, Salcombe Trading
Wear it with: Megan Navy Jumper
Shop the Lucy Charcoal Joggers
6. Harriet Scarf
A scarf is often the smallest thing in an outfit, but it can do a disproportionate amount of work. Harriet is the piece to reach for when the rest of the wardrobe is doing what Emily's often does - navy, beige and neutrals. It adds interest without requiring a rethink, and it is easy to tuck into your bag if the temperature changes. It also makes a useful finishing piece when you want a plain jumper-and-trouser combination to look a little more intentional than the time spent choosing it.
Makes it look like you've thought about your outfit when you really haven't.
Emily, Salcombe Trading
Wear it with: Megan Navy Jumper
7. Escape Weekend Bag
A weekend bag should hold what you actually need without turning an overnight stay into a luggage operation. Escape is roomy enough for a proper weekend away, while still feeling like a bag you are happy to carry with you. It works for a night away, a girls' weekend or the familiar family version where everybody else's things somehow end up in your bag too. Useful first, good-looking alongside it - which is usually the combination that makes a piece worth keeping long after the first trip.
And frankly, anything called Escape has my vote.
Emily, Salcombe Trading
Wear it with: Lucy Charcoal Joggers
Putting it together
For the school run, start with the Rebecca striped top, add the Lucy joggers and finish with the Abby Gilet - comfortable, warm and far more thought-through than the time involved would suggest. Lunch out can be Megan with the Pepper wide leg trousers and Harriet scarf, which gives you a neater shape without losing the easy feel. For a weekend away, wear Lucy and Megan for the journey, add Abby if it is chilly, tuck Harriet into the Escape Weekend Bag and call the packing largely under control. Three outfits, very little negotiation with the wardrobe.
Good wardrobes are rarely about having more. They are about knowing which pieces make everyday dressing simpler, work with what you already own and are worth keeping for years. That is what we look for when choosing Chalk Clothing, and it is why Emily's favourites are such a useful place to start. If you would like to see the rest, have a browse through our full Chalk Clothing collection and find the pieces that fit your own everyday routine.