Burgundy is the colour I trust most in autumn. It is dark enough to behave like a neutral, so it goes with black, brown, grey, navy and camel, but it still reads as a colour from across the room. Wear a burgundy sweater with jeans and the whole outfit feels warmer, without anyone noticing you made an effort.

A burgundy bag is the most practical way to wear the colour, because it goes with nearly everything you already own. Against black it looks rich, against camel it looks warm, and against denim it looks relaxed.

Mansur Gavriel does the colour very well at the accessible end. The Mini Gaia crossbody in claret is $425, and the Mini Candy bag in oxblood croc-embossed leather has a lovely curved shape for $595. Khaite's oxblood bags are the investment: the Small Joan hobo, the Blake Nano with its gold clasp, and the Lori Squared in crackle patent, which catches the light in a way plain leather does not. The Donna shoulder bag is the one to look at if you carry a lot, with a long, slim shape that sits neatly under the arm.

I would pick smooth or croc-embossed leather over suede in this colour. To my eye, burgundy suede can look dusty in daylight, while leather keeps its depth.

Burgundy shoes are my favourite trick for making black trousers feel less severe. From a distance they read as dark, and up close there is a flash of colour that makes the outfit feel considered.

Khaite has the boots covered: the Colt knee-high and the Sybil and Arizona ankle boots, all in bordeaux. The Colt is the one I would choose for a skirt, since the shaft is tall enough to meet the hem. For flats, Mansur Gavriel's Ruched Loafer in oxblood and the Square V in oxblood croc are both $545 and look lovely with cropped trousers and a flash of sock. A bordeaux ankle boot is also easier to wear than it sounds, since trousers cover most of it and only the toe shows.

If you want something with a heel, Khaite's Marlene pump in red mahogany haircalf is the dressiest piece in the edit. And the Manhattan sandal, also in bordeaux, is worth a look if you are happy to wear sandals with tights well into November.