Coach started in New York in 1941 with six artisans, in a loft workshop on 34th Street in Manhattan making wallets and billfolds by hand. Under Lillian and Miles Cahn the house drew on the way baseball glove leather softens with wear to create its proprietary tanning process, which is still the idea behind a Coach bag. In 1962 Bonnie Cashin was hired as the first lead designer, and her Cashin-Carry bags introduced practical details such as turn-locks and outside pockets. Reed Krakoff led design from 1996, the first directly operated store opened on Madison Avenue in 1981, and Stuart Vevers has been Creative Director since 2013, winning the CFDA Accessory Designer of the Year in 2017. That history sits behind the first group here. The Tabby comes as a 26 suede shoulder bag, a grain leather shoulder bag, a 19 chain cross-body and a quilted chain crossbody. The Chelsea 36, Rogue 31, Drifter and Leather Barrel bag are the bigger shoulder shapes, and the Originals Haversack Turnlock nods to Cashin. For a quilted shape, the chevron-quilted bag is a useful comparison, and the crescent lock bag covers polished shoulder shapes with a clasp.

Coach's shoes carry the same soft attitude. The Sculpted C range is the main thread, with a loafer, a soft mule, soft slip-on mules, a Mary Jane flat, a pointed toe bootie and shiny crinkle leather boots. The Leah patent slip-on loafer flats are the neat option, and the Archival clogs and Hadley signature jacquard clogs are for anyone who prefers a chunky shape. The Margot family is the dressy side, with slingbacks, oversized buckle sandals, a leather sandal and signature crystal denim slingback pumps. The C Soho sneaker and Daisy pumps are also here. What I would skip is wearing the Archival clogs with a long skirt that hits the toe; they look best with a hem that clears the buckle. For hems and jeans, a guide to what shoes to wear with jeans will help, and how to wear clogs this fall covers the clogs.

The smaller things are where the logo gets playful. The C Bubble brass stud earrings, C Pendant brass necklace, C hinged brass bangle and quilted logo bangle bracelet carry the C, and the Sammy watch is a small rectangle at 19.5mm by 24.8mm. The Stacked Tabby print silk square scarf and the embossed-logo wool-blend beanie are easy to wear with a plain coat, and the Plaza leather shoulder bag with charm chain brings a little decoration to a bag. A simple way to wear the jewelry is to pick one metal moment, the bangle or the pendant, and keep the rest plain. The beanie and scarf are the pieces for the first cold morning, and either one can sit over a coat in a plain color. To style the scarf, the printed silk scarf shows a few easy knots.

The last group is the mix. Gold Parfum and the Cherry Parfum fragrance collection are the scent pieces, the Stacked Tabby print silk skinny scarf is a narrower version of the scarf above, and the Soft Empire leather carryall 40 is the big weekend bag. The Signature slip-on rubber rainboots echo the Rainboot from the first group. The Signature openwork ring set, the Heritage plaid-pattern twill midi skirt and the asymmetric suede jacket show that the house now makes full outfits too. Picture her... on a weekend away with the Soft Empire carryall over one shoulder, the suede jacket on, and the rainboots by the door, with Cherry Parfum in the bag for later.

If I were choosing a first piece, I would start with a Tabby in leather, because it has the history in it: leather that softens, hardware you can feel and a shape with real heritage. Then I would add loafers and a plain scarf. Coach began with wallets in a loft on 34th Street, and it still makes things people carry every day.

For more in the same spirit, take a look at Chloé Shoes and Bags and Miu Miu Shoes and Knitwear.