Under $360 this is real clothing rather than occasion wear. The Fear of God Essentials Rib Knit Dress at $176 is the cheapest and the most straightforwardly useful piece in the edit. Norma Kamali accounts for three: the Mock Neck Cap Sleeve Flared Pickleball Dress at $220, the Sleeveless Cowl Neck Side Shirred at $225 and the Long Sleeve Deep V Ruffle Mini for FWRD at $250. The label's jersey is the reason this bracket works, since it packs, washes and holds its shape. Citizens of Humanity's Kira Sculptural Dress at $298 is the most structured piece here. LPA's Leisl Gown at $329 is the only full-length option in the bracket, Sablyn's Monique Slouchy Mock Neck at $350 is the softest, and Helsa's Ophelia at $359 closes it out as the most tailored.

This is the largest group and it covers the widest range of occasions. Staud's Alesa at $425 and Ronny Kobo's Brette at $488 open it. Retrofete's Runa Knit Dress at $498 is the warmest thing in the edit and the one that needs no layer. Coperni appears twice, the Lace Slip at $550 and the Seamless Dress at $850, which are the two most body-conscious shapes. Cult Gaia's Hilary Dress at $598 sits in the middle of the bracket. Simkhai's Sadia Cape Mini at $695, Loulou de Saison's Izia Draped Cape at $750 and Aknvas' Zoe Blazer Dress at $750 are the three with built-in structure, and the Zoe is effectively a dress and a jacket in one. Aya Muse's Luma at $885 and R13's Grunge Slip at $1,095 close the group.

Above $1,297 the edit narrows to four pieces and they are the most formal things in it. Rowen Rose's Satin Fringe Maxi Dress at $1,297 is the most decorative and the one with real movement. Johanna Ortiz's Hibiscus Compass Ankle Dress at $1,550 is the print entry, and it is the same dress that appears in the wedding guest shop, which tells you how it is meant to be worn. Tom Ford's Twill Tuxedo Shirt Dress at $1,690 is the sharpest piece in the whole edit and the only one cut like tailoring. Miu Miu's Piuma Carta Dress at $2,350 is the most expensive and the most recognisably of-the-moment. All four would take a coat over the top without looking crushed, which is the practical test for this time of year.

Autumn dresses are one of the few categories where the cheap end genuinely competes, because the whole point is a piece you can wear repeatedly under a coat. Norma Kamali's jersey at $220 to $250 will get more wear than anything above $1,000 in this edit, and it will still look correct after a year. The middle bracket is where the interesting cuts are, and the Aknvas Zoe Blazer Dress at $750 is the smartest single piece here, since it removes the need for a jacket. At the top, the Tom Ford tuxedo shirt dress is the only one we would call a long-term buy, because tailoring dates slower than anything else. If you take one thing away, buy the knit dress first and the formal one last.