Fall collections from Prada, Dries Van Noten and Miu Miu treated the skirt as the main event, pairing slippery satin with chunky knits and sending out checks and pleats. If you are starting from scratch, pick one silhouette you will actually reach for. Alix of Bohemia's pale yellow silk midi, Bernadette's beige checked seersucker maxi, Veronica de Piante's burgundy snake-effect leather midi and Dries Van Noten's brown striped pleated skirt cover most of the ground.

The contrast is the point here: something that catches the light against something that looks hand-knit. Violante Nessi's silver satin Shea midi skirt takes Altuzarra's black intarsia wool sweater without any fuss, and Khaite's beige suede Bella knee boots close the gap between hem and shoe. Liffner's black tasseled satin shoulder bag repeats the sheen of the skirt at a smaller scale.

A checked skirt reads as a neutral once you stop treating it as a print. Jean Paul Gaultier's checked wool-blend midi pairs with Nili Lotan's burgundy Fair Isle cashmere cardigan, and the two patterns get along because they share a colour. Saint Laurent's brown suede Le Loafer Bateau keeps the look grounded, and Métier's navy Vérité City tote handles the rest of the day.

Nour Hammour's black knotted leather midi skirt is tough enough on its own, so the top half should be soft. Loulou de Saison's ivory scarf-detail silk-twill blouse does that job, while Amina Muaddi's burgundy suede Holli Sling pumps add a little height. Cult Gaia's yellow marble-effect Eviana clutch is the unexpected finish, and it keeps the look from getting too serious.

Miu Miu kept pleats in the conversation for fall, and the easiest way to wear them day to day is with a knit polo. TWP's ivory pleated jersey midi skirt and Lisa Yang's cream cashmere Katriel polo make a tonal pair, with Aeyde's dark gray leather Betty ballet flats and Givenchy's black leather belt drawing a line at the waist.

Skirts are the easiest place to make a fall wardrobe feel new, because one change of shape shifts everything around it. If you take one thing away, let it be that the skirt should set the mood and everything else should follow it rather than compete with it. A shiny skirt wants a matte knit, a busy check wants a solid, and a tough leather wants something soft on top. We would skip skirts cut so narrow you have to change how you walk, since they tend to get worn once. A midi that clears the top of a boot is the most useful length for fall, and it works with flats and heels alike. Start with the colour you already wear most and let the fabric be the new part.