I Tried Mango's Fall Collection—These Are the Three Timeless Looks I'll Keep

Welcome to The Great Try-On. With fall truly in the air, we took the opportunity to try out some of the best new pieces from some of your favorite brands, documenting the process along the way. We believe the best way to shop online is to see an item IRL and read candid reviews, so we hope this leads you to your most successful purchases of the year.

Every year around this time I start to want to invest in my fall capsule wardrobe. I can resist when everyone wants to buy jackets in August, laughing as I sip my Aperol Spritz in my teeny-tiny sports shorts and sandals. So I avoid the temptation again with coats in September, telling myself that the very notion of cold is nothing more than an invention of the distant future. And then, out of nowhere, the cooler temperatures of October arrive and I feel ill-prepared and, frankly, freezing. Luckily, though, no matter how unprepared I am for the cold, a new season, a last-minute holiday, or a party I forgot I agreed to go to, Mango is always there to enhance my wardrobe.

In case you haven't noticed, Mango's supply over the last 6 to 12 months has increased a lot. Since discovering their premium collection, The Selection, I swear I've never looked back. And while, of course, I know a lot of high street brands, no brand can nail an expensive style like Mango did for autumn/winter 24. Does it have premium materials like leather and cashmere? Erm, yes, it's true! What about timeless basics like jeans and tops? You bet. As well as the more trend-oriented items? Oh, in abundance. The difference is that Mango's pieces, when styled correctly, don't look as accessible as they really are.

Take this cream fringed coat for example, a particularly striking piece in the order I made and tried on at home this week. I wore it to work the next day and I can't tell you how many compliments I got. Actually I can, there were 6. From complete strangers, no less! Whenever I said it was from Mango, and not a more luxurious brand like Toteme, the only reaction I received was pure surprise. And while £230 isn't a small change, it's items like this, which are timeless in their color and silhouette, but with added details like the detachable scarf and fringed hem, that make them feel special and, frankly, more expensive.

But this coat isn't the only item I loved. Fortunately for my wardrobe (and perhaps unfortunately for my bank balance), I decided to keep several items. Here are the 3 very chic and stylish looks that I loved the most.

Shop the best pieces from the My Mango Autumn 2024 Try-On

Style Notes: Obviously, this fringed coat is the pièce de résistance here. Part of the sleeve Western edition where cow-print leather, fringed jackets and denim appear, unsurprisingly, quite strongly. Once you learn how to style the scarf (I think it's easiest to remove it from the coat and throw it over one shoulder, personally), this coat looks phenomenal. It's a very shiny cream, so it should probably be saved for more occasional use than daily unless you're really good at keeping things clean or have an excellent dry cleaner on speed dial. It's also unlined, so there's room for cozy knits to be styled underneath without making you feel too hot.

This low-waisted dress below is also worth mentioning. ICYMI: Whether it's jeans, dresses, or cargo pants, waistlines are getting lower and lower, and while I didn't like them the first time around in the early 2000s, I'm now pretty open to them. This dress particularly addresses this very well. With a cotton bottom and stretchy mesh on the top half, it's super comfortable. What's more, it is easily styled in many ways. While I wore it with boots and added a belt here for a smart casual vibe, I think it would work really well with mules, slicked back hair and heavier makeup for a more evening look. Well done, Mango – I'm impressed.

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Style Notes: Let's start with these shoes. As a fashion editor, I try out lots (and lots) of new pieces of clothing, shoes, and accessories for work, and these mules are probably my favorite item I've tried this year. Cow print is a hugely successful trend this season, seen on bags, jackets, and belts, but this iteration is transcendent to any other example I've seen so far. While I try to avoid trends that might seem faddish, there's something about this style and silhouette – the square toe and shiny black heel – that makes them seem then expensive. They're also fun, and it's not easy for pieces to look cheerful without also being a little innovative.

Another item that stands out in this look is the mesh hanging on the shoulder. While cashmere can last up to a decade, I invest in a new piece every year or two. I think it is an invaluable purchase, nothing else looks the same. And, despite being more drawn to neutrals, I knew that this fall I would be embracing the red trend. I can't get enough of it. Whether it's red shoes, nails or in this case a sweater, this cherry tone gives me a lot of energy. I particularly love it with denim, and these medium-wash, eyelet, straight-cut blue jeans are the perfect pair.

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Style Notes: A decent leather jacket is essential for any capsule wardrobe. The same goes for a coat. A leather overcoat, however, feels a little more special than an “essential” piece but rather an investment piece. Admittedly, at £400, this particular one has that investment piece price point, which feels expensive for a high street brand. But I was interested to see how it compared to leather pieces I've tried in the past from luxury designer brands, as well as other, more wallet-friendly options. I have to say that the images on the website barely do this coat justice. The leather is deliciously soft, the cut hugs the waist just enough and ends at exactly the right spot on the calf. What's more, it seems to go with anything and everything, elevating a rather casual look to something quite evening-appropriate. It fulfills a complicated but significant equation for me, which is balancing classic and cool. Few pieces of clothing achieve this, but they guarantee a multitude of uses. So whilst £400 may seem a bit pricey, it's a good match for many coats like this which cost 5 times as much!

When it came to styling this coat, I wanted to make my own statement by suggesting that it could transform a casual look into an evening look, so I decided to style it with items that would typically be considered for daytime use.

Since the Y2K trend doesn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon, I've really tried to embrace it in ways that don't make me feel like I'm dressing up like my 12-year-old self. While I may not be wearing a rah-rah layered skirt or putting butterfly clips in my hair anytime soon, I've started wearing low-slung pants and often carry a small shoulder bag that feels very 2002. These cargo pants, with their details with eyelets makes an exact reference to the styles I loved twenty years ago, without making me feel silly. Even though I'm wearing a white tank top and these pants, with pointy kitten heels (again, very 2002) and this really fabulous trench coat, I can safely say that this is a look I would love to wear on a Friday night out. I'd say it's mission accomplished, right?!

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