If summer belonged to bubble skirts, then autumn looks set to embrace the moody cousin of the family: kilts. And with the weather now skewing towards opaque tights as opposed to bare legs, a longer-length style made of a warm material like wool is not only the on-trend option but the practical one, too.

There was something of a takeover at London Fashion Week, where show-goers embraced the signature from Chopowa Lowena, kilts which come patchworked, safety-pinned and otherwise souped up with charms, studs and carabiners. Styled with a crew-neck jumper or a crisp white shirt, you’ll find they’re still directional but surprisingly easy to slot into your everyday wardrobe.

Also spotted were slightly more wearable takes, from the more traditional (tartan) to neutrals (grey), with hemlines varying from mid-calf to mini. One street-styler put her own spin on a school uniform, pairing a kilt with a cropped bra top, white socks and patent Mary-Janes. Sub in a cardigan and you could quite easily wear the same combination to work, especially if you’re yet to find your back-to-school footing. Another paired a tartan mini with a button-down shirt and knee-high boots, an equally appealing play on uniform tropes that feels sharp for now.

The high street has bought into the kilt, a pleated skirt by another name, for autumn/winter. Albaray’s grey version with double buckles at the waistband has a waitlist of 500 and will be dropping on 26 September. Arket’s chestnut brown mini with a buttoned pocket beats out the competition in the shorter heats. To ensure yours reads grown-up and not too grunge (although that’s not necessarily a bad thing), couple it up with preppy-adjacent pieces like cardigans, two-tone loafers and varsity jackets to look too cool for school.