There’s something about the transitional in-between of winter and spring that makes it feel especially difficult to dress for. My mind says “trench coats, dresses and pastels” but the weather says “don’t forget a jumper!”, so as I find myself either shivering in the outfit I desperately wanted to wear, or sweating profusely in a badly judged combination of knits, I just want simplicity. You know the kind of outfits I mean– the ones you can assemble in ten minutes but look like you spent an hour getting ready? Usually for me this magic ensemble happens when I’ve invested in a particularly good key piece. It could be a flattering black dress, a luxuriously soft jumper, or a killer pair of leg-lengthening jeans, but the ultimate goal is to build a roster of these, creating the perfect capsule wardrobe–but where does one even find such game changers? Well, after some seriously good reviews of their knits, jeans, and boots, Marks and Spencer seem as good a place as any to start my search. 

We all know that M&S have a reputation for affordable, quality basics and standout accessories, but what of their new collection? Every summer I find myself going straight to the store for all of my swimwear and sandals, but I have been guilty of letting it fall down the list for my other seasonal top-ups. However, scrolling through the site over the last few months has thrown out some seriously good pieces that gave me reason to look again, inspiring the idea to try out a (mini) M&S capsule for a week. What better way to road test a brands credentials and wearability than a seven-day crash test?

Despite being up against some seriously arctic temperatures and a couple of stock shortages (the ankle boots I desperately wanted are still sold out in my size in store, so I’ve substituted with a pair of my own), this is my week in Marks and Spencer outfits. Keep scrolling to see the pieces I really rated, and which I’d prefer to leave on the shelf.