We all need an investment coat: you know the ones, the type of coat which can make an appearance every year and stay looking great through changing trends. An investment coat should be classic and neutral so you can match it with your on-trend outfit pieces every year. There a variety of these coats on the high street and these are our top three:

This Linea green belted trench coat will always be in style and complement any outfit. To keep it on-trend this season team it with some metallic boots and leather gloves. From House of Fraser, £199. We love this tan coat with over-the-top faux-fur trimmings. It will stand out in any crowd but is subtle enough to bring out every year. We think this coat looks a lot more expensive than its price tag. From Miss Selfridge, £89. Keep the cost down with this absolute bargain form George at Asda. The contrasting panels add dimension to the simple fit. £35.

The on-trend coat is the one you buy and will probably forget about the year after. This winter sees several trends, including metallic colours, sequins, leather and animal print. Don’t overspend on these coats, after all they will only be in your wardrobe for six months:

The sequin jacket, perfect to throw over your party dress, from River Island, £48.

Love it or hate it, animal print is back for winter 16/17. Not only does this coat showcase a beautiful leopard inspired print, it has the addition of the black faux-fur trim which adds a touch of class. From George at Asda, £30.

 The last time we saw the army print on trend the Spice Girls were topping the charts. Lots of 90s trends are coming back into fashion; first the choker then the space buns and now the army print. Add it in the form of this jacket from Matalan, £35. The faux-sheep fur jacket is another great look of the season and looks fab over a pair of jeans and a cute tee. Our favourite high street pick comes from Matalan at £40.

Jay Charlton is a woman on a mission.

With her award-winning fashion brand Viva La Vegan, she aims to show us that it is possible to look good without harming animals or the planet. And perhaps unusually for a retailer, she wants us to think before we shop – buy less, through buying with care.

The Telford entrepreneur brings a wealth of experience and first-hand knowledge of the fashion industry to her company, which she set up 18 months ago.

“I was a designer for many high street fashion retailers for 15 years,” she says. “I lived abroad and I visited the factories and saw the environmental and social justice issues regarding the use of nasty chemicals, child labour; all the things you hear about. It just didn’t sit well with me.”

A vegetarian from the age of nine, she became a vegan five years ago and her business is clearly more than just something she does nine to five, Monday to Friday.

“It’s something I feel very passionate about and it’s something we will all have to think more about if we are to sustain the people on the planet.

“It’s using fashion as vegan activism, using our bodies as billboards.

“I wanted to get away from the stereotypes that come with veganism, that we are all tree-hugging hippies who only wear hemp. We are lawyers, doctors, architects, ordinary people who like fashion and want a brand that has the same appeal as a high street brand.”

Her range includes T shirts for men and women, featuring striking graphics and vegan slogans, plus pre-loved shirts, all customised, repaired and screen-printed, along with statement accessories.

“Our T shirts are made of organic recycled fibres, ethically produced and printed with water-based dyes which are more environmentally friendly. Cotton uses a lot of water so the best we can do is use organic cotton, so less chemicals go into the water supplies.

“I also think people are going to become more aware about the chemicals that their skin is exposed to through the pesticides used in regular cotton growth and the carcinogens in some fabric dyes, and why we have to go organic in our clothing and not just in our food.”

Jay is not only keen to make us think harder about what we buy, but also how often and how much we buy.

“Fashion has become so disposable, we need to buy less and buy thoughtfully,” she says. “It’s about changing people’s association with clothing. When we throw an item away, we are throwing away all the natural resources and labour that go into it. And yet one in five of us in the UK will throw away a garment after a single use!”

She also tells the shocking tale of a supermarket group which discovered that its children’s jeans were too long-lasting, so downgraded the denim so people would have to buy them more often.

“Some years back we used to wear heavy T shirts, but the fashion in fabrics have become lighter, more sheer, and that makes them more prone to twisting so they wear out,” she adds.

While no garment will last forever, Jay says that correct washing – at a cool temperature, and inside out – will prolong their life.

Born in Wales, Jay moved to Shropshire as a toddler and went to the New College – where she won her first fashion award – before going to university and then living in London, Istanbul and Tel Aviv. She still has strong connections in Turkey so much of her clothing is made there, where she can keep close control on the sourcing, processes and conditions.

Viva La Vegan has customers all over the world, and was named Best Vegan Fashion Brand at the UK Fashion Awards in 2015 and 2016. Jay describes it as ‘a vegan statementwear brand, with wording and graphics to encourage people to think about the lifestyle choice of both the wearer and the viewer’.

The number of vegans is growing rapidly, with supermarkets and restaurants offering more and more choice. Now fashionable vegans can also shop for clothes with a clear conscience, thanks to Jay.

www.viva-la-vegan.com

The weather has changed and so has our wardrobe content – keep covered up this autumn/winter with these beautiful high street buys.

This print cardigan is ideal for a day time look, team with a plain white tee and black jeans. From Matalan, £35.

The lace trim adds a really feminine look to this jumper, from F&F at Tesco, £20.

Wraps always look classy and chic, especially when teamed with a hat. This cashmere button wrap is from Phase Eight for £69.

This look is perfect for shopping trips, keeping warm yet looking stylish. M&Co Plus range, jumper £22, coat £65, jeans £20.

Love this River Island jacket, practical and stylish, £85.

An essential wardrobe item for A/W, a light sparkly jumper, Primark, £10.

The injection of the ruffle keeps this cover up bang on trend, Next, £30.

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Yellow print dress £125, Lori clutch bag £65 from House Of Fraser

Yellow is a popular colour this summer but it isn’t easy to wear. Don’t dismiss it though; just learn the simple rules of adding it to an outfit.

The colour yellow is associated with happiness and good times. Of course it is bright, but you can choose how bright you go! Start by injecting elements of the colour to your outfit or go for a full yellow dress. Be brave with colour this summer, after all fashion should be fun.

Tip 1 – If a block of yellow is to overpowering for you then break it up by using a print which combines yellow.

Tip 2- If you are not finding a yellow garment which suits you and still want to use the colour to liven up your outfit then add it with an accessory. A bag, necklace, belt or even shoes will give you the colour but still leave you feeling comfortable.

Tip 3- If you are wearing a statement piece of yellow, team it with neutral and simple accessories and shoes. Think beige, white or black.

Tip 4 – Yellow items look better on then off so grab a few pieces in a shop and try them on, you may shock yourself.

Yellow dress, River Island, £85

Yellow shorts, Next, £18

Twiggy eyelet tie blouse, M&S, £39.50

Faith yellow bag, Debenhams, £29

Yellow Bardot neck T-shirt, New Look, £12.99

Palma point shoe, Very, £18

Yellow tunic, Evans, £24

Floral box clutch, M&S, £29.50

silk cami dress, Ralph Lauren at House of Fraser, £215

French sunflower bikini print top, £26.50, bottoms, £20 from Debenhams

Bella skirt, Monsoon, £89

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