Fashion journalist Anna Murphy on why getting dressed this season is all about the contrast between masculine and feminine. She shares how to embrace the softer side of modern tailoring – and there’s not a floral print or pastel tone in sight.

How to look modern? It’s the question I am most often asked. And I don’t have a single answer. I have two. Or, rather, I have two answers wrapped up in one. Because, for me, the easiest way to present as contemporary is to combine contrasting halves into a fresh new whole. It’s a way of, if not breaking the rules that our mothers and grandmothers tended to live by, then at the very least bending them, and thereby making ourselves look bang up to date.

How to do it? It might be about juxtaposing the smart with the casual – a tailored jacket, say, with track pants. Or it might be about playing with texture – sporting chunky wool alongside the kind of lustrous satin that used to be strictly reserved for evening wear. You could pull off similar by way of a single item that does all the genre-mixing for you, like a cashmere puffer coat.

My favorite approach of all, however, is to mix the traditionally masculine with the unabashedly feminine, fusing the sleek, simple lines of the former, with the flattering softness, not to mention joie de vivre, of the latter.

It’s this cross-fertilization that lies at the heart of the modern wardrobe. So much of what women wear today is built on the innovations of Coco Chanel who, in the early decades of the last century, co-opted countless items from men’s wardrobes – from their tweed shooting jackets to their slouchy slacks – and made them her, and then our, own.

It’s partly the functionality of menswear that explains its adoption by first Coco, then the rest of us. Yet the designer also knew well that, contradictory as it may seem, a masculine edge to one’s attire can, with the right finishing touches, actually make one look more feminine.

There’s a kind of magic at work, I think, which makes it hard to explain exactly why this is. Is it that more pared-back pieces give the wearer space for them to surface themselves and, relatedly, their femininity? Or is it that these are clothes which enable a freedom of movement, a fluency? There is, after all, nothing more flattering than to be able to move with ease.

One of my favorite pieces for the new season is an ivory scarf coat, its simple silhouette softened by the neckline, which conveniently also frames the face beautifully. Or how about pairing a classic, silk-scarf neck blouse in ivory with stone relaxed-leg pants, plus sneakers? I covet, too, the slightly school-uniform vibe of a dark-grey box-pleat midi skirt with a knitted tee or cardigan.

Never underestimate, either, the power of accessories, to change up your look. Coco would suggest pearls, of course, and a lot of them, be they real or faux. (She happily mixed both.) A belt can offset straight lines and, depending on how you style it, doesn’t have to surface your waist. A subtly detailed bag, perhaps in chocolate suede, is a clever way to add interest.

As for what you wear on your feet, sneakers bring everything down to earth, of course – I am a particular fan of the stealth brand, Hoff – while, conversely, a Mary-Jane flat or a kitten-heel boot are two suitably 2024 ways to dial things up.

What’s wonderful about contemporary fashion is that you don’t have to choose one way of being. You can wear kitten heels one minute, sneakers the next. In this, we are following in the footsteps of another great fashion icon, the late Deborah, Duchess of Devonshire, otherwise known as Debo.

Born a Mitford, Debo became chatelaine of Chatsworth House, and muse to everyone from the artist Lucian Freud to the contemporary designer Erdem Moralioğlu. In a wonderful exhibition at Chatsworth, called Erdem: Imaginary Conversations (until October 20th), we see her lemon-yellow satin evening shoes side by side with the knackered brown brogues she wore to feed the chickens. We also see her Elvis-adorned velvet slippers. Because, yes, aside from being lady of the manor, Debo was also a diehard Elvis fan. A woman of many parts, indeed. But then, which of us isn’t?

Choices. While it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the sartorial options we have these days, it’s important to recognize this for the liberation it is. Each of us is women, not women. We don’t have to dress in one way or another. We can pick according to our day; our mood. We can – and should – mix things up. Praise be.

Anna Murphy is Fashion Director of the Times. Her latest book is “Destination Fabulous: Finding Your Way to the Best You Yet” (£10.99, Octopus Books)