Fashion: ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE

If you want to make your mark in the grey world of this autumn's clothes, pop on a brilliant yellow jumper or a turquoise cardie

NOVEMBER: goodbye mellow fruitfulness, hello grey sky, grey buildings, grey street - and grey clothes. Fashion's favourite colour this autumn is the ultimate camouflage, so it's not surprising no one has commented on the grey flannel jacket by MaxMara you spent a fortune on (or, for that matter, your prized black polo neck and black slouch skirt). Don't let it bring you down. What your exquisitely restrained plumage needs is a brilliant splash of colour, guaranteed to draw attention - and compliments.

All you have to do is go down to the high street and part with less than pounds 50 (generally) for a vividly coloured jumper. Zingy brights such as sunshine yellow, lime, red and orange, or the softer sorbet tones of raspberry, lavender or pink, are the best antidote to grey, and the easiest way to buy into colour now is with a knit.

"I wore a bright pink cashmere tank top to a party the other day," a male friend of mine, noted for his low-key clothes in neutral tones, told me last week. "I couldn't believe how many comments I received. It was as if I'd shaved my head or something. A few guys asked me where I bought it [Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche for men, if you're interested] and several women fingered the soft cashmere, asking if I'd nicked it from my girlfriend."

For a man, of course, wearing bright pink is a big step. But my friend felt happy with it. So do the high street and fashion designers, who normally steer clear of bright colours - they tend not to sell as well as neutrals. Paul Smith's men's line has orange and bright red. Street groovesters YMC offer zip-up cardigans in turquoise with yellow-lined pockets; Joseph has them in bright red for both sexes, as well as fiery orange and pink in the women's range. Also well worth visiting is the reliably colourful Benetton. Kookai's alternative to the black polo neck comes in lime, fuchsia pink and blue - and, yes, grey, if all this is too much, and you'd rather blend into the crowd after all.

Hugo wears yellow check shirt, pounds 59, by Hackett, 136-138 Sloane Street, London SW1 (enq: 0171 730 3331); turquoise cardigan, pounds 100, by YMC, from Pellicano, 63 South Molton Street, W1 (enq: 0171 629 2205); cord combat trousers, pounds 69.95, by Dockers, from Selfridges, Oxford Street, W1 (enq: 0171 394 3300); suede desert boots, pounds 49, by Clarks, 479 Oxford Street, W1 (enq: 0990 785 886). Rosie wears yellow mohair jumper, pounds 65, by French Connection, 249 Regent Street, W1 (enq: 0171 399 7200); denim skirt, pounds 80, by YMC, as before; pale blue scarf, pounds 36, by Jigsaw, 126-127 New Bond Street, W1 (enq: 0171 491 4484); pink stripe socks, pounds 6, by Hue, from department stores nationwide; shoes, pounds 195, from Russell & Bromley, 24-25 New Bond Street, W1 (enq: 0171 629 6903)

Hugo wears green cords, pounds 45, by Carhartt, 56 Neal Street, WC2 (enq: 0171 379 4165); lilac polo neck, pounds 150, by Jose Levy, from Browns Men's Shop, 23 South Molton Street, W1 (enq: 0171 491 7833); Boston sandals, pounds 64.95, by Birkenstock, Neal Street, WC2 (enq: 0800 132 194); socks, pounds 6.99, by Burlington, from major department stores nationwide (enq: 0171 580 8355). Rosie wears tweed trousers, pounds 70, by French Connection, as before; lime polo neck, pounds 39.99, by Kookai, 5- 7 Brompton Road, SW3 (enq: 0171 937 4411); pink cardigan, pounds 85, by Karen Millen, 22-24 James Street, WC2 (enq: 0171 836 5355); purple mohair cardigan, pounds 170, by Bella Freud, from Pellicano, 63 South Molton Street, W1 (enq: 0171 713 6466)

Left: orange cashmere jumper, pounds 435, by Joseph, 77 Fulham Road, SW3 (enq: 0171 823 9500); pink tweed check skirt, pounds 44.99, by Oasis, 292 Regent Street, W1 (enq: 0171 452 1000); red patterned scarf, pounds 129, by Sam de Teran, 151 Fulham Road, SW3 (enq: 0171 584 0902); peach socks, pounds 4, by Hue, as before; yellow desert boots, pounds 45, by Clarks, as before

Above: Rosie wears lime tank top, pounds 33, by Benetton, Oxford Circus, W1 (enq: 0171 647 4200); purple shirt, pounds 50, by French Connection, as before; lime trousers, pounds 245, by Shelley Fox, from Pineal Eye, 49 Broadwick Street, W1, Whistles, 12 St Christopher's Place, W1 (enq: 0171 251 8861); purple socks, pounds 4, by Hue, as before; black shoes, pounds 59.95, by Bertie, South Molton} Street, W1 (enq: 0171 380 3800). Below: Hugo wears peach polo neck, pounds 129, by Paul Smith, 40-44 Floral Street, W1 (enq: 0171 379 7133); dark denim jeans, pounds 38, by Gap, Oxford Street, W1 (enq: 0800 427 789); grey Desert Trek suede boots, pounds 55, by Clarks, as before

PHOTOGRAPHS BY SHERIDAN MORLEY

STYLING BY HOLLY WOOD

HAIR AND MAKE-UP BY BEVERLEY BROOKE USING PRESCRIPTIVES AT JULIE BRAMWELL REPRESENTS

MODELS: ROSIE AT SELECT AND HUGO AT MODELS ONE