A christening in Meath and a pair of tights twelve centimetres too short in the body sent me back to the labels. This is an analytical guide to children's occasion legwear for the Irish turn of season: what denier and fibre content actually mean, why cuff depth and leg height decide whether socks stay up, and why age is the weakest size on the packet. It ends with a scored comparison of knee-highs, ankle socks and tights across the school return, the September wedding season and early-autumn christenings.

An Irish occasion day swings about eight degrees between the drinks reception and the speeches, so I plan my daughter's layers hour by hour instead of hoping one outfit will do. This guide sets out which bolero, cardigan or coat suits which dress silhouette, how to keep the cover-up on her shoulders for the photographs, and what to pack for a day that starts in sunshine and ends in a cold church porch or a marquee.

September is peak wedding season in Ireland, and this autumn the smartest occasion outfit for a girl is not a party dress at all. I am styling blazer suits, skort sets and knit co-ords in berry, bottle green, chocolate and cream, with mini-me pairings and layering that survives a cold church and a warm hotel. Three real looks from our own September, plus the accessories worth packing.

A fashion critic takes the girls' hair accessory to the one judge that never flatters it: the camera. Why a bow that dazzles in the hand reads as clutter in a school portrait, what low September sun does to glitter, and how backlight in a church nave rewards outline over detail. It closes with a five-piece kit that earns its place this autumn.

September has quietly become the biggest wedding month in Britain, and the tailored two-piece set has become the answer to it. This autumn edit covers the colour story of the moment, chocolate, burgundy, beige and the pastel blazer, and shows how to mix a blazer, blouse and skort for an older girl who has firmly outgrown the frilly dress. Three real September occasions, one hard-working set, styled from a barn wedding through a harvest christening to a birthday party.

Autumn christenings and family photo sessions mean wet grass, polished church floors and feet that have grown since the summer wedding. This guide measures little girls' shoes in centimetres rather than guesswork, sets out which walking stage needs a soft sole and which needs a firmer patent style, and explains the September switch from sandals to closed, lined shoes. It ends with an honest cost-per-wear comparison across the price range.