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.

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.