Fashion:Sapphire and steel

Charcoal, ash, pewter, oyster: call it what you like, but grey is the colour of the season. And beneath the gentle blue of a late-summer seaside sky, it looks just perfect

PHOTOGRAPHS BY MARTIN CROOK

STYLING BY LIZZIE SHEPHERD

HAIR AND MAKE-UP BY SOPHIE TENBY FOR COSMETICS A LA CARTE

MODEL: CLARE WILSON AT MODELS ONE

Right: grey sheer polo-neck top, by Mark Eisen, to order only (enq: 00 1 212 768 2220); grey wool skirt, pounds 139, by Joseph, 77 Fulham Rd, SW3 (enq: 0171 590 6200); beaded pumps, pounds 173, by Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, 205-206 Sloane St, SW1 (enq: 0171 235 2349)

Above: charcoal wool flannel dress, pounds 303, by Alberta Ferretti, as before; grey wool head scarf, pounds 42, by Jo Gordon, from Browns Focus, 38-39 South Molton St, W1 (enq: 0171 629 0666)

Left: grey cashmere sweater, pounds 145, grey cashmere scarf, pounds 150, both by N Peal, 37 Burlington Arcade, W1 (enq: 0171 493 9220); grey wool slouch pants, from a selection by Sportmax, stockists nationwide (enq: 0171 287 3434)

Right: silk/cashmere sleeveless top, pounds 139, by Nicole Farhi, 158 New Bond St, W1 (enq: 0171 499 8368); grey wool skirt with fringe hem, pounds 125, by Justin Oh, from Koh Samui, 65 Monmouth St, W1 (enq: 0171 336 6988); grey fleck wool socks, pounds 5.50, by Barbour, (enq: 0800 009988); navy suede shoes, pounds 80, by Sportmax, as before

Main picture: grey wool A-line skirt, pounds 139, by Joseph, as before; grey wool coat, about pounds 595, by Costume National, from Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge, SW3 (enq: 0171 235 5000); grey wool socks, pounds 4.99, by Burlington, from John Lewis, Oxford St, W1 (enq: 0171 580 8355); grey Boston Birkenstocks, from the Natural Shoe Store, 21 Neal St, WC2 (enq: 0800 132194)

Below left: grey cotton shirt, pounds 99, by Nicole Farhi, as before; grey pearl- coated cotton trousers, pounds 190, by Drimmellen, from Whistles, 12 St Christopher's Place, W1 (enq: 0171 487 4484)

Below right: grey wool coat, pounds 389, by Joseph, as before; grey tights, stylist's own; black Hudson Birkenstocks, pounds 64,95, as before

Neutral colours in a natural landscape - an English rose with a modern edge

A knee-length, narrow, wool coat, plus grey schoolgirl tights to keep out sea breezes