For the little ladies in your life, think handcrafted, vintage and hippyish. This autumn, dresses in '70s-style floral prints and bell-sleeved knits are ideal layered over denim. Play around with colour - try washed out plums, pinks, autumnal orange and brown, in contrast colour stripes and prints.

Soft cotton, long-sleeved t-shirts, cable-knit jumpers, swinging capes and denim minis are key purchases for you little angle this season. Chunky, fur-lined winter boots worn with funky striped tights are cute and practical. If she's after an edgier look, let her experiment with the new punky vibe. Stripy t-shirt tunics in black and white or acid brights are worn over skinny black jeans and ankle boots.

Boys can go for the street/skate look for their rough 'n' tumble weekend wear. Layering short-sleeved graffiti graphic T-shirts over long white cotton ones is a favourite. Campus-inspired hooded tops and cosy parkas create a preppier style, over baggy jeans or worn-away cords. For special occasions, the ultimate in suave is a waistcoat over a soft shirt, worn loose over brushed cotton trousers.

Do... investigate organic ranges of kids wear as they're kinder to the environment and you'll get them 'thinking green' early on.

Don't... splurge on impractical items. Instead, invest in good quality hardwearing pieces like coats and jeans as these will suffer the most wear and tear.