Have the tumbling leaves, vibrant foliage and brisk, refreshing air given you a sense of excitement for what’s to come? Embrace it. The last thing you want to do is still have a wardrobe full of short-sleeve shirts and linen trousers when it's starting to get crisp and cold outside. Don’t dress out of season. Instead, embrace autumn. Get excited about it – better yet, be inspired by it and start preparing a few essentials for the months ahead.

Many of the pieces traditionally bought in autumn last quite a while, and they also get a lot of use across other seasons. Whether you are building upon a wardrobe of existing evergreen staples or starting afresh this year, I have chosen a few items that will set all chaps up for the next few months and autumns to come.

A long-sleeve wool or cotton camp collar shirt is first on my list. It can be a perfect layering piece – over a roll neck in autumn or underneath a coat or bomber jacket in the winter.

The same goes for a puffer gilet.

When it comes to knitwear, a long sleeve knit polo is fantastic year-round, but especially worn over a pair of smart wool trousers in autumn.

Marco Baldassari is the epitome of the effortlessly suave style his countrymen and women are known for. A familiar face at Pitti Uomo – the men's fashion extravaganza held biannually in Florence – Marco is an Italian street-style star in his own right. He also heads luxury label Eleventy from his nation's fashion capital, Milan.

Follow @MarcoBaldassari