I shopped at M&S for the first time and was pleasantly surprised

The M&S store is one I walk past daily but I never thought of trying its menswear section out

I shopped at Marks & Spencer for the first time and was pleasantly surprised

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I'm 25, a recent graduate and I'd like to think of myself as fashion-forward, or at least stylish on a good day. With this in mind, I never thought Marks & Spencer's would be for me.

Back home in Ireland, the closest store to me is a 40-minute drive away and, along the route, there ARE a handful of shops, I would tend to usually stop at - New Look, DV8, and Pull & Bear - before thinking of going to the high-street retailer.

However, I don't live in Ireland anymore and I walk past M&S twice daily - to and from work. Sometimes four times, if I forget my laptop charger and have to trek back home to the Baltic Triangle.

This week, I decided to change things up and I went into the Liverpool ONE store to see what I could my hands on. I wasn't after anything in particular, just in a window-shopping mood. However, it appeared I had picked the right time to venture into the menswear section as the retailer has just recently launched its autumn and winter collection for the year.

Straight off the bat, I was underwhelmed. The colour palette consisted of neutral and grey tones, and while they offer a sense of adaptability, it just wasn't for me. For the time being, I'm trying to hang onto a pop of colour for as long as I can.

In the store, there was a mixed bag of clothing. From patterned silk shirts and fine knit roll necks to knitted tees and paisley-patterned jumpers, it was a collection that had very little cohesion but yet one you knew matched perfectly.

After a 20-minute dive in and around the store, I headed to the changing rooms with two items, both of which fitted perfectly. One was a pure cotton Oxford shirt in bottle green (£40) and the other, was a deep red corduroy shirt (£35).

What I love about the items I bought are their versatility and timeless style - the shirts can be buttoned up for the office, worn open with a top underneath for Mathew Street or worn under a jumper for an interview.

The classic designs with clean lines and redefined detailing offer a contemporary, yet effortless, look - even on the days when you just want to throw on a pair of grey sweats.

As the colder months creep in, I will be going back to the store to pick up a few more stables to my wardrobe including this Merino wool felted knitted jacket (£70) and this Charcoal Collared Shacket (£75).

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