And only a short hop for an autumn weekend getaway break by Eurostar, direct from the Heart of London to the Heart ("coeur") of Paris Eurostar is in many ways exciting but most exciting of all is that it seems to be run by people with a mysterious hidden agenda, something along the lines of the Illuminati or the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. AUTUMN, and England falling silently in a sort of misty stupor towards S Lucies Day. Now is the time of the last secular pilgrimages as the year gutters, and where could be nicer than Paris, the City of Light, avec ses midinettes, ses policemen, also those long loaves ("un beret, s'il vous plait") with slippery cheese up them. Below: Hugo wears peach polo neck, pounds 129, by Paul Smith, 40-44 Floral Street, W1 (enq: 0171 379 7133); dark denim jeans, pounds 38, by Gap, Oxford Street, W1 (enq: 0800 427 789); grey Desert Trek suede boots, pounds 55, by Clarks, as beforePHOTOGRAPHS BY SHERIDAN MORLEYSTYLING BY HOLLY WOODHAIR AND MAKE-UP BY BEVERLEY BROOKE USING PRESCRIPTIVES AT JULIE BRAMWELL REPRESENTSMODELS: ROSIE AT SELECT AND HUGO AT MODELS ONE.

Rosie wears tweed trousers, pounds 70, by French Connection, as before; lime polo neck, pounds 39.99, by Kookai, 5- 7 Brompton Road, SW3 (enq: 0171 937 4411); pink cardigan, pounds 85, by Karen Millen, 22-24 James Street, WC2 (enq: 0171 836 5355); purple mohair cardigan, pounds 170, by Bella Freud, from Pellicano, 63 South Molton Street, W1 (enq: 0171 713 6466)Left: orange cashmere jumper, pounds 435, by Joseph, 77 Fulham Road, SW3 (enq: 0171 823 9500); pink tweed check skirt, pounds 44.99, by Oasis, 292 Regent Street, W1 (enq: 0171 452 1000); red patterned scarf, pounds 129, by Sam de Teran, 151 Fulham Road, SW3 (enq: 0171 584 0902); peach socks, pounds 4, by Hue, as before; yellow desert boots, pounds 45, by Clarks, as beforeAbove: Rosie wears lime tank top, pounds 33, by Benetton, Oxford Circus, W1 (enq: 0171 647 4200); purple shirt, pounds 50, by French Connection, as before; lime trousers, pounds 245, by Shelley Fox, from Pineal Eye, 49 Broadwick Street, W1, Whistles, 12 St Christopher's Place, W1 (enq: 0171 251 8861); purple socks, pounds 4, by Hue, as before; black shoes, pounds 59.95, by Bertie, South Molton} Street, W1 (enq: 0171 380 3800). Rosie wears yellow mohair jumper, pounds 65, by French Connection, 249 Regent Street, W1 (enq: 0171 399 7200); denim skirt, pounds 80, by YMC, as before; pale blue scarf, pounds 36, by Jigsaw, 126-127 New Bond Street, W1 (enq: 0171 491 4484); pink stripe socks, pounds 6, by Hue, from department stores nationwide; shoes, pounds 195, from Russell & Bromley, 24-25 New Bond Street, W1 (enq: 0171 629 6903)Hugo wears green cords, pounds 45, by Carhartt, 56 Neal Street, WC2 (enq: 0171 379 4165); lilac polo neck, pounds 150, by Jose Levy, from Browns Men's Shop, 23 South Molton Street, W1 (enq: 0171 491 7833); Boston sandals, pounds 64.95, by Birkenstock, Neal Street, WC2 (enq: 0800 132 194); socks, pounds 6.99, by Burlington, from major department stores nationwide (enq: 0171 580 8355). So do the high street and fashion designers, who normally steer clear of bright colours - they tend not to sell as well as neutrals Paul Smith's men's line has orange and bright red. Street groovesters YMC offer zip-up cardigans in turquoise with yellow-lined pockets; Joseph has them in bright red for both sexes, as well as fiery orange and pink in the women's range Also well worth visiting is the reliably colourful Benetton. Kookai's alternative to the black polo neck comes in lime, fuchsia pink and blue - and, yes, grey, if all this is too much, and you'd rather blend into the crowd after all.Hugo wears yellow check shirt, pounds 59, by Hackett, 136-138 Sloane Street, London SW1 (enq: 0171 730 3331); turquoise cardigan, pounds 100, by YMC, from Pellicano, 63 South Molton Street, W1 (enq: 0171 629 2205); cord combat trousers, pounds 69.95, by Dockers, from Selfridges, Oxford Street, W1 (enq: 0171 394 3300); suede desert boots, pounds 49, by Clarks, 479 Oxford Street, W1 (enq: 0990 785 886). A few guys asked me where I bought it [Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche for men, if you're interested] and several women fingered the soft cashmere, asking if I'd nicked it from my girlfriend."For a man, of course, wearing bright pink is a big step But my friend felt happy with it. Zingy brights such as sunshine yellow, lime, red and orange, or the softer sorbet tones of raspberry, lavender or pink, are the best antidote to grey, and the easiest way to buy into colour now is with a knit. "I wore a bright pink cashmere tank top to a party the other day," a male friend of mine, noted for his low-key clothes in neutral tones, told me last week "I couldn't believe how many comments I received It was as if I'd shaved my head or something.

What your exquisitely restrained plumage needs is a brilliant splash of colour, guaranteed to draw attention - and compliments. All you have to do is go down to the high street and part with less than pounds 50 (generally) for a vividly coloured jumper. NOVEMBER: goodbye mellow fruitfulness, hello grey sky, grey buildings, grey street - and grey clothes. Fashion's favourite colour this autumn is the ultimate camouflage, so it's not surprising no one has commented on the grey flannel jacket by MaxMara you spent a fortune on (or, for that matter, your prized black polo neck and black slouch skirt) Don't let it bring you down. That was in 1946, but red is still the ultimate look-at-me colour. Its most recent incarnations, however - as eye-liner, mascara, blusher and eye-shadow - do demand a certain flair in application PHOTOGRAPHS: TOM CORBETT / STYLIST: HOLLY WOOD / MAKE-UP: BEVERLEY BROOKE, HAIR: ADAM FEEHAN, BOTH AT JULIE BRAMWELL REPRESENTS / MODEL: JENNY MAC AT STORM. Use the other coloured icing and the plain nozzle to decorate the rest with hearts and flowers.

Allow to dry for two hours before serving.ADVANCE PREPARATIONDecorate cakes two days ahead, store in single layers in airtight containers.. Putting on red lipstick, 'Harper's Bazaar' once declared, is an act that 'reinforces the spirit'. Offer vinegar separately, but make sure that it is malt - wine vinegar is a bit too smart.Makes 108oz/225g potatoes, cut into thin chips, or frozen French fries200g/7oz haddock or cod fillet cut into 1075g/3oz squid, cut into rings (optional)110g/4oz whitebait3 tablespoons plain flourvegetable oil, for fryingmalt vinegar, to servesalt and freshly ground black pepperFor the batter:50g/2oz plain all-purpose flour, sifted2 teaspoons olive oil100ml/312oz waterI egg white10 cones of paper lined with greaseproof or waxed paperMake the batter by making a well in the flour and gradually whisking in the oil and water to give a thick mixture. Transfer the jellies to a serving dish using a palette-knife or metal spatula.ADVANCE PREPARATIONMake the jellies up to two days ahead, cover and chill.FISH AND CHIPSMiniature portions of fish and chips, served in newspaper cones lined with greaseproof paper, are one of our most regularly requested canapes. Pour the elderflower mixture over these fruits and then chill for five hours or until set.Dip the ice cube trays in very hot water just up to the level of the jelly, count to five and remove from the water.Use a small, sharp knife to loosen the edges of the jellies and turn out onto a plate lined with plastic wrap. Fill the puffs up to an hour before serving.You can also freeze the baked puffs three weeks ahead, thaw, crisp up and fill as above.ELDERFLOWER JELLIESElderflower cordial makes beautifully scented, pop-in-the-mouth jellies that I stud with fresh berries.Makes 206 leaves gelatin7 tablespoons boiling water165ml/512fl oz elderflower cordial10 raspberries20 blueberries2 ice cubes trays, each with 10 spacesSoak the gelatin in cold water for 10 minutes, then squeeze to remove excess.Put the measured boiling water into a jug, add the gelatin and stir until dissolved.

Pour in the elderflower cordial stir and leave to cool for 10 minutes.Divide the raspberries between one of the ice cube trays and the blueberries between the other. Decorate with the violets, dust with icing sugar and serve.ADVANCE PREPARATIONYou can make the syllabub and puffs a day in advance. Cover and chill the syllabub and whisk briefly if it separates. Put the pasties in an airtight box; crisp up for two to three minutes at 350F/ 180C/Gas 4 then cool.