Zara Tindall's epic leopard hat and navy trench is all the inspiration we need to pair animal print with our neutral autumn coats

We never thought we would associate an oversized leopard print hat with a chic and refined ensemble, but Zara Tindall has proven that even the boldest accessories can be made timeless if you know how to style them right.

If you're yet to get on board with the leopard print trend, we think this could be the look to sway you. Although fashion choices were certainly more bold in the noughties, we didn't expect to see animal print at Royal Ascot - but Zara Tindall managed to make it fit right in amongst a sea of fascinators and neutral tones.

She sported the eye-catching structural hat back in 2007, giving her outfit a chic and polished feel with the addition of a classic black trench coat. We're taking notes for styling the wild print this season and updating our outerwear collection accordingly.

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A trench coat is one of the hardest-working investments you can make for the colder seasons, so if you don't already have one in your collection, now is the time to invest. Although classic trenches come in a soft beige hue, black offers a luxury edge that can be worn over formal outfits without distracting from the look.

Pairing trendy leopard print and oversized hoop earrings with a timeless trench coat is the perfect way to make items with a little more personality feel classic for formal occasions, which Zara pulled off beautifully. We would've expected an animal print accessory to stick out like a sore thumb at Ascot, but this hat couldn't look more at home.

Although we tend to stick to minimalist colour palettes in our autumn capsule wardrobes, it just goes to show that statement prints can work for any event when styled with sleek outerwear.

An alternative to the best waterproof jackets with infinite style credentials, a longline black trench coat can be layered over everything from chunky knitwear to dresses and boots in drizzly weather - or even over floaty dresses in your spring capsule wardrobe on overcast days to channel Zara's Ascot style.