What a contrast. In the first two weeks of the month we had lovely warm and sunny weather with some days recording temperatures of well over 20^oC. Then we hit the middle of the month, Autumn arrived almost overnight and with it falling temperatures and rain.

During our patch of Indian Summer, when we were still wearing summer clothes, we were surprised how many of customers came in looking to buy winter clothes. We did wonder if our autumn and winter collections might have peaked too early - but no. Trousers and jeans were the biggest sellers with light sweaters and long sleeved tops also proving popular.

Luckily we have plenty of trousers in stock from your favourite brands including Toni, Raphaela by Brax and Robell. There are such a lot of clever designs this year using textures and patterns for emphasis and offered in a wide range of materials including stretch denim and techno fabrics for the perfect fit. There are also some super new colours to complement the autumn and winter trends.

So what next for the weather? We are hoping that October follows the pattern of previous years and gives us a few more days of sunshine and warm weather but if not? Well, we've got the clothes to fit, whatever the weather.

New for us and for you, our alternative to fashion shows during these Covid times. We didn't know what to expect but what fun we had!

Four customers per bubble event were shown a selection of new season clothes by our lovely model Linda. Wearing her Victoria Lane mask Linda showcased the themes for Autumn 2020, cosy faux fur coats and gilets, knitted cardigans, textured knitwear, checks, black & white dogtooth, Prince of Wales and country tweed look in browns and beige.

And, of course, trousers and even more trousers in wonderful designs and comfortable fabrics. Oh and we mustn't forget the jeans.

All our customers were delighted to buy something new for themselves and of course, to replace many items that had been worn throughout the last six months.

We had many laughs and many stories of people's experiences in those six months and it was super to see everyone back again at Victoria Lane.

As you well know, Rabe is one of our most popular fashion brands and is also a very reliable supplier. Despite the difficult conditions this year the company has managed to produce a variety of collections for Autumn and Winter and they have been arriving in the shop over the past few weeks.

The first to arrive was the black and winter white collection featuring stylish prints over various check designs, many with embellishments and trims at the neck and hem. The collection adds a touch of sophistication to a wardrobe and is great for day and evening wear.

Next up is the 'pretty in pink' collection using cerise and black with highlight stripes and prints. Some of the designs are very retro and reminiscent of the 60s. We have pretty decorated tops and sweaters in textured knit with an overprinted design.

Our third arrival was the brandy collection, a new colour for this autumn. Always highlighted with navy, the combination looks great with denim for a sporty look or dressed up with classic navy.

Our final delivery from Rabe this month was their blue collection of sweaters and T-shirts.The tops come in various shades of blue used in stripes, blocks and patterns and paired with white as a contrast.  

Remember our blog about colour a couple of months ago. Well, here's a hot tip for you. The key colour in 2021 in Europe will be 'Raison d'Etre' - a warm neutral with a red undertone.

How do we know?

Read our latest blog on colour predictions and how they influence our fashions.

Read More:

We're looking at random posts from our social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook this month. We would love to know which of these accounts you follow and what you enjoy about them.

We're also looking for ideas of what you would like to see in the future. Do you like to see clothes from one fashion brand at a time or would a mix of several brands give you more ideas for creating a mix and match wardrobe?

Just send us a post on whichever social media platform you use and we'll take it from there.

Here are some of the things we've been talking about in September:

Twitter - 2 September

Good morning. Have we really reached September already? As the temperature starts to fall we all need a pair of quality trousers that don't just fit but also enhance our body shape. Take a look at Raphaela by Brax which come in three different fittings. Perfect.

Instagram - 3 September

Winter cerise. A colour to brighten up any grey day. How best to wear it? Here are two ideas. A boiled wool hooded jacket by Rofa White Label and a silky textured pattern zip jacket in warm red and orange mixed with cerise by Select.

Instagram - 4 September

Two gorgeous winter coats from new supplier B&L. Guaranteed to keep you warm on even the coldest day. Come in and take a look at their new collection.

Facebook - 8 September

Two classics from the Saint James autumn / winter 2020 collection. On the left is the ever popular pea coat. On the right the much loved casual duffle. Both available now at Victoria Lane.

Twitter - 8 September

Had a great week seeing so many of our loyal customers in the shop. They were so excited about the arrival of our new stock from Golléhaug especially this navy and green twinset, worn here with denim but looks chic with navy trousers or dressed up with skirt.

Twitter - 11 September

Morning everyone. What's new in for autumn? Check out our on-line newsletter or pick up a paper copy from the shop (and maybe take a look at the rails while you are there!) Here are two from Just White and Frank Walder.

Instagram - 18 September

This colourful outfit arrived just in time to appear in our 'bubble' show this week; max of 4 people in 2 groups with all Covid19 precautions in place. Our customers love the special feeling of being at an exclusive event, seeing the new Autumn and Winter fashions and being able to buy what they see while they are there. This pink boiled wool jacket paired with a printed navy top and marching skirt are from the ever popular Eugen Klein fashion house and were an instant hit with our customers.

Facebook - 22 September

There we were happily unpacking our latest delivery from Georgedé when we found an unexpected gift inside - a pack of face masks personalised with the Victoria Lane logo. What a surprise; how kind and thoughtful. Thank you so much. We promise to put them to good use.

Twitter - 24 September

Good morning. Rotten weather this week but we are still smiling. Did you know that structured jackets are the new 'must haves'; this one has a brilliant print lining. We've matched it with a Frank Walder emerald stud T-shirt and trousers by Raphaela by Brax.

Facebook - 25 September

Open the box! Open the box! So we did. And guess what we found inside? Gorgeous new Autumn and Winter clothes from several of our most popular fashion brands. (Can you spot the name of one of them?) We'll be revealing more next week but if you want a sneak preview visit the shop and check out our rails.

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