Think carefully about the trends of the last few seasons. We’ve had maxi lengths sweeping their way into summer and creeping their way into winter looks. We’ve seen the waist “return” (I had wondered where mine had gone!), with the 40s look reigning supreme and tuxes and tail coats jostling for our attention. Gothic black has been glamourised with embellishments in the form of sequins, beading, feathers and lace, and big satin bows have adorned fuller, more textured hair. Capelets and shrugs have evolved into capes and shawls.

Add to this some key pieces from the coming AW catwalks – broad shoulders (all the better to emphasise that waist!), small autumnal hats that perch atop soft, dishevelled up-styles, and the lace-up ankle boot, and this winter’s direction becomes very clear.

Still I didn’t fully appreciate where we were heading until, flicking through Elle last night, I came across this Chanel advert:

I love the mix of full-length skirt with latter century (and typically Chanel) tweed jackets, the chiffon overlay to soften and romanticise a hard edge, and the (barely seen) pork-pie-esque hats to modernise the look. These elements add up to an undoubtedly new styling, but the silhouette remains unarguably Victorian.

Of course, the look is very era specific. With none of the hoops of the early- or bustles of the mid-Victorian era, it’s all about turn of the century decadence, a slightly less-structured yet more elaborately embellished style, dark, rich tones and layers both suited to colder months. I imagine street style will lift elements of the whole, mix-and-matching heavy full-length skirts with crisp officewear shirts or 40s tweed jackets as seen here, or combining a full gothic, corseted and embellished tailcoat with a shorter-length skirt and ankle boots, not unlike last AW’s Luella. Personally, I’ll certainly be running up a wool maxi skirt, most likely in a nice charcoal grey wool, before winter rolls around…

I’ve also been contemplating a trip home to pull out my old seaman’s trunk and unpack some of my Mum’s 70s maxi dresses. Most are real hippy floral numbers, but a couple follow that Laura Ashley Victoriana trend, featuring high collars and lace bibs. I’ve only worn one, once, to a halloween party as a Victorian ghost, but these things are often all about the accessories. I reckon as long as I don’t flour my face, smudge out my eyes, back-comb my hair and carry a candlestick this time no-one will get too scared…