There’s definitely a change in the air in Aldeburgh. The mornings are a little cooler, the evenings are drawing in and, after a long summer, we’re quite ready for a change of wardrobe.

Autumn is always one of our favourite seasons at O&C and Fleur. It’s when layers come back into their own, jackets become essential again and there’s an excuse for some really good knitwear. Plus the colours in store right now are just lovely.

Here are a few things we’re looking forward to wearing this season.

A Really Good Jacket

If there’s one thing worth getting right for autumn, it’s your outer layer.

Barbour remains a firm favourite at O&C, and for good reason. Easy to wear, practical and particularly well suited to life on the Suffolk coast, it’s the sort of outerwear you’ll reach for year after year.  There are so many nods to heritage styling this season, Barbour is more relevant than ever.  To us however, it's not a trend, Barbour heritage has always been a staple and we've already sold a fantastic number of Barbour jackets this month.

Barn jackets are appearing in lots of other brand collections too.  There's a gorgeous one in store from Gant and over at Fleur there's a green barn jacket from Nobody's Child.

This season we’ve also welcomed Rains to O&C, bringing a cleaner, more contemporary option for wet-weather days. We also continue to stock Ilse Jacobsen rainwear.

The trick is finding the jacket that works with how you actually live — and with an English autumn, something that can cope with a sudden change in weather is usually a good place to start.

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Knitwear is Back

One of the pleasures of autumn is pulling knitwear out of the wardrobe again. American Vintage always hits the spot here with some brighter colours as well as soft browns.  Noella has also delivered a great selection of knits at a really good price with some short sleeved options too.

From lighter layers that work under a jacket to something warmer for a blustery walk along the beach, good knitwear does a lot of the work at this time of year.  Don't forget we stock Holebrook knitwear with windproof linings - perfect for the coast!

Keep knitwear simple with denim and trainers, layer it over a shirt, or add a little colour when the rest of your wardrobe starts becoming decidedly more autumnal.

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Denim, Always

There aren’t many times of year when a good pair of jeans doesn’t work, but autumn might be when denim is at its best.

Levi’s is an O&C staple, with plenty of fits and washes to choose from. Finding the right pair can sometimes take a little trial and error, so if you’re not sure where to start, come and see us. We’re always happy to help with fit and sizing.

And it doesn’t stop at jeans. Denim shirts and jackets make useful autumn layers too.

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Loafers, Boots & Trainers

Summer footwear might not be quite ready to disappear completely, but we’re definitely starting to think about what comes next.

This season sees some particularly good loafers from new Copenhagen brand Garment Project, while Red Wing brings something more substantial to the men’s footwear collection.

And trainers aren’t going anywhere. They’ve become a year-round part of the wardrobe, with new-season styles from familiar favourites Hoff and Victoria.

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The Joys of Layering

Autumn dressing doesn’t need to mean buying a whole new wardrobe.

A shirt under a knit, a lightweight jacket over a T-shirt, a favourite dress with a cardigan or simply changing your footwear can make summer pieces work for quite a bit longer.

It’s also why this is such a good time to come into the shops. Bring us something you already own, tell us what you’re trying to find, or ask us what works with something you’ve spotted. Helping people put things together is one of our favourite parts of the job.

Our new-season collections are arriving at O&C and Fleur now, with menswear and womenswear available online too.

And, as ever, if you’re shopping online and need some help with sizing, fit or choosing between styles, call us on 01728 452229. You’ll get the same team you’d find in the shop.