Since the late 19th century, the magazine has been telling its readers what to wear and giving a glimpse into the glamorous lives of the fashionable elite. So when it publishes its seasonal list of what's hot and what's not, people sit up and take notice.

This month's edition features the 40 best trends for the autumn and for the most part it's the usual eclectic fare. There's actress Claire Foy, who's about to star in Andrew Davis' adaptation of Little Dorrit, there's Rupert Sanderson's pink leopard skin version of the brothelcreeper, there's also a do-it-yourself fish smoker.

However, it's number 13 on the list which has caused the most raised eyebrows. According to Vogue, one of this season's most useful accessories will be the divorce lawyer. As the editorial succinctly sums up – the new best friend: a good divorce lawyer: cometh the credit crunch, cometh the great settlement.

"We are more used to being at the bottom of most people's list, unless it's for most despised profession then we do rather well," says Mark Burns, managing partner at Clarion Solicitors in Leeds. "It might seem odd that we have been included in a list of top trends, but it is with good reason.

"As the credit crunch bites, those marriages which are based more on material advantage than love, where one partner has devoted themselves to making the most of their successful husband or occasionally wife, are looking shaky. They've seen that the good times may be coming to an end and therefore it's best to cut their losses while there's still assets to divide. It's what we know as the Footballer's Wife Syndrome after the amount of Premiership stars who find themselves in the
divorce courts as soon as their career is over and the money starts to run out.

"With high flyers no longer guaranteed lucrative bonuses, it has perhaps taken the shine off some relationships and if their spouse is no longer giving them financial security they are deciding to get what they can out of the marriage and go it alone."

The latest dire predictions for marital harmony seem to be at odds with research released last month. According to the Office for National Statistics the divorce rate has fallen to its lowest since 1981. The decline was not seen as a revival in romance and in fact many experts claimed economic uncertainty had left many unhappy couples reluctant to go it alone financially. So who's right?

"There are two distinct trends going on, but both can be linked to the fact that in terms of most people's finances the coming months look guaranteed to be tough," adds Mark. "September is often the time when we see a seasonal spike in the number of divorces. While we don't have official figures yet, anecdotally at least it does look as though this month will be quieter than normal.

"I very much doubt that the school holidays haven't been less stressful than usually, but there are people who have come to a mutual agreement that while they want to go their separate ways now is not the right time to start selling assets because neither of them could afford to live on their own.

"It's a very different set of people to those who fall under the Footballer's Wife Syndrome."

However, with rows over money already cited as one of the main reasons for couples separating, divorce lawyers know that as soon as things start to look up economically they will find a queue at their door.

"I was around during the recession of the early 1990s and I think because of cost of rental properties it is even harder for couples to separate than it was then," says Mark.

"However, there is little doubt that financial worries can place an enormous strain on even previously happy marriages and it will take some months, perhaps even years to see what the fall out from the credit crunch will be."