With winter drawing closer and closer, the cute winter accessories, coats, boots and sophisticated eveningwear is hitting the high street in full force – and I want you to take full advantage of it! Whether you’re on a shopping spree for Christmas gifts (or you need to cure the Christmas blues with a few treats for yourself), there’s always room for a little red lipstick here, a clutch bag there…

From top left and counter clockwise, here’s our top 9 must-haves this season:

1. Faux-Fur:

Faux fur coats are big this season – they are comfortable, warm and stylish…There’s not much more you need to be convinced, but what about the price tag on this gorgeous South Fur Jacket, only £77.00 from Littlewoods.

2. Bold and Chunky Jewellery:

From the bib necklaces to bangles-galore, this season has big statement jewellery written all over it. Why not give this gorgeous flower and bead ring a try. It’s £13 well spent on yourself or a loved one.

3. Stud Ankle Boots:

Studs and leather are everywhere, as we saw on yesterday’s blog post about over the knee boots and the leather bomber jacket is in just about all the shop fronts. Grab a pair of leather ankle boots to pair with the fur coat for only £46.00.

4. Over The Knee Boots:

We’ve been through why these are great – If you love this pair, make them yours for only £49.00. Go for black or try brown – Flat boots always look great in brown!

5. Check-Print Coats:

This gorgeous Ted Baker double breasted coat is comfortable, UK-centric, extremely stylish and most importantly, it’s timeless. That’s why I wouldn’t feel so bad about the hefty price tag of £225.00.

6. Sequined Dresses:

A sequined dress is the must have of the season. Instead of opting for the all over sequin why not try one with trim detailing – just as pretty but less 80s disco – £210 from Unique Boutique.

7. Quirky Clutch:
I have featured this Dune Clutch Bag before, but god it’s amazing – quirky patterns, shapes and colours are big for clutches this season so definitely keep it on your wish list. This one comes with a £65.00 price tag (but I don’t even care!)

8. Bow Accessories:

Along with bunny and mouse ears on headbands, this 5-year-old-gone-20 trend is sweet and fun. Grab these Free Spirit Girls headbands at only £8.00 for a pack of 2.

9. Red, Red and more Red:

From lipstick to dresses, red is definitely the colour of the season. Pick any of the items above in red, accessorise with red jewellery and hair accessories or create the perfect pout with red lips.

Make a statement with a pair of thigh high boots, a playful trend that can be worn with just about anything. See how some of our favourite celebs are pulling them off and draw inspiration for your signature look of the season –

Ashlee Simpson creates a sophisticated monotone look with a gorgeous navy Azzedine Alaia dress and suede navy thigh highs. Get her look keeping it all black, all brown or (if you dare) choose a bright colour like plum and wear a black boyfriend blazer over top to tone down the intensity.

This Moda in Pelle suede number would look great in a similar statement to Ashlee’s:

Jennifer Lopez pulls off the yummy mummy in a clubby (too much?) look with class and a ‘uniquely-hers’ style. Pair them with a short dress but make sure it’s top half isn’t too revealing so the overall effect screams ‘just right ’instead of ‘too much’.

Armed with a 4 inch heels and a similar ruffled ankle to Jo Lo’s these Love Label stretch platform boots have it all – they’re glamorous, comfortable and come with a much friendlier price tag than J Lo’s Louboutins:

Natasha Bedingfield masters rock chic with this sequined mini dress, tights and leather thigh highs. Rock Chic is definitely the look of A/W 09 with celebrities everywhere showing off studs, chains, sequins and all things glitter.

Finally, check out these stunning Love Label over the knew studded boots – they perfect the look and look great worn with a mini dress like NB’s, or roll down the cuff for perfect day-time glam:

Three traditional British brands are in the midst of a style resurrection:

Barbour

Barbour is synonymous with country pursuits like shooting and hunting, but they have now found a new market with trendy festival goers. The wax jackets are waterproof and perfect for protecting and dressing down your glam Glasto outfit; well, you don’t want to look like you’re trying too hard do you? Barbour, which was a menswear brand until 2003, have been concentrating on reducing the weight of their jackets and defining the jacket’s silhouettes, but it seems that their most popular jacket is their traditional heavy, sludgy green coloured jacket. The worn look is key in this country chic trend, and many are taking to making their jackets look more rugged with a penknife; be careful though if you’re doing that, safety first kids. Celebs caught wearing Barbour jackets include Lily Allen, Alexa Chung and the cool Geldof, Peaches.

Harris Tweed

Tweed is all over the catwalks this year, in shows from Vivienne Westwood, Karl Lagerfield and Christian Lacroix. It’s had an urban update as it’s all about salt and pepper shades worn as mini-skirts or oversized boyfriend jackets. In 2004 Nike joined up with Harris Tweed to create a limited edition line of trainers. They were so successful that other designers and manufacturers took note, and now Harris are the only name you need to know in tweed; I bet you never thought you’d need to know a name in tweed.

Hunter

Try and think of a Wellington boot maker that isn’t Hunter…. yeah, I didn’t think you could. The staple boot for country folk has had an injection of style from none other than the iconic shoe brand Jimmy Choo. Now as shoe makers go, you probably couldn’t get more worlds apart than Hunter and Jimmy Choo, however, their website describes the style partnership as the ‘ultimate fusion of fashion and function.’ The Jimmy Choo wellys are designed with their signature crocodile print and lined with leopard print. Tamara Mellon said that the boots were inspired by the girls she’d seen at festivals, but they are the nicest wellington boots that you will probably ever see, so you probably wouldn’t want to get mud on them.

So you don’t need to go hunting, shooting or get muddy to embrace your inner country girl; just take advantage of the new rural trend, even if you live slap bang in the middle of the city.

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote on my blog about the best ways to tone up your legs for all the beautiful new shoes that are coming out this season. These included lunges and squats, and I’m sure you‘ve all been dutifully doing these exercises, but I may have found another way to tone your legs that might not be as strenuous.

You might have heard about or seen the ads for Skechers ‘Shape-Up’ shoes. These shoes are designed to tone your leg muscles while you walk. Everyday, we typically walk on hard ground, which places stress on places like the lower back and our knee joints. These shoes are designed so it feels like you’re walking barefoot on soft ground, which means that you use muscles that you probably wouldn’t normally exercise.

There are loads of benefits for these shoes; Skechers claim that they tone your muscles, improve posture and reduce cellulite. All in all, these miracle shoes are likely to improve your stamina and your metabolism. They may take a bit of getting used to at first, but the more you can walk in them the more dramatic the results will be.

You can get them in loads of different styles and colours and at £115; they’re a lot cheaper than a year long gym membership. And let’s be honest, you’ll probably be more likely to put these shoes on and go for a walk than go to the gym. You can just slot them into your normal walking regime, but see great benefits. So why don’t you walk yourself to a better body.

They are beautiful and they are ridiculous and I want them. These four inch high Givenchy crocodile print beauties are on sale for £865 (sigh). I must remind myself while I stare longingly at them that realistically, if I ever had the unbelievable fortune to wear these magnificent shoes I would a) probably take half an hour to put them on due to all the straps and b) probably severely injure myself due to their constrictive nature and my lack of balance. I think I would be able to suffer through the pain though.

On first look you may think that this is just a very elaborate boxers robe, (is it called a robe or a dressing gown?) but it has nothing to do with boxing. It is Alexander McQueen’s £7360 Hooded Sequin Dress, and it is amazing. Unfortunately I don’t have any award ceremonies or world premieres lined up in the near future, or £7000, but I have never wanted to resemble a spangly over-dressed boxer so much in my life.

This will be the winter of the Snood, well the first winter of the Snood since the 1980s ended anyway. This Cashmere rib- knit Michael Kors number will make you stand out on any wintery street. Sadly it’s £740. I know what you’re thinking, but please do not sacrifice you gas and electricity allowance this winter and buy this Snood instead. It will keep your neck/head area warm but it will not heat your whole house, unfortunately.

I love this Bottega Veneta silver ball pendant and I think it’s because it reminds me of a disco ball. It would perk up any outfit and make anything look edgy and elegant. Look how beautiful the chain is too. And it can be yours for £740. If you buy it though, will you let me borrow it please?

The danger with this Valentino ponyskin hobo bag is that the second I saw it I started thinking of the outfits I own that it would go with… which I decided was all the outfits I own. I think I could even pull this bag off in my pyjamas. The Italian fashion royalty are using it in their current advertising campaign; no surprise there as it’s so eye catching and gorgeous. Guess how much it is… £1500. I honestly don’t know why I even look at these things, it’s just torture.

Your choice of shoes, especially when it comes to heels, depends highly on the bottom half of your outfit. Gorgeous stilettos can look instantly tasteless when paired with miniskirts that are too short, whilst ankle straps can make your legs look stubby if paired with skirts or Capri’s that are too long. Follow these tips to create the perfect look with your beloved footwear:

Wedges:

Wedges are bold and heavy footwear, so loose flowing fabrics work well. They are quite casual shoes so formal clothing isn’t normally paired well with them. Your best bet is to pair them with a layered, flowing skirt. Not a fan? If you prefer minis, a casual denim mini skirt also looks great.

Ballet pumps:

Flat shoes are great in that they can be paired with anything. Heavily flared jeans or skinny, short skirts or long. Rolled up Capri’s are especially nice. The only thing I ask (not even ask of you, beg of you!) is: please don’t pair them with socks.

Stilettos:

Fitted, well tailored clothes give stilettos a chic and professional look. Wide leg trousers that reach just below the sole are great, where the heel and the tips of the shoe should be clearly visible. Pencil skirts are perfect for a big meeting and skinny jeans help to create shape for the transition into nightwear.

Ankle Wrap:

Heels that have an ankle strap should be carefully worn, especially for those with shorter legs. They can create the illusion of short calves, so it’s important to try and elongate using the skirt that is paired with them. Try a High waist, front wrap skirt or a ruffled mini skirt for a flawless finish.

Whether you’re having trouble walking from deciding to wear your most uncomfortable shoes (but god, aren’t they beautiful?) or you’ve just had a few too many to practice the art of ‘heel-toe’ walking, your favourite nightclub may have the solution for you: Rollasoles.

With vending machines recently launched across the UK, you can buy Rollasoles in exchange for a £5 note – they come in a small pouch that can easily slip into your bag and when you’re ready to change into them, the pouch is roomy enough to hold your heels. Genius!

They’re cute, comfortable and they come in black, gold, silver and pink. But will they stop us from wandering down the streets at 3am barefoot?