Even as a child I used to start each new season with a wish list of clothes that I would like to have, although it was significantly shorter than the wish lists that I now have. For winter top item on my wish list was always a velvet dress. A beautiful and feminine affair in richly coloured and luxuriously soft velvet, perfect for birthday parties and other special occasions. For autumn and winter 09, a velvet dress could quite easily feature on my wish list again with these two beautiful choices from Christopher Kane and Prada.

These days I could just as easily opt for a pair of velvet trousers as a dress and I have noticed a very nice green pair at Chloe.

pictures from www.style.com

These bootcut velveteen trousers are really flattering and practical alternative for every day wear.

Few of us under 40 years old, will remember making do and mending clothes, something that happened during the war and afterwards, as a way to cope with shortages. Now the whole make do and mend philosophy is coming back with recession stricken fashionistas finding new ways to keep up with the latest fashions. Retailers have recently reported a sharp increase in the number of sewing machines being sold as people refashion and recycle old clothes into new pieces of clothing or even make their own clothes from scratch. if you would like to have a go at refashioning old clothes, there are plenty of resources and ideas to get you started. Here are just a few.

Shrug made from an old T shirt from cutoutandkeep.net

Dress made from a mens shirt from Threadbanger.com

A ruffled vest from Threadbanger on Youtube.

To get started you will need a sewing machine (unless you are good at hand sewing and very patient).

This Brother LS2125 sewing machine is just what you will need.

If like me, you are a shopaholic and love a good film, you will probably love the latest fashionista must see film, Confessions of a Shopaholic. The film is light hearted, feel good and romantic, just what you need for a girls night in. It stars Isla Fisher in a story line about a college graduate, shopaholic getting a job as a financial journalist in New York. Whilst this film shows shopping in the extreme, there are parts that will seem quite familiar to some of us. Rebecca Bloomwood, the main character unintentionally earns critical acclaim for her financial writing due to her clever metaphors and comparisons. In the end she discover that excessive shopping does not bring happiness and questions her true ambitions.

Overall a funny and heart warming film with a great chemistry between the actors and actresses. Perhaps a cautionary tale for those of us with shopaholic tendencies.

pictures from www.style.com

At the autumn winter 09 Dolce and Gabbana show, I couldn’t help but notice the scarves which added a touch of humour to the collection. This striking monochrome outfit featured scarves and headwear that looked like gloves. A quirky change to the classic scarf. The glove like scarf was wound neatly around the neck and finished with a neat knot. A scarf like hat was also fashioned from gloves with the fingers hanging down to one side of the face.

If you would like to recreate the quirky look shown by Dolce and Gabbana, try using this Patrizia Pepe scarf.

I love all three of these Ted Baker dresses. Each one though is a great and very stylish alternative to the classic shift dress. The tab fronted dress makes a really smart outfit for work when teamed with some court shoes and a neutral coloured tote bag. The gathered georgette dress would work really well for all sorts of occasions inlcuding work, lunch or an evening out and the ruffled front V neck dress would look great with coloured tights and heels for a  party or evening out.

Draped dresses are every where for autumn and winter this year but there are some designers who do the draped dress particularly well season after season. The beauty of these draped dresses is their effortless look, the way the draped fabric hangs so beautifully and the the clever use of diagonal lines and layered fabrics to make a really flattering piece.

Junya Watanabe - this draped asymmetric tunic worn with leggings is a really wearable version of the draped dress. Just the sort of thing I would love for every day wear.

Peter Pilotto - combines beautiful and colourful prints for an amazing and very stylish bodycon dress.

Vivienne Westwood - not  a new comer to draped dress. She has had many years practice at perfecting the perfect one.

pictures from www.style.com

For a really wearable version of the draped dress try this long sleeved jersey dress by sandwich.

It is not very often things that a piece of clothing really jumps out at me in terms of it’s stylishness but is also practical enough for me to wear day to day in my busy and hectic life. That is why I felt this reversible spotted raincoat really deserved a mention. It can be thrown on over almost anything from workwear to jeans and a t shirt to look instantly elegant, sophisticated and stylish. Perfect for the school run when the heavens open just as I am about to leave the house and I don’t want the other mums to know that I have been slobbing around the house and sat at my laptop in a faded shapeless t shirt all day.

I love the bold print, the peter pan collar and the belt and cuff details. But if this stunning print clashes with my outfit for any reason, I can turn it inside out and voila, I have a neutral rain coat that goes with everything.

The waistcoat is a great accessory for adding a bit of interest and style to jeans and a t shirt or even a skirt and top. You can create lots of different looks using  a waist coat from smart and tailored or bohemian. I love ethnic and brightly coloured embroidery but there is quite a find line between really stylish and over the top. I love this embroidered waistcoat from Esprit as I think it has hit just the right note with a smart and sophisticated feel and some colourful embrodiery and beading to brighten it up. It would look great with a white or black shirt or top.

Sigh - yet another addition for my ever growing must have list for the autumn.

It may be the middle of August but today feels more like the autumn with the wind, rain and dark gloomy sky. Perhaps it is time to start putting some serious thought to the winter wardrobe and warm chunky knits for snuggling up in this autumn and winter. This year you can get prepared for the coldest or mildest of winters, unpredictable as the weather is, by layering up with thin and chunky textured knits for a bohemian and eclectic look.

At Missoni - lots of layers and textures with washed out shades of beige and blue.

At Alexander McQueen - knits were all one colour - black but with plenty of texture and interest created by lengths of knitted tubes.

pictures from style.com

Try layering different colours lengths and textures for a cosy and interesting look.

Chunky Cable Knit Cardigan

Missoni Scarf

Missoni Scarf

I am loving the autumn winter collection from Guess jeans which is shown on this video clip. The collection has both bohemian and rock and roll influences with lots of different ways of wearing denim and the trusty old pair of jeans. There are some great vintage style pieces and a huge number of techniques used to create interesting effects on the denim including studding, distressing, spraying, ripping, screen printing and tinting. They have teamed jeans and denim skirts with leather jackets, grandpa cardigans, flowing tops, checked shirts and waistcoats for a variety of looks which include almost somethign for everyone.

Guess is well known for it’s fashion forward clothes as well as its watches and bags. It is also a brand that is defintely associated with quality making this winters collection not only very desirable and trendy but also a great investment buy.

Guess Jeans Casual Trousers