In my last weekly round up of the best fashion reads in 2008, I would like to share with you some of my favourite posts that have given me some great inspiration for 2009, enjoy.

Flying Saucer tells of her sales shopping in her post ignoring my own advice and shows how easy it is to fall into the trap of buying the complete opposite of what you planned in the sales.

She Finds offers some great advice on unwanted gifts in the post What to do with all those gifts that were just plain wrong.

In how to wear a white shirt and jeans part II, Disney Roller Girl gives some great advice on how to work this classic look to your maximum style advantage.

In case you missed out Susie Bubble posted  a great Christnas pressy in Merry Christmas! for all her readers. A map of shops in London. A great present for all fashionista shopaholics, if you have any money left to go shopping. Thank you Susie for some great fashion inspiration in 2008 and I can’t wait to read more in 2009.

And finally Wardrobe remixers o’ the week on Bits and Bobbins is one of my favourite places for style inspiration. This weeks are great and a definite celebration of unique and individual style.

With Christmas all done and dusted, it is time for me to start thinking about 2009 and what my new years resolutions will be. Apart from the usual, to eat more healthily, do more exercise, be more organised, keep in touch with my friends more often and de clutter the house, this year I will be having a few additional style resolutions to help me look and feel better.

I have found that if I feel good in the clothes that I am wearing I feel  more confident and it generally has a  positive impact on other areas of my life. For 2009, my main style resolution will be to only buy clothes that really suit me and not matter how much I love the latest trend and fashions only to follow them, if they suit me.

I will also continue to develop my own sense of style and individuality by seeking out clothes that I really like and that say something about me rather than just wearing the same old stuff over and over again.

Finally, In 2009, I will be more adventurous with my dress sense (whilst still choosing flattering clothes) I will try and more styles of clothes, colours and combinations.

This T bag dress will be a great addition to my 2009 wardrobe. A really adventurous colour and pattern and a very flattering style.

Unfortunately I am suffering from the effects of too much food and drink this Christmas. When it came to eating and drinking, I took the view, ’so what it’s Christmas’. The Christmas nibbles, glasses of mulled wine, a huge meal on Christmas day and more chocolates than you can imagine have had a devastating effect on my waist line. Yesterday whilst slumped in front of the TV I had to loosen my belt and undo my top button - not good.

Of course I know that come new year with my new years resolution to give up drinking completely and only eat healthy food and walk every where, the Christmas bloat will disappear in no time. But what about in the mean time?

I will be employing a few tricks to help make myself look slimmer. Did you know that you can take pounds off your weight and inches off your waist by wearing the right clothes.

• Head to toe black - this is a great way to get a streamlined silhouette and look slimmer. You can always brighten the look up with some colurful accessories.
• A long scarf or necklace. This will make your torso look longer and slimmer.
• Wrap tops and dresses - These just look great and are very flattering.
• Long trousers that cover your shoes - again these will make you look longer and slimmer.

This retro chiffon circles and stripes scarf will look great worn around the neck with plain black top.

This year Santa has really excelled himself in choosing stylish and lovely Christmas Presents. I was greeted on Christmas morning by a great big stack of Christmas presents to open. Probably the most presents that I have had for Christmas since I was about 11 years old. Not one single useless or tasteless present this year and some money and gift vouchers to choose myself some lovely clothes as well, so thank you very much to Santa. Amongst my presents:

• Some luxury foods, condiments and hot chocolate cups with a little plate/ stand for putting my biscuit on.
• Mango body butter
• A plain white short sleeved T shirt
• Lots of hard backed note books for scribbling doen all my list and ideas.
• Some scented candles
• The fluffiest warmest dressing gown ever and a pair of spotty slippers.
• Jewellery - a celtic style necklace and earrings and some grey and black beads.

I am now trawling the online sales hoping to spend my Christmas money on a new jacket, some good basic black, white and grey tops and a pair of ankle boots, plus some new make up and underwear.

This leather look jacket will be a great buy as I can wear it with a jumper in the winter and it will last me right through spring.

The wrap dress is one of those items that almost every woman has or certainly should have in her wardrobe. It does something amazing for the figure and I am not quite sure how but it narrows the waist and gives a very slim silhouette. Perhaps something to do with the diagonal lines of the fabric wrapping around the body and tying at the narrowest part of the waist.

The wrap dress was invented by Diana Von Furstenberg and she will always be a fashion legend because of it. There are so many different versions of the wrap dress available. With prints, plain, with ruffles and a knitted version in cashmere, the wrap dress really can be worn for almost any occasion. I have always though of the wrap dress as a very grown up item of clothing but it also exudes a maturity that comes when someone starts to realise which clothes really suit their figure and look great.

For a casual look a wrap dress looks great with a vest top in a contrasting colour worn underneath.

For a more dressy occassion, this Belle and Bunty Silk Wrap dress looks amazing.

pictures from www.style.com

This posts jumps ahead again to Spring Summer 09 and a collection from one of my favourite labels Balenciaga. Nicolas Ghesquière was true to form producing a ground breaking collection that was truly innovative on many levels.

The collection was described by Ghesquière himself as a study of ”matte and shine, playing with textures to see how they reflect or absorb light. And playing with our house codes.” He certainly managed to create an interesting array of textures and the cuts of the outfits contrasted more structured lines with softer draping. The neutral colours and chalky pastels complimented the almost new age shapes feel and did not detract from the depth of interest created by captivating shapes and textures.

The collection included mini dresses, tunics and ankle skimming trousers, aswell as some sparkly party dresses, all of which will be topping many a fashionista’s wish list for next year.

If you can’t wait until next Spring to get some ankle skimming Balenciaga trousers try these low waisted ones.

pictures from  www.mfpepe.com

Maria Francesca Pepe has been selected as part of Fashion East for Autumn Winter 09/10. This is a great celebration of her talent and an opportunity for her to showcase her already popular ad unusual collections on an even bigger stage.

Maria was already well known for innovative designs of jewellery with a celebrity following that includes Agyness Deyn. She originally studied Womens Wear at St Martins College but moved into jewellery and accessories when the press picked up on some jewellery sewn onto clothing at her graduate collection. Maria has worked on collaborations with some of the biggest names in the fashion industry including Roksanda Ilincic and Jens Laugesen.

Her latest collection for Spring Summer 09 combines both womens wear and jewellery for a really different take on how jewellery can be worn and integrated into an outfit. Art-Brut 09 give a function to the jewellery including collars, pockets or buttons. Her designs cleverly merge the link between the ornament and the wearability.

If you love Maria Francesca Pepe’s chunky contemporary jewellery, you will love this woven keyhole cuff in black and gold.

2008 has definitely been the year of the leg with coloured, patterned, sparkly and wetlook leggings just about everywhere. There has also been quite a lot of thigh high boots about. Dresses and tops have been high cut and neutral in colour allowing for the legs to really draw attentiona to themselves with all manner of natty legwear. Tunics and mini dresses have been showing off legs and ankle boots and shoe boots were the perfect way to help lengthen legs.

At Just Cavalli, Fall 08 collection cheeky black tights with pink flamingos added a bit of fun to this sophisticated black dress and hat.

At Luella, the Autumn Winter 08 collection included this witch like outfit set off perfectly with red tights.

At the Anna Sui Fall 2008 collections swirly patterned tights were teamed with brightly coloured clothes for a busy but stylish look.

At Rodarte, the Fall 2008 shows were full of fishnet tights with a difference. The gothic style darker outfits were worn with black tights and the lighter more romantic outfits with a white version.

pictures from www.style.com

Draw attention to your legs with these gorgeous Bebaroque Miss Godiva Screen Print Tights.

This is my last weekly roundup of my favourite fashion reads of the week before Christmas. If I am honest, I haven’t had much chance to read blogs this week with all the shopping, wrapping and general Christmas organising. But amongst the mayhem and rushing around, I felt I ought to just have a little look at my favourite fashion blogs and as usual they provided me with entertainment, inspiration and a bit of a laugh.

Queen Michelle of Kingdom of Style does some DIY by turning a t shirt into a very nice one shouldered version in upon my shoulders.

Painfully Hip extolls the virtues of keeping a style journal in never under estimate the magic powers of keeping a style journal and she has definitely got me convinced. My first new years resolution to start my journal.

Susie Bubble of Style Bubble shows off some amusing pictures of the displays in the windows of Lanvin in her post Alber’s animals.

Flying Saucer takes a look at the many talents including makeup of Xenia of Doe Deere Blogazine in her post no pallid hues here

Hoofing it literally on Daddy Likey will really make you laugh. Perhaps the perfect Christmas pressy for your other half.

Ankle boots have been on trend for a while now but this autumn and winter the heels have gone stilletto. In keeping with this seasons bad girl look the stiletto ankle boot is sexy and seductive. They look great with a pair of trousers or  a skirt and evening with a dress for the evening. The stiletto boot has associations with the gothic look which is huge at the moment. For a really streamlined and full on gothic look try wearing black stilletto ankle boots with head to toe black. Details likes studs, spikes and buckles add to the bad girl feel of one of this seasons biggest shoes trends.

Red or Black Patent Stiletto heel boots

 Just one piece of advice if you have tile or wooden floors at home, don’t wear your boots in side. They will make holes in the floor!