These boots aren't really made for walking.

The nights are drawing in, the mornings bring with them a dusting of frost and the trees have almost shed all of their leaves. Lovely, lovely winter! Time to wrap up warm and pop on your winter boots. Since mine were a bit worse for ware after the especially hard winter we had last year I thought I'd invest in a new pair. It turned out to be a pretty tough task.

I live in a small town in Scotland. There are many hills so heels are a no-no and it gets slippy so grips are preferable. As well as practicality obviously I wanted them to look good but could I find a pair to fit my criteria? Could I heck. There seem to be plenty of sexy, fashionable boots out there but none to bowl down the road to work in without fear of falling on your face or spraining your ankle.

Dutifully I did try some ridiculous boots on. I could barely walk from one side of the shop to the other let alone walk home with the wind and rain factor thrown in. I really wanted some boots lined with shearling so I'd be nice and cosy as well as dry but again, no dice.

So the search continues. Maybe wellies are the way forward. Red Hunters? Hmmm...

Jane Fonda in Julia

Just a quick post. I recently saw a film called Julia starring Jane Fonda. A great little film set during the lead up to the Second World War about a Jewish American writer trying to figure out what happened to her friend, Julia who disappears in Germany. Fonda is fantastic in it and looks beautiful in the glamorous 1930s costumes. Great little thriller, I recommend you check it out.

Biba is Back and Beautiful

Barbara Hulanicki's iconic label of the 60s and 70s is back exclusively at House of Fraser. The pieces range from the dramatic, such as the floor length tiger print coat, to the classic ruffled blouses. The floaty, billowing maxis hark back to seventies chic while sporting prints that are bold and modern. Some of the more luxurious pieces are more expensive and rightly so as the gorgeous fabrics drip with embellishment but never fear, for those of us with slightly smaller wallets Biba has a range of more affordable jeans and jersey dresses that are wearable, everyday pieces.

With Daisy Lowe as the face of the new collection Biba is back on top form with more pieces to be added to the line as the season continues. The Stardust collection which will be arriving in October looks particularly exciting and is billed as "high-octane glamour". With minimal, wearable looks at the centre of most collections, it's great to see Biba injecting some much needed glamour this Autumn/Winter.

Style Icons III

In anticipation of Mad Men's return to British Television it seemed only right to single out character Joan Harris (nee Holloway) as style icon number 3. Her costumes are incredibly sexy, pencil skirts and figure hugging dresses showing off her womanly curves in all there glory. Of course it helps that she is played by the most beautiful woman in the world, Christina Hendricks, who brings to life the gorgeous clothes with her Jessica Rabbit posture and sex-on-a-stick walk. Joan's style isn't just a parade of beautiful outfits, her signature gold pen necklace and vintage brooches give the character her own personal style.

It's little wonder that the show boasts a host of awards for art direction and design as it's by far the most breathtakingly stunning thing on television with Joan at the head as a beacon of beauty. Roll on season 4.

H&M Go Online this Sept

Is there a chill in the air or is it just wishful thinking? I'm itching to get into my winter woolies so I can kit myself out in some of the fantastic styles coming out this autumn.

I was so excited to hear that H&M are finally opening an online shop in the UK on September 16th. I love the simple stylish clothes on offer and the great range of accessories, notably the handbags and scarves but not living in an H&M town poses some problems. I'm so pleased I'll soon be able to see something I like and buy it right away rather than having to wait until I can travel to Edinburgh or Glasgow by which time the thing I've just got to have is sold out or not available in that particular store.

H&M's a/w collection is shaping up to be a cosy bundle of chunky knits, stylish tailoring, flourishes of lace and leather detail and I can't wait to wrap myself up in it.

Online shopping has been a lifeline for me while I've been stuck in the wilds of Scotland and it's nice to see one of my favourite shops hopping aboard the online the bandwagon. Sign up for H&M's online newsletter and be one of the first to shop online on 9th September. See you there!

Sew Buttons

I'm always looking for ways to re-vamp my old clothes, especially when the money's tight. Recently I've started looking for replacement buttons for my old cardies, as autumn is on the horizon. You can pick up vintage buttons in charity or second hand shops or check out your local craft shop for vintage-looking or weird and wonderful buttons.

The buttons above are some I picked up in my local craft shop, Fun 2 Do. The 'Oklahoma' buttons give a letterman feel to my oversized grey cardie and the gold buttons put a vintage sping on my old Wallis cardie. You don't have to spend a fortune to update your wardrobe, just get yourself a sewing kit. My mum's been very kindly teaching me how to sew and I'm sure most people have relative or someone they know who can show them the basics. It's simple once you know how.

Next step I'll be trying my hand at embelishement, very tricky. Wish me luck!

Capital Brooches

Well, I'm back in the homeland after a wee break in my nations capital. As well as taking in the delights of the Edinburgh Festival, and it was delightful, I also had the opportunity to trawl the charity shops in search of rare gems. This task requires imagination and a fair amount of patience. I stuck it out through the heavy down-pours and my patience was rewarded this week when I discovered these brooches. I like to wear two or three at a time these days so the more I can collect the more choice I have. My favourite of the three has to be the 'horse and rider' brooch. I love the colours, the stretched shield shape and the fact that it looks like it should be worn on the tweed lapel of a stoic great aunt.

No matter how naff a charity shop looks on the outside there still might be that hidden gem on the inside. And of course, it's all for a good cause. So get out there and support your local charity shops.

Kurt Keiger, with your shoes you are really spoiling us

There's something for everyone in the Kurt Keiger's a/w collection; high heels, mid heels, wedges, flats, boots, cloggs, courts, pointed toes, round toes, square toes, cut-outs, bows, spots, leopard print, embelishment - basically, it's all there.

This pair (Minnie, Miss KG by Kurt Keiger) are my favourites at the moment. The tweed effect is smart while the big pink bow gives them a girlie twist. And at £75.00 they're a pretty good price too.

Kurt Geiger offers a fashion forward designer name for a fraction of the price and there are more new styles to come, can't wait!

Style Icons II

I knew I couldn't write a blog without at some point dropping Bruce Springsteen in there. While some may think this post is a bit shoddy and merely an excuse to talk about Bruce (which is partially true), I genuinely believe he is worthy of style icon status. Please do bare with me on this one.

I'm not of course referring to his waistcoat-and-bare-chest Human Touch period (although it is a lovely chest). Look at the cover of The River or Born to Run and you'll see what I mean. It's minimal effort, all-American cool. There's something very sexy about simple jeans, a t shirt or shirt and a leather jacket and it works for women too. Dressed up with boots or dressed down with tennis shoes, it's a classic look that stands the test of time. It's hot and Bruce wears it well.

It's more than likely Bruce Springsteen will come up again at some point during this blog but for now that's it. Promise. I love Bruce.

Go Postal

I love getting post, real post mind you, not statements from your bank or bills. I mean handwritten letters from friends, cards and parcels. One of the best things about online shopping is the anticipation waiting for the postie to walk up the path and ring the doorbell to deliver my new favourite thing. Your bog-standard parcel from Topshop or Barratts is enough to get me excited but when a gorgeous little package like the one pictured above arrives it truly does feel like my birthday. The thought put into a simple little parcel, from the handwritten address card to the spotty tissue paper to the complimentary lollipops, goes to show that the lovely people at Hannah Makes Things really think about their customers. It's not just the quirky jewellery that'll have me returning to Hannah Makes Thing for more, it's the little touches that make all the difference.

Get Lowe

Pearl Lowe is back at Peacocks with a new set of the cutest vintage style dresses you will ever see. My personal favourite is this 40s inspired spotty number with adorable Peter Pan collar. It's fantastic to see designs that are so delicate and feminine and at the same time suitable for curvy girls with their capped sleeves and scooped necklines. I'm utterly delighted that these vintage styles are making a comeback; so flattering and so pretty!

Jewellery for Ladies

I love love love this girl's jewellery! Lindsay McDowall is based in Glasgow and makes her necklaces using vintage brooches strung with gorgeous pearls. Her designs range from opulent statement pieces, like the necklace pictured above, to understated yet chic pieces like the Bambi necklace featured on her website. Picking up one of her unique designs needn't break the bank either as the most expensive piece comes in at a more than reasonable £50. Lindsay's site also features a range of stylish earrings and bracelets.

lindsaymcdowalljewellery.co.uk is only in the early stages so get behind this new talent and you could transform any outfit with one of her elegant designs.

Style Icons part 1

This was promted by a heated discussion I had with my dad last night in which he described Bette Davis as 'right ugly.' To which i replied simpley, 'you're just wrong.' And he is. Most men are in fact. Bette Davis seems to be one of those women who other women carry a torch for but men don't seem to see the attraction. Well I'll tell you what it is, it's effortless elegance. Her style seems so inate that, no matter how glamourous the gown, she wears the clothes, the clothes don't wear her. Equally she makes even the most simple shirt dress look elegant and chic. It's just who she is, so comfortable in her own skin. Bette Davis sums up old Hollywood glamour for me. Beautiful.

Hannah makes lovely lovely things!

The off-beat jewellery website hannahmakesthings.com has been all over the fashion press recently. The Hannah who makes the things is a graduate from St. Martins and her quirky designs are perfect if you're looking for something a bit different for yourself as well as making great presents for the friend who has everything. From jammy-dodgers to gameboys to tree air fresheners to tiny little harmonicas, her necklaces are fun and unique. Also of note are the measuring tape brooches - so cute! The prices won't break the bank either so off you go and snap up a quirky bargain!

I want Linzi's shoes

Shoe's, for me, are what it's all about. Since moving home to the wilds of Scotland the physical act of shopping has been made redundant so the I've turned to the internet to source future purchases. Easy? Yes. Dangerous? Hell yes. Linzishoes.com is based on celebrity style and is particularly brilliant for those on a bit of a budget who are not willing to compromise on style. I've not yet bought the above shoe yet but they are on my list when my next pay packet comes in. They've also got a good selection of basic courts as well as cute shoe-boots. Check them out if you're in need of some inspiration. You're welcome!

J'adore Dior!

What an AMAZING week to start a fashion blogg. I am of course referring to John Galliano's beautiful a/w collection for Dior. The ethos of the collection seems to be although the winter weather is dull the clothes will be bright, bold and dramatic with the floral prints of summer continuing on. The flame-like hair and colourful make-up were just as show stopping as Galliano's fantasy gowns. Sod the summer if this is what winter looks like!