SHARP SHOULDERS

Last week I suffered from my first ever case of what I have decided to call 'shoulder envy'. By this I am describing the overwhelming sense of jealously felt when one spots a fashionista with a bigger, pointier & generally more fabulous shoulder padded garment than the one on your own back.This fashion fever will no doubt be a problem for many fashionistas this a/w and can strike when you least expect it. In my case I was just strolling casually round the new branch of Zara in Leicester Highcross when a girl waltzed past me in an amazing shrunken blazer with the most exaggerated shoulders I have seen outside of a Balmain catwalk! Worst of all she had accessorized it with a genuine Chanel 2.55 handbag just to make me extra jealous. Grrrr!!!

Good news is I have found a fabulous version of her jacket in River Island, which I tried on today and is good cut and great quality for the highstreet. Plus it has addition of added sparkle which might make even fabulous shoulder girl want a piece of the action.

WHO NOT TO GROPE

Ah Trinny Woodall's been at it again, here she is groping Alexa Chung's breast on her US MTV show 'It's on'. The self-styled fashion gurus appeared on Alexa show in their bid to crack the lucrative American market according to the Daily Mail. I'm personally not bothered /offended/ suprised about the grope incident, I'm just excited to see three of my style idols in one room. I've been a closet Trinny & Suse fan since they groped their way through their first bbc series of 'What not wear' and rather embarassingly have a shelf of their accompanying books at home. They're my favourite celebrity Sloanes and if you read their books you will find that they do speak alot of sense & really understand how to dress a woman's body. Also, how hot does Alexa look in her breton top, denim cut offs & patent booties? All in all a fabulous meeting of fashion savvy minds.

BOYFRIEND SHOES- THE NEXT BIG TREND?

Just sat listening to 'Your Song' by Elton John on Heart Fm's late night love show & loving it. It's the showbiz luvvie in me coming out. On the subject of showbiz, I revisited my Saturday stageschool past this week and bought a pair of silver jazz shoes for £6 off Ebay. Just a stopgap until my student loan comes in and I can afford some nicer real leather brogues or jazz flats. American Apparel are selling unisex jazz shoes here http://store.americanapparel.co.uk/hartwick.html?cid=195#i so that you and your other half can co-ordinate your feet (not that I am in anyway endorsing this). My favourite colourway is the white; Sienna Miller wears her white jazz flats with acid wash jeans and pulls it off a treat.

Another pair of highstreet shoes I am currently in love with are these Alexa Chung inspired brogues from Clarks, 'Crepe Suzette'. I like the black patent colourway best, although the brown leather pair is also rad-tastic.

They are suprisingly flattering on, best worn with a miniskirt and opaque tights or bare legs if you are feeling brave. And at £44.99 they are a snip in comparison to the Russell and Bromley pairs Miss Chung favours.

VERY.COM ARRIVES

Anyone else had a look at Very.com as of yet? I've just had a quick look at the site, described as 'the Very network, made up of celebrities, experts and people like you, who all like sharing their advice and knowledge about things to buy.' Riiighht. Just what I've always wanted.

The site appears to be one huge confusing brand minefield where all the shop direct own brands plus the brands sold on their sites Littlewoodsdirect.com, Additions & Oli come together. Celebrities and designers endorsing the site include Fearne Cotton (pictured above in one of her own range dresses) Peaches Geldof, Jasmine Guinness, Terri Dwyer (an interior design expert now, apparently, after her 60 Minute Makeover success), Amy Molyneaux PPQ designer and Simon Webbe from Blue! Bizarre? Very (.com)

THE FASHION FACTOR

The wonderful Dailymail.co.uk (my fav site for gossip) has uploaded an interview today with my favourite X Factor judge, Louis Walsh. He is claiming that fellow judges Danni Minogue and Cheryl Cole have turned the show into 'a fashion show' branded them a pair of 'peacocks' because they are constantly reworking their looks. Whilst I love a bit of fashion spotting (like train spotting but more fun), having witnessed Cheryl and Danni try and 'out fashion' one another in Rupert Sanderson, Alexander McQueen and Louis Vuitton creations, I happen to agree.

I guess I just can't comprehend why judging a reality tv show requires such glamourous attire. When Cheryl and Danni turn up for a new day of auditions wearing designer labels, when most of the audience (like me) can't afford them, whilst teetering in heels they can barely walk in that can't even be seen beneath the judging table, it strikes me as absurd. I want to see Cheryl and Danni looking gorgeous but 'real' in flats and a mix of high end and high street fashion. Something a bit more attainable, as Dianah Vickers demonstrated last X Factor wearing Temperly one week and Topshop the next. Plus their fash-offs seem to deflect attention from their judging skills which should be the real issue in scrutiny here. Congratulations on looking fabulous in Matthew Williamson and YSL girls, but what do you really know about music?

A DRESS TO IMPRESS

I really love the designs of the talented Jonathan Saunders, I bought one of his Topshop diffusion range dresses last year for a bargain £40 in the sale, and it remains the best item of clohing I have ever purchased on the high street. The cut & design are cutting edge, he really gives Topshop customers vfm. My picture above is dodge & I was probably drunk but it's a gorgeous t-shirt dress with sheer bits in a graphic ice-cream shaped outline.

I've just browsed his new a/w collection on Netaporter.com and came across this incredible 'Luzon printed organza dress which I just had to blog (£1,095 if you're wondering).

This is the sort of fashion design that is more of a work of art that just a garment. The colours, the cut, the graphic print, the whole dress is incredible. I think Jonathan Saunders is the future of British design (he's Glaswegian), he is designing with the future in mind and he does British fashion proud.

TIME FOR A NEW TOTE

I've always been a total bag-a-holic, whenever I used to visit my granddad the first thing he would always ask me is 'have you bought any new handbags lately?' before he even said hello. And the answer was most probably yes. I love the way a bag is so easy to buy, one size fits all. They say you are either a bag or shoe fanatic and since my size 9 feet make shoe-shopping so depressing it's always bags for me.

I'm currently scouring the net & highstreet for a new investment bag that will look great come autumn/winter and then take me through to spring summer. Currently I am on a low budget, but when my student loan arrives I am planning to invest in something leather, that is both durable and stylish. Here a couple handbags I think are great buys for the upcoming season and beyond:

1. For a Marc Jacobs bag this tote is great value for money at just £245 from Netaporter.com. The grey reptile effect leather is so a/w09 as is the over the body strap. Will look great with all colours, navy, black, brown, brights, you name it.

2. I fell in love with this Twenty8twelve handbag last a/w when I was working for high street retailer Emma Somerset, that is sadly no more. The new buyer had just brought in Twenty8twelve clothing, the range designed by Sienna and designer sister Savannah, to attract a younger market. At £460 this patent leather box bag was totally out of my budget, however it's suddenly popped up on the asos outlet with an incredible 66% off, making it £155. Which is a real bargain for such an unusual yet classic handbag. I'm so tempted!

THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE

Just watched the trailer for the much anticipated film about the making of the September issue of US Vogue.

Watch it here for yourself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tq4wo4JYy2s

The September issue is the most important issue of the year in fashion editorial as it introduces the new season to the reader.

The film itself looks amazing, giving us a closer look into the world of Vogue than ever before. Is Anna Wintour really like Amanda Priestly from the Devil Wears Prada? I really hope that after I watch the film I come away respecting her for her tough business acumen rather than abhorring her like I did Amanda Priestly . Can't wait to see it.