Hello Kitty

After years in the fashion doldrums, the kitten heel is officially back. Kitten heels were seen all over the Autumn/Winter 2010 catwalks: at Stella McCartney, at Valentino and at Isabel Marant to name a few, and they were recently given a stylish seal of approval by Alexa Chung at Paris Fashion Week, which will undoubtedly launch thousands of copycats, or copy kittens if you will. (Sorry, couldn't resist!)

Yet despite all of this, kitten heels continue to divide opinion amongst women. Are they elegant, or are they a little bit twee? Are they dainty and demure, or are they sickly goody too shoes? There can be no doubt that kitten heels are the Audrey, not the Marilyn, of the footwear universe. I can certainly see their appeal from a practical point of view, in that you can be 'wearing heels' yet still run around the perilous cobbled streets of London in a degree of comfort, and they don't turn you into a towering giant, which is certainly an advantage for a girl who is taller than 5"10.

However, it is the very word 'practical' that trips me up and has prevented me so far from purchasing a pair. It reeks of that other word that just doesn't sit terribly comfortably within a stylish vocabulary: sensible. I am on the fence for now (or maybe until I turn into Carla Bruni and marry a French statesman). However if you do insist on wearing them, pair with rolled up slim fitting trousers and channel rockabilly-irony as seen at Isabel Marant (pictured).

The Cinderella Complex

Every girl needs a pair of hopelessly impractical shoes to treasure. I call this the Cinderella complex. In today's cynical and fast-paced world, handsome princes, fairy godmothers and mice that turn into footmen may be hard to come by. However there are and shall always be beautiful, unwearable shoes to covet and collect. My obsession began with a purple silk Prada pair with super-delicate purple silk rosebuds on the heels. I was at university and guilelessly spent my entire savings on them; and despite the fact I have worn them only once, my heart still skips a beat when I take them out of their box and slip them on my feet. Next came the black, suede ankle boots that I could not walk in but had to have. I wore them out on a first date and after several gin slings and a foray onto a cobbled courtyard, my legs went from under me, taking my date down too (luckily he saw the funny side and suggested another cocktail to ease the pain from the bump!) This season, I have my eye on these YSL pumps with a fringed heel (pictured). Divinely unnecessary-that is why I want them so much!

You Can Leave Your Hat On

My favourite all time accessory is without question the hat. The options are unlimited and with this trend, literally anything goes. You can go grungy in a slouchy knitted beanie (the bigger and chunkier the better); edgy in a trilby; top off a preppy look with a felt cloche; or channel Charlie's Angels glamour in a floppy wide brimmed 1970s hat.

A hat has the ability to turn an outfit into an unforgettable look. I like to think that if an outfit is the image, then the hat provides the frame. A woman in a hat is instantly rendered more mysterious purely because the hat provides a buffer between her and the outside world. It is a talking point, certainly, but it does not invite questions and conversation from strangers. A hat stands alone, to be admired from afar.

Trompe-l'oeil Joy

Fast fashion fixes this autumn come in the form of trompe-l'oeil tights. I love the subtle flash of a tattoo on a girl's ankle; but would never go so far as to have my legs adorned top to bottom with body art. However you can have people playing 'has she, hasn't she' in these 'Saylor' tattoo tights by Bebaroque. Infinitely cheaper (and far less painful to remove) than the real thing.

Another alternative is the 'suspender look' tights by House of Holland (for Pretty Polly). This is the natural extension to the 'underwear as outwear' trend that emerged in the Spring and which is still hot this autumn. Pair with a slip dress and of course the ubiquitous black eyeliner for a night out, without having to worry about your hold-ups falling down on the dancefloor.

What Katie Did

The jewellery designer Katie Hillier, who is best known for her role as accessories designer for Luella and Marc Jacobs, has just launched her own line featuring this gold paper-clip rabbit pendant with a twinkling, winking diamond eye. The line, which consists of 9 pendants in total, also includes an owl, a mouse, a squirrel, a snail, and 3 more bunnies like this in different golds (black, white and rose). This is one stylish rabbit hole that I would definitely like to fall down.

I wanna be in Wang's gang

I am aware that it doesn't seem right drooling over winter fur boots in the middle of July but LOOK at these boots. I did get rather excited when I saw them this morning on Net a Porter so couldn't wait to post them!!! The boots are by Alexander Wang (the genius) and made of leather and goat hair. I have an addiction to completely impractical footwear and I would wear these with my black leather mini skirt and maybe a pretty romantic vintage shirt. Fiercely cool.

Lovely Legs

I love the tights in the new Miu Miu ad campaign, especially the white and the light pink pairs which look more 60's. What's the betting Blair Waldorf will be wearing tights like these when the next series of Gossip Girl comes out in September?! The advertisement also features the new kitten heel height which is in vogue this winter. All the better for running around town in.

Mini Trend Forecast

Whilst flicking through August Vogue, I noticed in a few of the Autumn/Winter ad campaigns a potential new mini-trend: long chain necklaces with a single oversized, navel-grazing charm, almost like a medallion. The reason this caught my eye was because it marks a change from the recent proliferation of more delicate chains featuring 3 or 4 mini charms.

In the YSL campaign, the pendant features a bold silhouette of a single, glamorous, hat-clad woman on a long thick chain. In the Paul & Joe advertisement, the focal point is a super-size silver owl with jewelled eyes and body.

Such statement pieces are fantastic as they are dramatic, eye-catching, and can be added to any outfit. If wearing a simple black dress, for instance, such an accessory would add a interesting and quirky finish; and if wearing something more casual (such as Paul & Joe's knitted jumpsuit and aviator style jacket), the effect is instant glamour, which at the same time perfectly compliments a relaxed aesthetic. The best thing about trends such as these is not having to spend a fortune; I am excited about the prospect of trawling some vintage shops to find interesting pieces.

My advice is this: bigger is undoubtedly better!