BAGS - The Bags Are All White

White was a top choice for the red carpet at this year's Oscars but I've also noticed a bit of love for white bags lately. The range above is from Bill Amberg and not only are they light in colour, they're light-weight too. I'm loving the airplane style buckle detailing too. The lack of contrasting hardware gives the bags a sleek, chic minimalistic look.

Here are a few more budget-friendly white bags, just don't get them grubby!

Per Una quilted bag at M&S - £39.50

You can't go wrong with some classic quilting and a chain handle.

Clean rope tote bag at Warehouse - £30

A simple tote makes a useful addition to your handbag wardrobe.

Guess Mauritias bag at Spartoo - £167

Ditch the minimalism for stand-out stitching.

Via Uno bag at Sarenza - £168

Or try soft edges and a glossy clasp.

White croc bag at River Island - £37

The ultimate ladylike shape with shiny gold details.

CELEBRITY - Madonna in Agent Provocateur

Madonna's latest album cover definitely demands attention. She's wearing some pretty revealing lingerie from luxury brand Agent Provocateur. The range, called Raphaella, features a half cup bra with light padding and French lace. It's got that perfect mix of pretty and sexy, but at £125 is a bit of a special treat. What do you think of Madonna's revealing look? Is less really more?

Shop the Raphaella bra here

LFW - More From Vauxhall Fashion Scout

Vauxhall Fashion Scout proved very popular indeed this season as stylists, journalists, editors, buyers and bloggers headed there to see the next big names in fashion (and some very well established ones too). The location was the same as it has been for several seasons now, at Freemason's Hall in Covent Garden which is a fab building, but it would seem also a little small to contain all those lucky invitees. A fair few shows were well oversubscribed, but for the next few I made it in.

Lako Bukia
To be honest, I had been a little disappointed in some of the recent Lako Bukia collections, but this one was a real return to form. Taking the collection's title 'Broken Mirrors' almost literally, the colour palette was mainly black and silver. Pieces were form-fitting with luxe textures like leather and suede, plus a sexy edge with sheer chiffons. The finale outfit summed it all up rather literally, by using small mirrored fragments all over it.

Dans La Vie
This show felt like it was filled with glam comic book characters. My favourite things about this collection were the great printed macs, colourful hair accessories and bright hair. Leopard print fur trims added that fun and playful edge which verged on tacky, but the collection made me smile. The macs were cut really well too with some great flared shapes. I'd opt for a plain one myself, but then I'm just not quite brave enough to do such a statement print. The designer is Tokyo born Rira Sugawara and it really is easy to see the Japanese influence.

Dans La Vie AW12-13 Catwalk Show from VAUXHALL FASHION SCOUT on Vimeo.

Spijkers en Spijkers
The AW12 collection for Spijkers en Spijkers was really retro feeling, especially in its warm colour palette. The pieces were actually very simple and not really offering anything really fresh and new. I think the spring/summer collection definitely topped A/W for me but I did love the scalloped trims. I wish I'd seen the fabrics up close because from the press release they are much more exciting than they look in the pictures. My fave autumn looks are below though...

LFW - Holly Fulton's Fabulous AW12 Collection

       

Holly Fulton's collection was one of my favourite's of this February's Fashion Week. Despite using just two main colours, the collection had variety and impact. I loved the combination of hot pink and rich teal, perhaps because they were two colours I am using in a current interior design project, or perhaps just because they looked so great together.

The description of the collection was a 'Lady Chatterley meets sexy gardener' situation and the prints reminded me of beautifully decorative greenhouses and birdcages. Her inspirations also included rainbows and the pop artist Peter Max who says: "Color and creativity just happen to me". Holly's collection is described as eclectic and bold and that sums it up perfectly. 

Huge deco style jewellery made a statement, as did those bright fluffy bags - one thing I won't be taking away for my own wardrobe (I preferred the folded clutch styles)! I couldn't take my eyes of the fabulous printed silk dresses and the embellished pieces were also a triumph. The designs were conscious of the female form without being too tight-fitting, but the actual prints enhanced the feminine silhouette through their positioning. The final finishing touch on many of the dresses was the tabbed hem which added movement and a touch of flirty, fun. All in all, Holly tried something different with this restricted palette and IO think it paid off, especially in terms of being a striking and memorable collection.

The collection for SS12 was also a triumph, perhaps even better than the AW12 one. Holly seemed to capture the magic of an underwater world with beautiful coral designs. I love the dress below right, it's so chic and felt so original when she sent it down the runway. 

And another designer chose pink and blue as key colours for her collection at London Fashion Week, Anna Popovich...

SHOES - February's Sarenza Shoe Haul

As I've mentioned before, as part of my Sarenza Ambassador status I get to try out new shoes each month and there's always that dilemma in choosing... go for one more expensive pair of two or three cheaper ones. This time round I decided more is more and opted for three pairs (a girl can never have too many). Well, I say that, but I have just had a clear-out because I only have the bottom of two small wardrobes to contain my shoes - space is at a premium.

Some of my older pairs are off to the jumble sale, a few of the ones which haven't been worn too much will be going on eBay (keep an eye out). I've spent the last hour trying on every pair of shoes in my wardrobe and asking myself  'do they fit well?', 'are they comfortable' and 'will I actually wear them'. Luckily I only had to let a few pairs go. I find shopping online for shoes so easy, it's the one thing that always fits and I rarely have to send something back. Anyway, read on for my three Sarenza picks for February...

1. Eden Brige shoes

I've seen so many people with lovely snake-effect court shoes that I just had to get myself a pair. The colour of these ones was spot-on, and easy to coordinate with other items in my wardrobe which is always a bonus. They are fairly comfy, I'm sure they'll be even better once they are properly worn in... I'll have to wear them to do the washing up. Find out about Eden shoes.

2. Bronx Regan shoes 

I love a chunky heel and I love the look of wooden heels, but in the past I've found them to be too hard on the balls of my feet. These lovely shoes, however, have cushioning to the sole instead of you standing straight on the wood. It's like a soft moleskin and very comfy to wear, I've tried them out at the office and I was able to keep them on all day - hurrah! More from Bronx.

3. Georgia Rose Messia (comes in loads of colours)

These were my Fashion Week favourites! As much as I love heels, it's just not practical to be running all over London wearing them. I'd be grumpy by lunchtime and ready to go home if I did, and that's just not on. This Oxblood shade in super-shine finish is something I've had in my mind for a while so when I saw them I knew they were for me. Plus, they are so incredibly comfortable to wear, very soft inside with no seams that rub or anything like that. A real gem of a pair! Which colour would you go for? See more from Georgia Rose.

I'll be featuring these in outfits as and when I can over on WIWT and here on the blog.

LFW - Prose AW12 Collection & Beauty Looks

For Prose, instead of a far-fetched story filled with abstract ideas which bear no resemblance to the collection, the designer explains that certain fabrics formed the starting point for her collection's concept. Before I saw the runway show I actually saw the clothes close up within the Vauxhall Fashion Scout exhibition. I loved the delicate detail of the leather and 'curtain' tops, inspired by a shredded curtains. The colour palette of the collection was opulent in deep rich burgundy and navy, but it was the craftsmanship which stood out most. Loving the chunky shoes too! The only thing I might have done differently is the layering over stonewash denim - not for me. 

I really liked the mirror idea that was carried through on the show invitation and lookbook, with text that you could only read in a mirrored page... plus it meant we could sneakily check out make-up while waiting for the show!

Talking of make-up, the beauty look for the show was created using The Body Shop cosmetics and The Body Shop are also a sponsor of Vauxhall Fashion Scout this season proving that they can match up to some of the more well-known, catwalk make-up brands. With powerful brows and a berry lip, this is one make-up look that's really wearable and easy to emulate.

Head make-up artist, Lan Nguyen created the look, saying: “We concentrated on strong eyebrows, and berry stained lips with dewy skin as though they might have just stepped out of the shower. You know when you get out of the shower and your skin is wet and glowing, it looks juicy. You’re hot so your lips are red and the wetness gives your eyebrows texture. It also makes the look more androgynous, a contrast of masculine and feminine.”

LFW - Francesca Marotta for AW12

Francesca Marotta definitely brought the drama for her AW12 collection, Amore della mia Vita (or in English - Love of my Life). The setting for the show was just as dramatic in Goldsmith's Hall.

For Francesca, there's a careful consideration of fabric and only the best quality are used. The lace was the most striking fabric with intricate patterns. The inspiration for the collection was something quite different though, 'the strong women of Sicily who have loved and lost someone close to them' and it was very evident from both the show invitation and the finale outfit, where the model acted out a mourning woman. It explains why the collection was almost entirely in black with just flashes of red but to keep things new Francesca added a surprising twist of neon jewellery. 

The jewellery is a collaboration with Milko Boyarov and it really stood out, plus, it wasn't the only collection that was teamed with neon, perspex jewellery this season - a trend to watch perhaps? Neon, generally, was having a moment among the LFW guests. 

Francesca Marotta isn't just a designer though, she also works on art direction and styling too, making her a true fashion maven. See more pics of the AW12 collection below... 

This blouse is really wearable, simply add a vest underneath or a brightly coloured bra for more of a look-at-m outfit. 

Leather gloves are the only way to keep warm and this season plenty of catwalk designers thought just that.

voluminous sleeves and a train ensure this dress stands out. I love the red lace on the shoes too. 

LFW - Bernard Chandran AW12 Collection

Bernard Chandran has been a favourite collection of mine season after season. But I discovered this time round, that it's his take on evening wear that I love far more than the day pieces. The collection started with some simple coats and and ended with some really amazing sheer and lace dresses that just demanded your attention. I loved the drape back dress that's pictured above right too, it really billowed down the catwalk a little bit like a super hero cape.

The invitation for the show featured lips and a rose, and those same motifs adorned the fronts of the dresses in glittery fabrics. This seems to have tied in with the very lined and pronounced red lips that the models had.  The simpler satin pieces didn't offer quite the elegance and glamour that I've seen from the designer before, it was perhaps a little less commercial than his usual collections are. But maybe that's because Bernard wanted to do something a bit different this season, and you can't argue with that.

I still think the SS11 collection is my favourite Bernard Chandran collection to date, but some of the dresses in this season's edit definitely come close.

We've seen lots of black and blue together, first in New York and now in London. It was a trend that was dabbled with for AW11, and you could definitely find some great pieces on the high street too.

Check out those collars! The red glitter one had the look of Dorothy's ruby slippers.

PHOTOGRAPHY - Stella McCartney Adidas‏ Shots

I love these fun shots by Harley Weir for a Stella McCartney lookbook. Sporty and playful, they capture the spirit of 2012. Thank the lord we have Stella to ensure sportswear has some style.