Ooh la la

I'm a little obsessed with French New Wave cinema, particularly films by Jean Luc Godard. Even if you don't watch the film, at least watch the trailer!
 The main female character in my favourite of his films, A Bout de Souffle (Breathless), Patricia, played by Jean Seberg, is entrancing. The failed Hollywood actress made waves in Paris with her simple striped tees and gamine pixie crop - perhaps this is where Emma Watson found her inspiration for her post-Harry Potter makeover? Arguably her most iconic look in the film is the Herald Tribune t-shirt she pairs with slim black cropped trousers and pumps. This Christmas I'm hoping my nearest and dearest have acknowledged my many hints - I'm hoping for a Rodarte replica under the tree.

Keep Warm, Stay Cool

Recently I was lucky enough to be given this amazing vintage fur coat which my aunt was given in her twenties. It’s so soft and beautiful that I spent the first few hours just gazing at it and stroking it. Now that I’ve finished doing that I’ve decided that it’s time to wear it – after all, we are being urged by weather forecasters to wrap up warm for this so-called “Arctic Freeze”.  I’m planning on wearing it in the evening with leather panel leggings and the vintage earrings above or a glam LBD.

In the daytime I’ll be layering up with my new Warehouse cape. Capes were all over the A/W 2010 catwalks and have made it into dozens of 2011 collections too although this is a look which has also translated well onto the high street. Make a Spring cape work for Winter by layering over chunky knits and tick two trends in one by making yours camel.

Stella McCartney, Resort Collection 2011

Topshop, £95

Tux de Luxe

"Nothing earth-shattering has happened in men's fashion. How much can you do with men's clothes?" (Calvin Klein)

Quite a lot it seems, Mr Klein, especially when you're a woman. Cue picture of Kate Moss leaving the Groucho Club in London's Soho last night.

Not the only celebrity to have picked up on the trend, Gossip Girl star Leighton Meester was spotted sporting a cropped tux, tie and all, on the red carpet last month by men's tailor, Thom Browne and Dree Hemingway and Pixie Geldof wore masculine suits on the Lanvin for H&M catwalk.

Keep the look chic with slim fitting trousers and a silky shirt. Unless you're a six foot tall Amazonian model (sigh...) heels are also a must. If you're not brave enough yet to wear a tie or even a bow tie à la 30s icon, Marlene Dietrich, try a pussy bow blouse instead. The one below is £28 from Miss Selfridge and pretty enough for daytime but structured enough for the evening. Head to G-Star at ASOS for the best jackets which would go equally well with jeans for a smart casual look.

My Top Six Products

I'm a firm believer that you can judge a man by his shoes and a woman by the contents of her bathroom cabinet, although god knows what people would say about me after seeing mine - it's bursting with everything from a freebie scent samples to my treasured Chanel Rouge Noir nail varnish (but more on that later).

Being the addict that I am, I just can't pass a makeup counter without trying new products (and more often, new versions of products I already own) and there seems to be some sort of strange magnetic attraction between me and the nearest Boots  Chemist  where  I can happily while away the hours testing new lotions and potions.  That said there are six products (I just couldn't whittle it down to five!) that I buy over and over again. Here they are:

1.       Chanel Rouge Noir Nail Varnish £16.50

                I bought this on the spur of the moment in an airport as my name was being called over the loudspeaker to urgently board my flight - one of the many nearly sticky situations my beauty product addiction has pulled me in to. It's a dark enough red to be edgy (and almost vampy) but the high shine finish means that it remains glamorous and the fact that it remains chip free for days is a major selling point. This varnish is always sure to attract compliments.

2.       Bobbi Brown Matte Bronzer in Light £23.50

                Another duty free purchase, this won't make you look like an aging 80s throwback because it is sparkle-free. This is the best option for me to get a warm glow as I'm always a bit nervous of using fake tan on my face. The beauty of this pressed bronzer in "light"  is that you can build it up from a sun-kissed daytime look to a darker evening look so it's much more versatile than the more dramatic powders that most premium brands seem to offer.

3.       Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser £3.99

                An oldie but a goody. This is by far the best cleanser I have bought for under a tenner. I slather this thick cream on in the evening over my whole face and neck and rinse it off with a muslin cloth and warm water. It's rose and jasmine smell is divine and its natural oils leaves my skin soft enough to skip moisturiser and practically dissolve even waterproof mascara.

4.       Vaseline £1.29 - £1.89 for 20g lip balm tin, £1.99 for 100g pot
                    Something everyone should have. I keep pots of Vaseline as permanent fixtures in all of my handbags  to make sure I'm never without a slick of this wonder balm. If you haven't already, try the Rose and Almond oil version which works a treat on chapped lips and smells amazing. The original is fabulous for taming unruly brows and I have been known to cover my hands and feet with it before going to bed - it makes them super soft.

5.       Jo Malone Lime, Basil and Mandarin Cologne £34 for 30ml, £68 for 100ml
                   This fresh and zesty scent is the perfect Christmas present for any lucky female friends and relations. It's young, easy to wear and not overbearing but noticeable enough that I often get asked what perfume I'm wearing. It's not cheap but a bottle lasts for a long time and I never tire of its delicious smell.

6.       Batiste Dry Shampoo £2.30 - £3.49

              Admittedly the original version of this smells synthetic and slightly medicinal, but there are eleven different types to choose from including my favourite floral smelling Blush and Diva, special coloured versions for brunettes and redheads and even one with sparkles - perfect for the festive season! Thanks to this genius product I can skip a shampoo every now and then without a hint of grease; perfect for festivals and after blowdries or if you're just feeling a bit lazy. Just make sure you rub this white spray in well enough - occasionally I get strange looks and realise that I look far beyond my years with a white stripe through my hair.