By Jennifer Ennis

Pictured left, Lanvin spring summer 2011 beauty.

Hurray! At last it is officially spring time and we can bounce forward to gradually rising temperatures, longer evenings and a new wardrobe.

But it’s not just our clothing and shoes that need changing, one’s make up bag needs a little spring clean also. Our skin changes every season so it is important to co-ordinate our make up with these changes. The idea is to use a little more coverage in winter and gradually move towards less in the summer.

On the Spring 2011 runways, make up was natural, bare and nude. There was no blush, just a strong focus on eyes and lips.

Pouts were either pastel at Prada and Mary Katrantzou or neon fuchsia at Jil Sander, so go as as bright pink as you wish.

Matchy matchy was also a key trend, where we saw Gucci matching lip and nail colours to perfection.

Trends aside,  I give you my pick of some spring beauty must-haves.

No7 Protect & Perfect Beauty Serum

Serums are a longstanding best-kept secret of the beauty industry. Apply before your usual moisturiser for deep hydration. Serums smooth skin and add a shield of protection.

No7’s Protect & Perfect is a cult favourite and the winner of many beauty awards. Add it to your morning and night routine and you will notice a difference in just four weeks.

MAC Strobe Cream

Give tired skin a boost with MAC Strobe Cream. This luminous wonder adds great radiance to the skin. Dab a tiny amount on cheekbones, brow bones and temples to look instantly revitalised.

Wear it alone or under a foundation. It has become my Holy Grail to give skin a dewy, fresh look without being too shiny.

Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage

Hands down, the best under-eye concealer on the planet. If, like me, you are victim to dark circles after a late night or if you are battling a cold, then this multi-tasker is for you. I dab a little amount in the inner corner of my eyes and instantly look like I have slept for a week.

The compact has two shades so you can blend for your perfect match. It gives excellent coverage for blemishes/spots too. A handy little compact to keep in your handbag for emergencies.

Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

As a self-confessed mascara-junkie, I have tried every brand on the planet from Georgio Armani to Miss Sporty. My search for the perfect mascara is never-ending. However one that has come close is Maybelline’s The Falsies mascara. The curved brush adds colour, volume and a long-lasting curl.

The Body Shop Lipbalm

In terms of texture, lips this season are all matte or semi-matte. use a stain or pat lipstick on with a fingertip to achieve this look.
Ditch the gloss for some lipstick or lipbalm.

My favourite one at the moment are The Body Shop’s cherry lip butter and strawberry lip balm 4.50 Euro. They smell delish, are really moisturising and add a nice splash of colour too.

So for spring, put away winter’s plums and greens for another year and embrace a nude, natural look in preparation for the corals and pinks of summer.

Happy spring cleaning!

By Jennifer Ennis

Victoria Beckham presented her Ready to Wear Autumn/Winter 2010 Collection in New York’s Upper East Side with such poise and professionalism (she circled the room greeting every guest personally before beginning); it was almost as impressive as the clothes themselves. But not quite.

Mrs Beckham’s new collection is an ensemble of evening and power dresses in mostly nude, red, black and blue tones. All the dresses are in block colour and were teamed with matching shoes and black sunglasses for the presentation. She experimented with silhouettes including a flowing maxi dress, statement mini-dresses, floor-length red carpet gowns and of course her trademark pencil skirt. This season confirmed that Victoria is fast gaining multiple respect within the industry as a serious fashion contender.

Highlights included the breath-taking nude floor length gown with draping detail which Victoria hinted as a personal favourite, the red wool shift dress with nipped in waist and back zip detail and the blue silk full column gown. The collection excited fashion editors and critics worldwide and is now making its way to the exclusive department stores, including our own Brown Thomas. When Mrs Beckham came to Dublin to launch this season’s collection, she munched on Ladurée Macaroons, no less.

As per usual, designer prices apply (expect roughly to pay anything from €1,105 to €3,500 for a dress) but if you have the cash to splash this season, a Victoria Beckham dress is a beautiful, timeless gown in colours that will flatter the Irish woman.

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By Jennifer Ennis

“Influenced By” shows you how to pull off a catwalk collection. Today it’s the turn of Burberry spring summer 2010.

Summer may be in full swing but fashion is always thinking ahead, so before the high street makes the transition to Autumn/Winter 2010, there is still time to grab yourself some beautiful summer looks – now at bargain prices.

Burberry Prorsum returned to London for the 25th anniversary of Fashion Week and showcased one of Christopher Bailey’s strongest collections yet.

The iconic trench was given a fresh updated look across a colour palette of mint, lilac, stone and baby pink. A youthful feel was presented with hemlines slashed to above the knee, belts worn over trench coats and dresses, and even the taboo of socks and sandals was successfully broken.

Naturally, the looks transcended onto the high street and in particular at A-Wear and Topshop.

Here are some of the key pieces inspired by Burberry Prorsum that will last long after summer 2010 is gone.

Ruffled party dress

Topshop have created their own versions of Bailey’s ruffled party dresses in colours such as white and pink. Our favourite is a mint one shoulder dress, a steal at £45/€53. The colour is perfect for summer evenings and flattering to every skin tone, while the one shoulder detail gives a fresh look for any party.

The sophisticated summer dress

The colour lilac was a welcome addition to Bailey’s Spring/Summer collection and bargain of the week is most definitely A-Wear’s carbon copy, the cotton Knot Sleeveless Dress. This dress was €45 and is now reduced to an astonishing €10 in their summer sale.

Trench Coat

Of course the trench coat needs no introduction. AllSaints have an exquisite stone colour one called the Dido Mac which is priced £195/€230. This may seem pricey but the trench is an investment piece that never goes out of fashion.

Burberry Accessories

Bailey kept his accessories simple with the addition of the odd pair of sunglasses or checked bag. However, he did add a belt to every single model on the catwalk. Update your trench this season by wearing a belt over it. This also accentuates your waist and breaks up the block colour.

To replicate this look, head to Reiss – their Arlo Black waist belt is on sale for £30/€35 reduced from £59/€70.

Burberry Shoes

Bailey’s girls wore nude and grey platform sandals on the runway to complete the look. ASOS have a striking nude Hank Stud and Buckle Platform shoe for €53. It is up to you if you want to add the socks or not! If you do, make sure they are same colour as the shoe.

Burberry Beauty

As with many designers this season, the ‘no make up’ make up look was used at Burberry Prorsum. The key to this look is flawless skin (or the illusion of flawless skin). Use a foundation that is good for your skin like Bourjois Healthy Fix Foundation, €15.99 or BareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation, €25.

Keep eye make up simple with just subtle mascara. Let your skin do the talking! Bailey’s girls wore nude lipstick. MAC has a great shade of nude lippie called Myth, (€17), available at MAC counters.

So for the rest of summer, take a leaf out of Burberry Prorsum’s book and enjoy the vibrant colours on show… but hurry as all these must haves are selling fast!

Images: Style.com

By Jennifer Ennis

Chloe Spring/Summer 2010

This season’s Chloe girl is fresh and feminine. She has a boyish yet pretty style and places a keen emphasis on simplicity in her wardrobe. There is a very clean quality to her overall look.

Now that we are in the throes of summer and for once are seeing some sunshine - the Chloe look is perfectly on trend for those craving a cool and relaxed vibe.

Chloe’s influence can be seen all over the high street at present and is ridiculously easy to copy. The Chloe Spring/Summer 2010 collection in Paris was all about beige jackets and shorts, khaki shirts and plenty of chiffon.

Dresses oozed practicalities for both day and night wear and accessories were kept simple with slim belts. There were capes, which are perfect for summer festivals, and lots of sandals – the ideal summer footwear. In fact, you are probably already immersed in Chloe’s influence without even realising.

Cape

If you’re venturing to Oxegen in a few weeks, a cape may be the perfect item to roll up in your bag for the (hopefully not very frequent) showers.

Chloe’s long ones might be hard to pull off for an everyday look but there are plenty of shorter ones around. ASOS have a great selection of capes including the Festival Hooded one for €68.75 which also happens to double up as a handy jacket.

Shorts

This is probably the easiest Chloe look to pull off as shorts are everywhere right now! Hannah MacGibbon (creative director for Chloe) teamed white and khaki shorts with jumpers for a relaxed day time look.

New Look, Dorothy Perkins and Espirit all have a great selection of casual, comfy pairs of shorts starting from as little as €20.

If you want to go the full Chloe hog, try a black leather pair – Topshop have a great look-a-like for £65 but they are almost sold out so hurry! Don’t forget you can always team these with a pair of opaque tights in the winter for a great party outfit too.

White dress

What is more perfect for summer than a floaty white sundress? Mac Gibbon’s Chloe girls wore head to toe white for a fresh, youthful feel. All Saints have a great selection of white dresses, the best being the Mohini, the Lunete and the Nanette styles with prices starting at €100. If you are looking for something more affordable, A Wear also has a good selection of white summer dresses starting at €30.

Belts

The perfect finishing touch to any outfit is a slim, neat belt. Mac Gibbon matched eleven outfits from the collection with belts. That included dresses, tops, trousers, shorts – you name it, there was a belt on it.

Belts are a great way to define your waist and they add a bit of diversity if  you’re wearing all one colour. Promod and Topshop have some classic styles to inject a bit of Chloe into your look.

Chloe Hair and Make-Up

To compliment your fresh Chloe influence, keep your hair and makeup low maintenance. Just run a pump of serum (TreSemme or Charles Worthington are great) through wet hair and let it dry naturally.

A classic day time makeup look that is right on trend everywhere now, is the minimal ‘no makeup’ look.

Keep skin in good condition with a good moisturiser like Clarins HydraQuench (€35) and apply light make up so your skin can breathe, like BareMinerals SPF15 Foundation (€25) or Dior’s Hydra Life Pro Youth Skin Tint (€39).

Complete your look with some subtle mascara and a lip balm. The beauty of being a Chloe girl is looking effortlessly sophisticated – like you just stepped off a Paris high street!

Images: Style.com

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By Jennifer Ennis

While the fashion world has consistently lusted after Carrie Bradshaw and her wardrobe, I have always been more of a Samantha girl. She’s charming, witty, entertaining and simply fabulous.

Ms Jones, known for her lavish ways and love of younger men (wait ‘til you see Noah Mills in this movie), always oozes sophistication and glamour but with a touch of fun too.

For this movie, Samantha style is made up belts and body-con dresses, and big, bright and beautiful earrings.
Actress Kim Cattrall may have resident stylist Patricia Field and a large expensive costume department to create

Samantha’s winning looks but thanks to a very SATC savvy high street, it is now easy to copy Samantha’s high fashion on a downtown budget.

Samantha’s body con dresses

Patricia Field described Sam’s black body con dress as an ‘understated kind of Samantha’. ASOS have the widest selection of black fitted dresses.

The most striking is the Elastic Buckle Body Con dress which is currently on amazing offer of just €17.50 reduced from €47.50 so hurry!

Samantha’s sunglasses

Samantha wears several pairs of shades throughout the movie, including a few pairs of Ray-Bans. These days almost everyone has jumped on the Ray-Ban bandwagon!

The black wayfarers are still as popular as ever spied on everyone from Kate Moss to Jessica Alba recently – so Sam’s in good company! She wears the large style pair and prices vary from store to store but they are usually around €180.

Samantha’s snakeskin clutch

The perfect bag is always a must for every SATC girl. Samantha loves her python bags in this movie and A-wear has a great version of her snakeskin clutch for just €15.

Samantha’s white wooden shoes

Similar styles to Samantha’s high wooden heels are very easy to find. Office have a cool white summer pair with a strap (easier to wear) for £85/€100 and if you want to go one step further, Barratts have a white leather pair of high heeled clogs for £45/€54.

Samantha’s gold accessories

We’re huge fans at WhatSheWears.ie of chandelier earrings which are the perfect summer accessory to brighten any outfit. You can see how much Samantha loves them!

She wears a beautiful multicolor blue pair and thick gold hoops. If that scares you a little, Freedom at Topshop have a more subtle pair of hoops called the Seed Bead Hoop earrings priced £9/€12.

Samantha also wears some great gold belts and bangles

Temperley of London have a classy knotted metallic gold canvas belt on Net A Porter for €195 which is an ideal summer wardrobe staple while Miss Selfridge and Warehouse have a variety of sassy bangles to finish any outfit splendidly.

All that’s left is to enjoy the Sex and the City weekend ahead and feel confident that while wearing a few of Samantha’s style faves, you will look absolutely fabulous darling.

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Alexander Wang SS 10

Cute-as-a-button New York designer Alexander Wang has been on the fashion radar for a while but it was his Spring/Summer 2010 collection that really made editors sit up and take note.

Wang’s celebration of American sportswear and soft leather created a playful yet strong woman. If you’re looking to re-create the looks without the designer prices, don’t panic as Wang has contributed to many trends you can see all over the high street right now.

Open toe ankle boots

The Wang boot got everybody talking! Open toe and ankle length in black leather featuring a variety of zips, laces and turn downs; they are a statement boot and give a great edge to any outfit.

River Island have a brilliant copy called The Peep Toe Zip boots priced £64.99/€85 and All Saints have a stylish laced up version called the Avanta Boot. Dorothy Perkins had a direct look-a-like but they sold out in record time!

Nude and Tan Leather

Nude leather is a new and pleasant surprise trend this Spring/Summer. Wang kept his leather soft, in block colours of nude and tan and completely seamless. He matched leather shorts with crop tops for sportswear cool.

The most wearable nude leather buys right now are Karen Millen’s leather gillet (€299) and Wallis’s leather top (€85) – but hurry they are selling fast!

Loungewear

Wang’s comfy loungewear was a brilliant contrast with the high heeled boots. There were lots of cotton sweaters, crop tops and dresses, perfect for the summer season.

Reiss and Topshop have a great selection of cotton sweaters in particular Reiss’s Starlight grey sweatshirt style lurex knit (£110/€140).

Alexander Wang Hair and Makeup

Wang sent every model down the runway sporting the ‘Alexander Wang plait’ a fun new hair trend that has been echoed by everyone from Kate Bosworth to Lauren Conrad.

This cute, girly look is very simple. It just requires a little bit of back-combing and hair spray (I recommend L’Oreal’s Elnet). The key is not to look too styled so don’t spend ages doing it. The more relaxed and loose, the better! It’s a beautiful look for both day and night.

The ‘no make up’ make up look is youthful and refreshing this spring. Awaken tired skin with YSL’s Top Secrets Flash Radiance Skincare Brush (€51) and apply a tinted moisturiser. Laura Mercier’s has been a cult fave for a while now and is available from Brown Thomas and Harvey Nichols in a number of shades.

A tinted moisturiser is great for giving you a healthy glow and smoothing out your skin tone without looking cakey. Ditch the eyeshadow and eyeliner and wear mascara alone for a flawless and beautiful Alexander Wang inspired face!

By Jennifer Ennis

Pictured left to right: Cat Deeley, Florence Welch, Amanda Byram and Alexandra Burke.

It was double the fun for music and fashion lovers this week with the Brit Awards on Tuesday and the Meteor Irish Music Awards on Friday. The Brits had to brave the rain on a drenched outdoor red carpet while the Meteors had a slightly more glamorous indoor tent for arrivals (well it is Ireland and February, we have to be realistic!).

Lady Gaga at the Brits

It must be exhausting for Lady Gaga and her stylist to keep coming up with new shocking ideas but she did it again at The Brits! For the red carpet she wore a Francesco Scognamiglio overcoat and a headpiece by Irish designer Philip Tracey then stripped off to a white lace and barely there jumpsuit for her performance and speeches.

There was no one to rival her at the Meteors. The most adventurous being Amanda Byram who stuck to pretty dresses for presenting but her red carpet vintage Ungaro dress was a bit more risqué. It was a black, backless and side less and caused quite a stir, but not to the same level as Gaga.

Florence Welch of Florence + the Machine and Pixie Lott attended both events and kept their looks similar. Florence changed her outfit three times in total for both going from minidress to floor-sweeping. Her Zuhair Murad sparkly mindress on the Brits red carpet earned her a place on the best dressed lists for the night, and she let the dress do the talking with her signature red hair and no jewellery. Pixie Lott wore a gorgeous black lace Kate Halfpenny dress to the Brits and a similar black dress to the Meteors with her long hair loose and wavy.

Best dressed would have to go to Cat Deeley at the Brits, wearing a pre-Fall Matthew Williamson short black number and Jimmy Choos. Her LA tan and soft hairdo worked beautifully with the dress.

Alexandra Burke, also at the Brits, was not far behind with a glamorous Notte by Marchesa floor length gown in a shade of red that was made for her.

Kudos to Leona Lewis for taking a break from her usual full length Valentinos by opting for a metallic mini by British designer William Tempest and bright pink shoes! Read more about them here.

No Nos at the Brit Awards and Meteor Awards

Sadly, there were many non stylish outfits at both awards. The Brits had Kylie’s disappointing D&G gown and Lily Allen’s over detailed Chanel dress while the Meteors had TV star Virginia Macari in a full length pink sparkly gown.

Claudine Palmer at the Meteors wore a one shoulder Balmain dress – that would have been great if it wasn’t already worn by Abigail Clancy to the Brits only a few days earlier!

Overall though, two great nights of music, scandal, parties, fashion wonders and fashion blunders!

By Jennifer Ennis

The award season continued last night with the 52nd annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The Grammys are always known for being a much more hip, trendy and risky style affair than the safer Golden Globes.

The outfits however were significantly tamer than past years, but there was still a fine display of show stoppers and no stoppers, with themes ranging from glamourous elegance to futuristic eccentric!

Lady Gaga

Everyone was anticipating winner Lady Gaga’s outfit knowing she would pull out all the stops and her red carpet dress certainly did not disappoint. She abandoned her usual Alexander McQueen for an Armani Privè creation. Her silver  dress resembled a spaceship and had tongues wagging along with her platform shoes and bright yellow hair!

Gaga had a total of five wacky couture outfits during the ceremony but her first one came up tops.

Keri Hilson

The colour nude was a big trend again (remember it at the Golden Globes?) with Katy Perry (in Zac Posen) and Beyonce (in Stephane Rolland) sporting buff colours.  The clear winner was newcomer Keri Hilson in Dolce & Gabbana. Keri’s floor length dress with sparking belt detail looked absolutely stunning against her skin tone. A classy up-do and Neil Lane jewels polished off her look which oozed extreme elegance.

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez showed off her enviable figure in her faithful, Versace, wearing a silver mini dress with white chiffon material draped from the neck to the floor. Ms Lopez scored major brownie points for her hair which saw her transformed into a 70s diva for the night with beautiful and voluptuous glossy curls.

Lea Michelle

Glee star Lea Michele is fast proving to be the newest fashionista on the block by getting her award outfit spot on for the third time this month. Her black Romona Keveza dress was youthful and flirty, and showed off her fabulous pins to perfection. Her light tan and sleek glossy hair complemented it beautifully!

Grammy no nos

The Grammys wouldn’t be complete without its fashion disasters and last night there were plenty! R&B singer Ciara tried high fashion in black full length Givenchy Haute Couture that was both unflattering and ageing.

Rihanna looked like she should be walking up the aisle and not the red carpet in her white Elie Saab gown and the biggest fashion failure (though not surprising?) was Britney Spears. Her black Dolce & Gabbana lace dress was trashy and did nothing for her figure.

All in all, it was an eventful night for fashion and music from the US.  Now let’s look forward to what the Brit Awards have to offer this month and ourselves at our very own Meteor awards!

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By Jennifer Ennis

Hats and headwear are a part of daily life for most Irish women, yet with our ever changing weather it is hard to know what to go for as the seasons change.

As usual on WhatSheWears.ie, I turned to both the catwalk and cool celebrity style makers for today’s inspiration and so here are my top five choices to decorate your crowning glory with this spring….

1) Beanie

While we wait for the weather to warm up, a classic beanie hat is a good option for staying cosy. Kiera Knightly and Gwyneth Paltrow are self confessed beanie girls but the one who really stole the show is Kate Beckinsale (pictured top right) who was spotted in New York last month in a snug black number. Copy her style with a super snug knitted beanie from Stradivarius (€12.95), Jervis shopping centre and Dundrum Town Centre.

2) Headband

Bottega Veneta’s creative director Tomas Maier sent almost every one of his models down the Spring/Summer 2010 runway sporting a white headband (pictured bottom right), while actress January Jones received high praise for her choice of a black one to the Golden Globe Awards this month.

In short, headbands are big news this season. Topshop have a great selection including a crochet one, available in black or cream for £12/€15. You can experiment with colour and style to vary your everyday look while a classic headband makes an excellent choice to compliment a party outfit.

3) Beret

Embrace the Parisian look this spring with a timeless beret. This hat is a style that suits all hair lengths – Mary Kate Olsen and T4’s newest fashionista Jameela Jamil are regularly spotted wearing theirs.

Brighten up your look and complexion with a white one a la Ralph Lauren (pictured bottom left). New Look do a great version named the Angora beret for £7/€10 and it also comes in grey.

4) Bow Hat

Cheryl Cole caused a stir when she wore a large black bow in her hair during The X Factor and the fashion world certainly noticed. Bows are everywhere right now, so why not add a girlie, feminine twist with a hat with bow detail?

River Island has a few woolly ones, but my favourite of them all is a Ted Baker Grosgrain one from fashion website ASOS.com – it is a gorgeous warm pink colour and currently on offer from €27 down from €48.  ASOS also have a number of bow headbands and hair clips.

5) Trilby

Victoria Beckham looked amazing when she touched down in Heathrow airport this month – and that was largely due to her eye-catching trilby hat.

Trilby hats can give a smart, stylish take to most outfits and are available in a wide variety of styles and shades this spring.

Reiss have a good selection including a studded one for £49/€58. This choice is ideal for the fashionista who wants to stand out from the crowd!

So whether you wear hats for warmth or adornment, with today’s Top 5 picks, all that’s left to do is hold your head high as you sail into this season in style.

Image credits: Style.com

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By Jennifer Ennis

Needless to say that you’ve ditched your white handbag a while ago and have made the transition into autumn winter with a different type of handbag. Having fished out your staple black leather bag from last year, consider today’s Top 5 bags for autumn winter to treat yourself or a friend to a gorgeous new winter bag (like you needed a reason to begin with!).

Right now it is all about beautiful detail, classic fabrics and elegant colours. We hope you enjoy today’s up to date selection of designer bags and  celebrity influenced clutches, as well as the lower price point alternatives we also uncovered. If you take pride in your bag, then feast your eyes on this Top 5 selection of bags for this season.

1. Miu Miu’s studded bag

Celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe raved about it in her daily Zoe Report and it is currently sitting pretty on Brown Thomas shelves – it’s the Miu Miu’s studded bag (pictured bottom centre). Priced at €990, this beautiful bag has both a handle and a longer strap so that it can be worn in multiple ways. The LA lot are loving it, what with Stephanie Pratt (pictured far right) frequently spotted all over Hollywood with hers. However, if it is out of your price range, Reiss do a great version too.

2. French Connection’s Apache clutch

Party season is not complete without a beautiful clutch. Slumdog Millionaire beauty Frieda Pinto (pictured left) is never without one at a red-carpet event. Steal her style with French Connection’s Apache bag. The petite patterned shape will compliment any outfit and any colour. Pictured centre of middle column, it costs £60/€67 (including shipping) from www.frenchconnection.com.

3. Warehouse metallic bag

Warehouse have a great selection of on-trend metallic bags this winter; in particular this metallic day bag, currently on offer for €37 in Warehouse stores and from www.warehouse.co.uk. This bag is a great size with two strap options. Take a tip from Gossip Girl star Taylor Momson’s style book and pair yours with a smart coat and accessories for a sophisticated winter look.

4. Metallic and velvet bag, Topshop

Velvet made a big comeback on the catwalk this season and has found its way onto our arms too with everyone from Rihanna to Erin O’Connor sporting a velvet bag. My favourite is the swirl metallic bag from Topshop. The contrast of metallic and velvet makes this a very unique and gorgeous buy, but hurry as this shop sells out fast. Priced at €53 from Topshop stores nationwide. Alternatively, H&M have a similar bag.

5. Karen Millen leather buckle bag

Finally, we all need a good ‘all rounder’ bag – one you can bring to work, to lunch and for marathon Christmas shopping sessions! My pick is Karen Millen’s large leather classic buckle bag. The tan colour brightens up any winter outfit. It has plenty of pockets and room for good storage, plus the leather strap means comfortable arms! A clear winner, this bag, pictured top centre is priced €235 and is available from the Karen Millen website (with free shipping to Ireland).