The Essential Guide to Winter Fashion:

6:52pm Tuesday 20th November 2007

I've always though that winter is the most stylish season of the year - yes it is easy to get stuck in a style rut with many people just throwing on a few extra jumpers ( yes layering is cool but not in that terrible frumpy way)but with a few essential items you can look effortlessly chic.

What's hot?

Knitwear - Cosy knits are everywhere right now from oversized shrugs to snugly jumper dresses knitwear has never been hotter - I recommend wearing sweater dresses with high military style boots and of course a thick pair of tights ( patterned tights work quite well with plain coloured dresses like black etc ) But if you're not so comfortable showing off your pins why not team with jeans and knee high boots which will instantly look stylish, and yet still comfy.Topshop has a fantastic range of knitwear at the moment all in a range of striking colours and all quite reasonably priced.

Topshop long belted cardi £40.00 This year's winter coat - The hardest decision you'll have to make this season is the choice of coat as this will be the fashion item that you'll probably wear on a day to day basis.

When buying a coat always imagine what items out of your current wardrobe could work with it as there's nothing worse than taking it home and finding it just doesn't match any of your clothes! It's always best to spend a little bit extra on this item because it's important to get the right shape and fit- basically if you buy cheap it usually looks cheap!

Burberry has done a fantastic range of trench coats and Macs this year all accessorised with leather waist belts to instantly pull in the waist - the high street has obviously taken note as the trench coat seems to be a real trend at the moment. Any coats which fall just above the knee to me always look very striking as they can flatter any body shape and look great worn with well cut jeans and high boots. At the moment a current trend in the winter coat is bright colours. Beautiful hot pinks and daring red look fabulous on some people but get it wrong and it could look too much - if you decide to go for a brightly coloured coat make sure you keep accessories simple yet stylish. Whereas if you go for a classic black or cream coat liven it up with a brightly coloured bag or a colourful neck scarf these instantly add red carpet glamour to any outfit.

For those who prefer a shorter style of coat checks seem to be a big hit right now. Checks always look stylish but can sometimes look fussy worn with too much going on. Again stick to simple classic accessories.

My two current favourite coats: Warehouse £100 This coat is a fashion classic, the simple colours work well with the checks and the shape and cut of the coat are very stylish- this is the sort of coat which could be dressed up or down which instantly makes it a good buy. I would team this with black skinny jeans and a sequinned beanie asos.com 65.00 I picked this coat because I love the deep red colouring and the simple shape of it -this kind of coat would look great worn with a black jumper dress and plain black shoe boots - be daring and add red lips for a touch of Hollywood glamour !

I hope my winter style tips have helped and hope that You have a fabulous time looking and feeling great this winter!

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