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Monday Morning Blues Beaters

With the days getting colder and the mornings seeming so much darker, we know how much of a struggle it can be to drag yourself out of bed on a Monday morning and crawl into work. Oh yes, we know - believe us.

And so, in a bid to bring a bit of light relief to your otherwise dreary Monday mornings, we will, as of today, be bringing you a round-up of our top ten buys at the start of every week - the perfect distraction!

Just have a quick look round to check the boss isn't looking and then peruse at your leisure...

Paris Fashion Week - Days 6 & 7

The Chanel show at Paris Fashion Week always proves to be a big celebrity draw, and this time round was no exception as a splattering of starlets descended on the Grand Palais earlier today.

Harry Potter actress Emma Watson made her usual appearance in a thoroughly space age outfit, pairing a silver jacket and dress with black leggings and wedges. Zoe Kravitz (daughter of Lennie) was also in attendane, rocking a houndstooth dress (Chanel, natch), a black beret (tres Parisian) and some black ankle boots.

Meanwhile, models Claudia Schiffer and Milla Jovovich were also in attendence. Claudia scored serious fashion points, turning her beige cardigan into a dress by adding some black tights and a leopard print belt (how enterprising!), whilst Milla wore an on-trend checked coat over a neutral dress and pointy boots.

And the supermodels were also out in force the previous day for the first Yves Saint Laurent show since the great man's death. Naomi Campbell looked chic in a belted grey suit. Natalia Vodianova worked it in a black jumpsuit, whilst Claudia Schiffer wore a leopard print dress (she's loving that animal print at the moment, isn't she!?).

Paris Fashion Week - Days 4 & 5

Dita Von Teese is having a busy old time of things over in Paris (well, it is her favourite city in the world, or so she told us when we spoke to her recently - which reminds us, don't forget to enter our Wonderbra by Dita Von Teese competition!).

Having attended the Christian Dior show on day 3 of the French Fashion Week, she was front row at Jean Paul Gaultier on Tuesday, working her own brand of 40s chic in a matching grey jacket and skirt suit.

Then yesterday she swept into the Sonia Rykiel show in a gorgeous navy fishtail gown complete with her trademark red lipstick and masses of diamonds.

We predict a bout of fashion week fatigue coming her way soon!

Paris Fashion Week - Day 3

If there was one show at Paris Fashion Week guaranteed to be packed out with celebrity fans, it was always going to be Christian Dior.

The front row read like a who's who of hot starlets - Dita Von Teese sat between fellow lovely ladies Lily Allen (looking gorgeous in gingham) and Katy Perry (sporting a cute strawberry hair clip), whilst Emma Watson and Eva Green (both looking chic in grey) sat alongside Pirates of the Caribbean actress Zoe Saldana.

Monday's Most Wearable Runway Look...

The Dior show, obv. Gorgeous bright dresses and hair in chic top knots had a flirty but tribal vibe - kind of The Flintstones meet the 80s. We like.

And Monday's Least Wearable Runway Look...

Maison Martin Margiela's take on bank robber chic (or tights over the head). Well, would you?

Milan Fashion Week - Day 5

If the previous day saw the fashion experts take to the front row, yesterday was most definitely the domain of the music mavericks, as Roisin Murphy and Rihanna attended shows...

Roisin is undoubtedly one of the fashion world's favourite girls at the moment (indeed, we've just this second got an email from the WhoWhatWear girls naming the Moloko front-woman as their Girl of the Month), and she lived up to expectations by looking impossibly cool at the Roberto Cavalli show in a military-esque coat, superstar sunglasses and glistening gold heels.

Elsewhere, Good Girl Gone Bad singer Rihanna took up her front row seat at the Gucci show, looking as fierce as even in a black halterneck dress teamed with tasseled black boots and killer hoop earrings.

And on the runways...

Frida Giannini's 'Gucci Exotica' collection delivered exactly what you'd expect from the name - lots of tropical prints (from palm leaves to sunsets) and beautiful bikinis, all topped with a straw hat to keep the sun off. Green featured heavily, evoking daydreams of a glorious, sun-drenched sea, as did blue, which alluded to cloudless skies. And has left us planning our summer holiday '09...

Meanwhile, Roberto Cavalli found a happy medium between the dream-like collection he showed this time last year and the va-va voom glamour for which he is known. The shapes were sexy - lots of short skirts and cropped cami tops - whereas the fabrics (reams and reams of chiffon) and colours (dusty pinks, whites and creams) were soft and feminine.

Milan Fashion Week - Day 4

It was the turn of the fashion experts to take up their front row seats at Milan Fashion Week, with stylist Rachel Zoe and American Vogue editor Anna Wintour taking their place to view the Salvatore Ferragamo show. Nicole Richie's ex-pal Rachel wore a checked coat and skirt suit with black tights and heels, whilst Ms Wintour kept her trademark sunglasses on even after the house lights went down.

In other fashion news, it seemed to be Tumble Tuesday, with not one but two models completely stacking it mid-strut on the runway at Prada. Darn those high heels!

But, when the models weren't falling down, there was a fashion show to focus on - and what a show it was! If Miuccia Prada has anything to do with it, we'll all be bearing our midriffs next season - bandeau style bra tops featured heavily in a collection that was glamorous and overtly sexy. Best get doing those crunches now, ladies!

Meanwhile, the big trend coming off both the Etro and Bottega Veneta catwalks seemed to be sunset colours. Both shows featured beautiful vibrant shades of pink, yellow and orange which, with Britain as gloomy as it is at the moment, made us long for a bit of sun!

Milan Fashion Week - Day 3

The glamoristas touched down in Milan yesterday, as the Italian city's fashion week continued to gain pace...

The beautiful Katy "I Kissed A Girl" Perry was in town, attending the D&G show early in the day before heading over to the design duo's showroom to perform a showcase of her songs. Sporting a too cute for words nautical dress with a big red corsage, she was her usual retro glam self.

Australian actress Cate Blanchett was one of the guests at the showcase, popping in after attending the Giorgio Armani show. Cate, who was photographed alongside the much-loved designer, kept things classic in a little black dress a bow-adorned heels.

Meanwhile, Italian fashion royalty Margherita Missoni was spotted at the (can you guess it?) Missoni show, wearing (again, guess what's coming...) a strapless Missoni dress featuring the brand's classic zig zag pattern.

Hot off the runways...

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana went to sea for their spring '09 collection - the D&G show featured plenty of nautical references, from high-waisted shorts to sailor stripes in a colour palette of red, white and blue. The look was given a typically D&G sexy edge however with fishnet tights.

Meanwhile, it seems that Christopher Bailey was not just inspired by Burberry's history, but also by the British summer we've just had, for the majority of the girls on the Burberry Prorsum runway wore macs over their outfits. Underneath the macs, there was an earthy feeling going on - the collection was called 'Garden Girls' after all - with shades of brown, green and earth red making up a rather grungy collection.

Milan Fashion Week - The Opening Weekend

With London Fashion Week done and dusted (we do so hope you enjoyed our blogs by Louise Roe), it's time for the third stop on the international show schedule - Milan!

Things kicked off at the weekend, with Kelly Rowland jetting in to say 'ciao' - she was spotted at the Just Cavalli show sporting a black satin dress and the biggest pair of hooped earrings we think we've ever seen.

And, from one member of Destiny's Child to the sibling of another, Beyoncé's sister Solange Knowles was present for the Giorgio Armani show, looking more than a little like her big sis in an embellished dress and super-strappy heels.

On the catwalks, it was a colour explosion from the cream of the Italian design crop. At Just Cavalli, Roberto's rather conservative hippy girl of autumn/winter was back to her super-sexy ways, in thigh-skimming skirts, technicolour dresses and his trademark leopard print (even on swimsuits!).

Over at Moschino meanwhile, the colours were somewhat toned down in comparison, with watery shades of blue, pink and green swirling into each other like on a painter's palette, and set against a backdrop of satin sugary pinks and grey. Oh, and we loved the oversized beanie hats.

Louise Roe's London Fashion Week Blog - The Final Day!

She came, she saw, she quaffed champagne. With London Fashion Week drawing to a close last Friday, our intrepid blogger, Louise Roe , is back today with her final behind-the-scenes update. And so, for one last time...

Not all the fash-action happens on the catwalk, so Thursday night saw team Asos head to Piccadilly’s Café Royal for the Nicola De Main party. The up-and-coming designer, famous for her quirky prints, has just launched on asos.com, and rocked out some tunes with her DJ-buddy Goldirocks. A little bleary-eyed the next morning, Bora Aksu’s serene and wistful show was just the ticket to ease me into the day. Layers of lace and chiffon, ribbon-belts and giant bows gave this show a very girlie, almost bridal feel. On to Osman Yousefzada, the man from Birmingham who incorporates a ton of cultural references in each of his collections. African hats and Indian-inspired embroidery added to the exquisite tailoring on his runway, which was beautifully set within sunny Hyde Park, right beside its glistening lake. The tourists had a field day checking out the fashion pack and paps! My fashion week swan song was Ashish, filled with its trademark sequin mini-dresses (loved the playing card one) and a touch of the military. Nautical I can handle, but camouflage all over again? Please no. Will it take off for spring ’09? I guess that’s up to you guys and your shopping trips…

Until next time! Lou xx

Watch Louise's exclusive interview with Nicola de Main, plus all the catwalk news, below...

Louise Roe's London Fashion Week Blog - Day 5

What did the penultimate day of fashion week in London have to offer? Donatella  Versace, semi-naked men and yet more fabulous shows, it turns out. And you can read all about it, as our roving reporter Louise Roe is back with all the latest juice...

Coming face-to-face with Donatella Versace in a porter loo was not something I predicted doing today. Rubbing shoulders with topless waiters and scoffing bangers and mash with the fashion press? Not on my list either! But Fashion Fringe’s talent-scouting show always likes to surprise its audience, and with Donatella playing chairperson and four awesome finalists showing innovative and eye-popping designs on the catwalk, we certainly left impressed. I had my money on William Tempest after lusting after his strapless bustier dresses, but ‘Go By a Secret Path’ took away the crown this year, a name to watch for the future. Yet more fresh talent wowed the crowds earlier this morning: male duos Peter Pilotto and then Meadham Kirchhoff gave us fierce crystal-encrusted dresses and armour-inspired, knee-padded jeans respectively. For a 9.30am show (i.e. lie-in time for most fashionistas), there was a respectable crowd of editors, buyers and stylists in attendance, which is always a surefire sign the label’s got legs. Daniella Helayel, the designer behind Brazilian brand Issa, topped off the day with dreamy gem-tones. Pooped but still partying, I’m off to Diesel’s bash with Showstudio before heading to Daniella’s house for some well-earned mojitos. Well, something’s got to numb the pain from these high heels!