Style Blog | Accessorise this

Maybe it’s an occupational hazard of being the editor of a luxury magazine, but I can’t seem to turn on my phone, check the news or even move in the office but for hearing about The Countdown. Even if you’ve been living under a rock, I’m pretty sure the days are scratched off one by one on the underside of the rock.

We’re talking, of course, about the countdown to the upcoming fashion weeks. From the start of the season on 5 September in New York to when it all wraps up in Paris on 2 October, the spring/summer shows will be all anyone’s talking about (or so it’ll seem). While I do confess a keen interest to seeing the new summery frocks glide down the catwalk, I have to admit, rather blasphemously, that when it all blows over, the clothes won’t be the first thing I’ll be looking at when I go to the stores for some credit card-io.

That’s right. I, reader, have given my heart to accessories. Beautiful bags and stunning shoes (and watches and jewellery too, but let’s not test my credit limit too much) will be filling my mind and closet come winter. There’s no denying the importance and appeal of RTW fashion, as anyone with a KCD (killer cocktail dress) will tell you, but the advantage of accessories is that it appeals to a much wider range of ages and sizes. In short, you don’t have to be a size zero to look good with a buttery soft leather It bag hanging from your elbow.

There’s also the matter of longevity. In the cold, cruel world of fashion, you’d be the subject of sneers and jeers if you dare – perish the thought – wear last season’s top with its distinctive print. I can safely say, however, that I have yet to endure a haughty sniff at my favourite Sergios or Ruperts, or my trusty LV Mirabeau.