All that glitters...

Everyone has their kryptonite: I may be able to refuse that gorgeous geometric-patterned blouse or pair of heart-attack inducing platform heels (though this isn't willpower that I often find myself in the possession of) my one enormous weakness is accessories: bags, necklaces, bracelets, earrings - rack 'em up and pile 'em high is the mantra I find myself living by when it comes to the finishing touches of an outfit. Imagine my excitement then when I flick through the trend forecasts for AW'12 and see page upon page of glorious garments adorned with massive jewels, killer studs and Fifty Shades of chains.

Left to right: Anna Sui AW'12; Jean-Paul Gaultier AW'12

The bigger the better is always a sweet phrase to hear, and even better to see in action in the fashion world. Here comes the tricky part though: a stylista on a budget can find herself at quite a disadvantage when the mind-bogglingly intricate and eccentric jewellery of her dreams is accompanied by a huge (though often justified) price tag. Enter: the high street. For a fraction of the cost you can buy yourself a chestful of style swag to layer up and make look super expensive thanks to those notoriously fabulous designers at H&M, Zara, ASOS, Topshop and a host of other helpful high street brands. Here's a selection of what you can find in the shops this Autumn/Winter to update your look.

Clockwise from left to right: ASOS Double Ring Spike Doorknocker Earrings £15; ASOS Spiked Headband £10; ASOS Jewelled Moon Doorknocker Earrings with Detachable Stud £20; ASOS Shard Necklace £10; ASOS Hair Spikes with Hanging Chains £12

Left to right: H&M Necklace £12.99; H&M Bracelet £7.99; H&M Necklace £7.99; H&M Earrings £5.99; H&M Earrings £6.99

Left to right: Zara Women's Golden Mesh Bib Necklace with Black Stones £19.99;  Zara Jewel Necklace with Stones and Glass Tear £19.99

Left to right: Topshop Deco Chandelier Earrings £15; Topshop Curve Hollow Bar Necklace £15; Topshop Wild Thing Shard Ear Cuff £8.50; Topshop Perspex Peter Pan Necklace £25

Pssssst... you know those super cute detachable Peter Pan collars that are all over the shop right now? If  you want something a little more unique without paying custom/couture price tags then head over to Etsy for some handmade bargains! Here's a few I think are worth checking out...

I haven't listed the sellers or prices of these Etsy delights as these pieces are one offs (yay!) which does mean they go quickly (boo!) BUT there's pages and pages more of them (YAY!).

tooooo many tights!

Well the weather can't quite decide what it wants to do with itself right now: one moment I'm rejoicing at the nip in the air meaning I can break out my chunky knits and the next I'm scrabbling to peel off the layers lest I melt into a little puddle on the floor. BUT seeing as it's October and technically it's meant to be Autumn/Winter now I thought I would pay homage to one of my favourite cold weather accessories.

Wolford A/W '11 Bonny Dots

Tights tights tights: streamlining legs, shutting out the cold and reducing shaving costs for the female masses since the Sixties. Since then designers have experimented with patterns and prints to jazz up this simple staple, and this season it seems as if they've gone mad for extravagant leg dressing. In terms of premium hosiery, the first brand that always comes to my mind is Wolford, well known and loved in the fashion industry for its high quality product and high fashion designs. Unfortunately at around £30 a pair, those of us on a budget are somewhat loathed to click 'Add to Basket'.

That's why I was delighted to find so many alternatives on the high street, still on trend but with a much more convenient price tag:

Gipsy Big Spot Tights from ASOS - £8!

These Gipsy tights available from ASOS are a dead ringer for the Wolford Bonny Dots, and a darn sight cheaper at only £8! Cuter than a basket of puppies and kittens and simple enough to pair with several of this season's other trends without looking like you're a sandwich short of a picnic.

Next Navy Medium Spot Tights - £6.50!

Next also offer their own take on the polka dot pins, but they've also incorporated a twilight blue, an intoxicating favourite with fashion houses this season.

H&M Houndstooth Tights - £2.99!

My personal favourite after trawling through several websites and high street shops, these extravagant houndstooth tights from H&M are a complete bargain at only £2.99! Talking from experience, they look KILLER with a slinky, high-waisted pencil skirt and blocky, platform heels but they'd also go great with any number of this season's Forties inspired pieces. (N.B. The above image is of the Wolford Cheryl tights, H&M are rubbish and have not put their version up on their website, but it is almost identical except for the nude panels which are a very sheer black on the H&M product.)

Next Black Star Tights - £6!

Another popular name in the hosiery game is of course the dashing Henry Holland, whose collaborations with Pretty Polly have frequently been the focus of my style envy. This season he has snatched the A/W '11 star print trend from the skies and sprinkled them over a pair of his famous tights. Though not quite as dear as Wolford at £14.99, it's always good to look after the pennies, so you may want to opt instead for Next's version for only £6!

And finally, though not necessarily a trend for A/W '11 I felt I had to share a surprising discovery I made whilst shopping yesterday: fishnet tights are a frequent favourite of mine for nights out, but blow me if they aren't hard to find on the high street for a reasonable price! I know you'll all be screaming PRIMARK at your computer screens, but unfortunately for a girl with a little more cushion for pushin' around the derriére, the fit is truly awful. So imagine my surprise when I spied my faithful fishnets in Wilkinsons for just £2 a pair! Plus the fit is fantastic, who knew?

Wilko Fashion Tights - £2!

That's it for another post lovelies! I really am trying to get round to my supermarket beauty buys, hopefully this week will prove slightly more productive, and I hope to do a budget nail colour/design video too! In the meantime, leave me comments if you buy/own any of these tights and let me know what you wear them with!