Hot on the Highstreet Week 38 - She Died of Beauty on Valentines Day...

So it’s Valentines Day again, the 24 hours we endure once a year and all love to hate. Even those happily paired up seem to dread this celebration of blissful love and affection. Whether you choose to remember it or not I think I’ve found a quirky gift to satisfy even the grumpiest of cynics.

‘She Died of Beauty’ is an ethically and organically sourced brand created by friends Erin O’Connor (supermodel) and Kate Halfpenny (stylist) in September 2010. The capsule collection features monochrome printed t-shirts and bags with five different statements based on the epithet ‘she died of beauty’. A sarcastic twist on the mercenary fashion world mocking those girls that are willing to devote their lives to the cause - it is a very clever idea. They are witty and bold as well as being unique and very wearable. My favourite for Valentines day is ‘she died of kisses’.

These ironic bags and t-shirts are original and fun and are the perfect not-too-gushy present for your favourite girl, whether she is a partner or just a deserving friend. Still a very new brand on the market, I’m sure these are going to be extremely popular with fashion forward celebrity women. T-shirts come in black or white with vice versa colour writing; they are priced at £40. The cotton tote bags also come in black or a plain cream colour and are a reasonable £20.

Buy someone the gift to die for this Valentines day.

Visit the ‘She Died of Beauty’ website and buy here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 12

It’s back to school time, and even if you are long out of the education system, take advantage of the upcoming preppy trends, they are cooler than you’d think.

The Cambridge Satchel Company is a British company, that make all their products in the UK. Grazia call them “one of the biggest success stories of the year” and they feature as one of Elle Magazine’s ‘spring picks’. If you have been one of the many combing the London markets for an authentic vintage satchel, your search stops here.

The Cambridge Satchel Company have a range of leather bags - aside from the standard satchel they also offer the on-trend ‘batchel’ (“a satchel with the addition of a top handle, to make it easier to move around.”) They also have traditional music bags and stylish trunks. All come in varying sizes and colours.

My favourite thing about this company is their embossing service. Each leather item that you buy can be embossed with your initials or name, making it that extra bit more special and unique.

The different satchels vary in price (according to size) from £66 to £76 and would look equally at home in the school corridors or on the catwalk. For a more vintage feel I would advise going for the more neutral colours; black, brown or dark blue.

Urban Outfitters has a limited selection of these satchels on their shop floor, but for the best prices buy them from the website here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 4

Hello summer sales! There is so much to choose from this week ... I have decided on French Connection's Moroccan Suede bag. Reduced from £160 to £80, this bag is a real bargain.

I am a sucker for designer handbags, but this French Connection beauty caught my eye. It is made from good quality soft suede and has nice stud details that make it look much more high end designer than highstreet. It comes in black, pink and blue. My favourite is the pink, a bright and yet sophisticated colour that would perfectly complete an evening summer outfit.

This bag also comes in a leather option, also nice and even cheaper at £57. If you can't quite afford a Mulberry or Balenciaga I would say French Connection's Moroccan Suede bag is the next best thing.

Buy here.