Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for using her Chloé Paddington for the first time.

I'm a very luck girl, although some would read that as "spoilt brat", as I am now the owner of a Chloé Paddington bag. It was a Christmas present that I was allowed to use early and the bag got her first outing today to my media lecture.

It is a beautiful bag- such soft leather and rather roomy considering it doesn't look it but, Jesus, isn't the bag/lock heavy? Never mind, I'll suffer the pain of a sore shoulder/arm/back from the lock and contents. Not a problem!

But why don't men get the joy that this bag brings me? I haven't really spoken to my boyfriend about it but, considering we discussed his love of Living Lohan and America's Next Top Model in my media lecture today, I'm sort of guessing he'll understand more than most. However, I called my best friend up and squealed in delight that I was carrying a Chloé Paddington on my arm and he just sort of snorted and started talking about his silly new computer game (snore!). His loss.

The biggest reaction came from my friend Mike, though, who implied that I was some sort of wannabe WAG. One must laugh but, as I text him back and tried to reason with him that I'm currently a girlfriend of an assistant editor and not a footballer, I realised that Ms. Beckham has exactly the same bag as moi. Seriously, Mike, I don't go for footballers. I just go for gorgeous bags!

Ah, just remembered what my media lecturer said about the bag; when discussing the sheer amazingness of it with a female friend, my lecturer made some comment about it being some sort of Mediveal torture bag. Hmm, if I become a kinky escort then it'll be my bag of choice.

So, it's all in the bag today for Dressing For. OK, so the outfit sort of doesn't colour match with the bag but when was that massively important? Starting with the bag (my bag!), well, not much needs to be said. I've done the classic layering look of a grey long sleeve tee and a very pretty navy Ci Ci for Topshop dress. Accessory wise, I'd throw on a beanie by ACNE, some super heels which are (surprisingly) by Paris Hilton and then added a tassel and bead necklace by DAY Birger et Mikkelsen Braided. Finally, because you can, slip on a diamond Tiffany & Co. ring. I'd wear this for drinks with friends and then a quick Pizza Express with MYB.


Chloé Paddington. by hollieanne

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for The Hills.

I finally purchased the "reality" series The Hills on DVD today. After months of giggling over T4 showings of Lauren et al, I handed over the Zavvi shop assistant a total of £18 so I can spend my Sunday evenings watching the semi-trashy show over and over again.

Last month my boyfriend and I sat down to watch an episode. A lazy Saturday morning at his place with tea and pastries became a vital moment in my boyfriend's life, seemingly. As a fan of Living Lohan and Newlyweds, I was surprised he hadn't involved himself in the love lives of Heidi and Spencer. Watching it together, both of us total media geeks, we analysed the show and came out with the following conversation:

Boyfriend: "Hollie, this is utter shit!"
Me: "Yeah, but it's sooooo good!"

You have to love it, right?

Dressing For is today inspired by "complicated" love lives, the younger days of working at Teen Vogue and the major need for a Chanel bag!

Simple Charlotte Russe shorts, a Topshop Marc Bolan tee and a Warehouse cardigan focus on the staple "LA Girl About Town" look. But what makes it is the accessories. Chanel large quilted shopper? Check! Chanel-esque quilted ballet flats available from Net-A-Porter? Check! Huge sunglasses? Yup! And a colourful Topshop bracelet? You know it! So, stick your "cell phone" to your ear and pretend you're chatting to Teen Vogue's West Coast Editor- true The Hills style!

LA style. by hollieanne

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for creative writing.

Nice little English Language lecture this morning. Actually, when I say nice I mean rather dull in the form of being given 2 hours and 30 minutes to write a short instructive piece (How To Apply Lipstick was my contribution!), a formal letter (I complained to Dune about the red patent paint coming off my new wedges after one day) and a descriptive piece (based on getting a cab after my boyfriend and I left the Wallpaper* Design Awards in January of this year).

As my lecturer was reading through my rambles on air kissing and Eton accent slurring of "It was lovely to meet you, Hollie daaaarrrrrlling" she gave me a compliment which, at first, I didn't realise how amazing it was. Apparently my descriptive pieces read exactly like F. Scott Fitzgerald (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Scott_Fitzgerald). I admit, I didn't know who he was! Yup, I can tell you who was in the front row of the Alexander Wang A/W 2008 show but I'm not the most literally read bird. It's not that I don't care, I love to read and will read anything I can get my hands on, but perhaps I enjoy the more fluffy side of things after a long stressful day of sub-editing/feature writing/studying.

My classmates then informed me how much of a wonderful man Mr. F. Scott Fitzgerald actually is and that I should be elated that I have a similar tone and style to him. Wa-hey for me!

So today I'm dressing for creative writing. Hours in coffee shops writing descriptive pieces about a geeky boy who makes it in the Big City, creating ideas for short stories and epic novels, producing characters like the person I've always wanted to be, daydreaming and scribbling every though on the page. Ahh, the art of imagination...

This outfit is indeed eclectic but why not, eh? I do realise that I am a massive La Garçonne geek and I do adore Chloé but how can I help it when they produce these beauties included in the outfit below? The wear with everything La Garçonne dress should be a staple and when paired with the chunky striped Chloé cardie, it's the perfect slouchy working from home outfit. I've added a brilliant pair of Gareth Pugh leggings (possibly the only wearable thing he's ever made) and stuck on a 40s style green trilby to be extra colourful and quirky. Again, it's a selling my granny style situation for this Chloé day bag. Any offers on my darling grandmother? I'll accept in the region of £825. Let the bidding begin!

Hollie-Anne Brooks dresses for Wokmania.

I was educated tonight. I learnt something that will stick with me through all my life and prove to be a valuable life lesson. Tonight I learned that you should never, ever, ever allow students near a chocolate fountain! The thing is, the title of "mature student" means nothing when it comes to a river of cheap chocolate sauce.

We couldn't resist the unlimited ice-cream machine and nor could we resist plunging the ice-cream under the chocolate fountain and cheering like seals when the chocolate quickly solidified. I admit, as a group of people in our early 20s (well, almost for me), we used a five year old boy and his masterful handling of the flowing chocolate Heaven as our mentor. That kid knew how to do it!

I was one of the boys tonight. The girls among us aren't exactly girly girls and despite my dress loving appearance, I can handle my own. So I was on Fosters tonight. Yup, I drink pints when I'm with the lads and wine when I'm with the boyfriend (despite our rather long lasting relationship, I still want him to think I'm a classy bird!).

Selecting the outfit for Dressing For today required me to pick something feminine and yet edgy. I would probably sell my gran (if she were alive) for this silk D&G tartan blouse (I'm sensing a sell-out item...) and once paired with some classic black jeans, your outfit doesn't need much more apart from some sexy shoe-boots like these ones by Chloé. I've added a Butler and Wilson brooch (I adore Butler and Wilson!) and a pair of super cheap Claire's angel wing earrings. Finally, anyone fancy spending about a grand on this Roberto Cavalli leather shoulder bag for me? There's not much I wouldn't do...