Happy New Year

My gift from Cosmo - this beautiful Smythson make up case - still lies next to my bed so I see it every morning when I wake up. A yawn, eyes open, and then it is soft red leather to wish me Good Morning.

I think I love the box nearly as much as the case. It is so understated but the printed 'Smythson' oozes elegance. I think that is often the way - sometimes the packaging is just as glorious as what lies inside. Just think about having a black Chanel shopping bag standing at the foot of your bed, tissue paper spilling onto your floor, and you will see what I mean.

In my last week at Cosmo I was given this fuchsia French Connection clutch bag. It makes me think of a fan or the ruffled wing of some fabulous bird. I love it. Some people dislike clutches for their inpracticality - they lack that handle enabling you to sling it over your shoulder and forget about it like most handbags. But that is one of the reasons I love clutch bags - their unashamed 'Look at ME' nature. Clutch bags are there to be noticed, and hugged affectionately close.

For Christmas my boyfriend gave me a 'Think Pink' bath bomb from Lush. After exploding in a fizz of bubbles it proceeded to turn my bath bright pink - it made me so happy I just had to take a photograph. Floating on the surface were tiny pink flowers and the bathroom smelt like sugar mice. I wish every bath was like this.

And so to bed with this gorgeous pink kimono dressing gown I was given for Christmas. I also have matching pjs; on Christmas Day I couldn't wait until it was suitably late to change into them. I deemed 7:30 acceptable and sat by the fire, wrapped up in pink florals and feeling like a rosy princess. I think my friends and family know me well - most of my presents this year were either pink, or fashion related. I am now building a library of fashion books - strokable tomes of photographs and those that I can't wait to read. I also received two fashion DVDs, 'Coco Before Chanel' and 'The September Issue'. I have been dying to watch it since it came out and was buzzing with excitement when I opened it. It is fabulous, and makes Meryll Streep in 'The Devil Wears Prada' seem like a kitten. However, far from curbing my desire to work behind those glass fronted doors of Vogue House, it has made me even more determined. But determined to get there not by being an ice woman, but by being NICE. I am a die hard believer in niceness and even Anna Wintour isn't going to change my mind on that.

Libby