The brand name Oakley is indeed a familiar one and is mostly associated with their fine range of sports orientated sunglasses. Favoured by avid sport enthusiasts and celebrities, Oakley combines high style with full function in their watch designs and is one of those brands which has real value in terms of quality and reliability. Oakley watches are designed to suit every taste. For cool, slick and understated you can opt for a metal wrist band whereas if you prefer your timepiece more functional and durable you can choose a leather or rubber watchband.

A new addition to the range includes The Oakley “Blade” which is definitely a fresh and chic group of watches. These timepieces use the same pure sapphire crystals as used in most high-end watches and they are also enhanced with an anti-reflective coating. The stainless steel bracelet is made so that it can fit a range of wrist sizes and a funky feature of the watch incorporates curved blade shaped hands that are signature to Oakley. The analogue chronograph watch, the “Detonator” has a very James Bond-esque appeal and has that futuristic scientific vibe in its design features. The watch has a 7-hand display, a strong 3-D internal frame even measures 1/5-second intervals, elapsed time, split time, accumulated time, and dual competitor time!

Oakley watches are beautifully and skilfully crafted and really have that classic but cool edge. They are also very popular among celebrities such as Nicole Ritchie, Lil John and sports stars including Lance Armstrong and Ryan Sheckler. Oakley has always maintained its commitment to predominantly being a sports brand but has successfully diversified into the fashion market meaning you can be sporty and stylish.

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The fashion brand synonymous with style and quality has expanded its watch range and launched some seasonal time pieces that will no doubt be snapped up pretty pronto. With a watch to suit every taste, the range ticks every trend box too - from animal-print straps to diamante displays, these affordable accessories are the next big must-have.

Famous for bringing a designer approach to the high street, Karen Millen was established in 1981 with the flagship store opening just two years later in 1983. Since then the brand has gone from strength to strength and now has stores all over the world, as well as its fair share of celebrity fans with Daisy Lowe starring in their advertising campaign this winter. Isla Fisher and Christina Ricci are also rumoured to be part of the KM fan-club.

But it’s not just A-listers who can bag this booty; accessories are one easy way to get your claws into a designer piece without going overboard on the pennies, and even as everyone starts tightening their belts (or should that be watch straps), luckily this new range won’t make your eyes water when it comes to cost. Starting at £60 for a classic black watch that would work with every clothing item you’ve ever owned, think of it as your LBW (little black watch) –or if you’re a fan of the slightly less conventional watch styles we highlighted last month (think pendants, bracelets etc), why not try one of the Karen Millen cuffs with padlock style face instead? Even the most expensive piece – a jewel studded stainless steel bangle watch - is a justifiable £150, and we all know sparkle doesn’t come for free.

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Nixon are most commonly renowned within the sports industry and their timepieces have steadily made an impact on the watch scene over the last decade. Nixon watches originated in California in 1997 as a boutique watch manufacturer making specialist watches for the youth and fashion market and wanted to create something a little different by catering to all styles and tastes.

Particularly popular within the surfing market, Nixon now also produce a wide range of lifestyle products but are probably most famous for their extremely well crafted and on-trend timepieces. Nixon watches are regarded as highly sought after and represent style, class, individuality and quality.

Nixon aim to create watches with personality and the various designs are created according to individual personalities. If you are after something bold, vibrant and fun, the Vega Nixon watch in hot pink would be a perfect choice whereas if you are seeking something a bit more subtle, The Private would be a more suitable option. Nixon have even designed something for the dork in us (there is a dork in everyone after all!) which is aptly named The Dork. The names are definitely part of the fun when choosing a Nixon watch!

Of course, where there is a cool accessory, there is a cool celebrity who will be seen sporting it and Nixon have even recently created an elite new range designed by celebs such as Fall Out Boy, Ringo Starr and Jack Black who are all fans. The proceeds of this range will go towards The Grammy Association’s MusiCares MAP Fund and The Tony Hawk Foundation. Of course, Nixon are primarily geared towards surfing and sport and so have many celebrities in this field such as Casey Brown and Mike Gleason who are all fans of the brand. Johnny Depp was also recently spotted wearing a Nixon watch. These watches all have a sporty yet stylish edge and have that element of knowing you are wearing something ultra cool!

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Spreading a little ‘ooh la la’ onto the fashion scene, Paris has spent the past few days hosting the spring / summer 09 fashion week finale. And what a way to end the season; with the likes of Gareth Pugh, Louis Vuitton, Nina Ricci, DIOR and Givenchy all unveiling their forthcoming collections. Once again, accessories were the name of the game and came in every shape and size imaginable. From hats to bags, boots to berets, the designers ticked every accessory box going.

Bag-wise, expect clutches to continue at the top of the charts, seen clasped daintily between model’s hands on the catwalks of Balenciaga, Lacroix and Dries Van Norten. The latter also taking a shine to big, black bug-like shades. And not wanting to be outdone, Karl Lagerfeld persisted with his monochrome palette and popped a pair of dark black circular shades onto models as they headed on down the runway.

Another big player at Lagerfeld and Lacroix and in fact Andrew Gn was the use of cuffs incorporated into the outfit, and we’re not talking cuff detail on clothing either. This is all about separates – think punched-out leather detailing, multicoloured materials and fossil-like adornments. For extra drama, mix with over-sized necklaces and bauble-esque earrings a la Gn, or do as the French do (or should that be Sonia Rykiel) and invest in a cashmere beret – c’est magnifique!

Rykiel also proved that not all sunglasses next spring will be big and bulbous, opting for a 70s white rimmed frame with graduating lens. Hussein Chalayan on the other hand, decided to opt out of using lenses altogether and chose to go all futuristic, using plastic wrap-around glasses that could easily have passed for 3D specs instead.

From head to toe and feet were covered up with candy coloured contraptions at Jean Paul Gaultier, complete with ankle-tie ribbons whilst at Givenchy, over-the-knee boots were the focus footwear, although we’re not sure you’ll get away with them on the beach!

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As Fashion Week rotates around the globe, the penultimate week has very recently rounded off in the city of the sophisticated and chic; Milan. The catwalks which displayed the various collections for Spring/Summer 2009, focused heavily on jewellery and the general consensus is definitely the bolder the better. Baubles, bangles vibrant necklaces and earrings have returned with a bang to the Milan runway after several seasons of the more minimal and subtle alternatives.

The prominent jewellery trend seen on the catwalk maintained an earthy vibe, almost with a tribal edge and incorporated wood detail within necklaces and bracelets. Earrings were large, colourful and dangling as seen at the Marni show whereby the earrings were made out of heavy stone and featured crystal detail. The Gucci show was typically filled with beautiful, wearable styles and continued its favourable bejewelled theme. Classic style large brooches with gemstone hues were used to pin gowns together. Gucci’s creative director Frida Giannini who is an expert in accessories suggests that the best way to stylishly include jewellery into your look is to limit it to large and bold precious stones, including amethyst, agate and crystal. Giannini has incorporated the use of beautiful and colourful stones embellished onto clutch bags which injects an element of decadent class and sophistication.

Cavalli opted for a classic yet bold style with the use of glimmering gold and stone teamed with his mini ball gowns. The bracelets were worn as strands and wrapped around the wrist like a cuff.

London consistently maintains an experimental and sometimes unpredictable sense of style, whereas Milan is renowned for its classic and continuous elegance in fashion. The various pieces of jewellery seen on the catwalks this September were certainly a bolder statement than we have seen throughout previous fashion weeks. Definitely a welcome return!

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Just like Christmas for the little ones, everyone and anyone in the fashion industry eagerly await to take their coveted seat at one of the most important events of the year… London Fashion Week! Whilst us mere mortal fashion addicts anticipate those in the Prada heels and designer outfits to report on their fabulously glamorous time from the front row and the ‘who’s who’, ‘who wore what’ ‘what to wear’ from the world of London fashion.

London Fashion Week is without a doubt one of the most exciting fashion weeks in the world… as the influential Lorraine Candy, Editor of ELLE UK, said herself “New York is slick, Milan is sexy and Paris is chic, but London is all about the new.” Every year London Fashion week sizzles with an air or unpredictability, and this year was no exception. From the hottest up and coming designers to the models of the moment and the new trends for Spring/ Summer 2009, London Fashion Week offered us it at all!

Ok we’re only just making the move into Autumn/ Winter 2008 and have yet to purchase that all-important winter wardrobe, but it’s always good to know what’s coming around the fashion corner. So here’s a round up of Spring/ Summer 2008 as brought to us from London Fashion Week…

There’s no mistaking that both London’s new and established generation of designers clearly made their mark upon the trends for Spring/ Summer 2009, with each and every designer’s collection successfully demonstrating a strong undertone of their unique independent and creative flair.

Christopher Kane highlighted his experimental approach to fashion, bringing us a close encounter of the dinosaur kind with a highly contemporary collection of chiffon and leather pieces adorned with stegosaurus-style scales.

Giles Deacon brought the 1980’s smack-bang into the future with his confident use of black, white, silver and primary colours running throughout a noticeably 80’s inspired collection of pencil skirts, dresses, skinny jeans and ballgowns. In comparison, Louise Goldin’s visionary collection of 3-D knitwear was nothing less than futuristic.

Staying true to his French roots, Charles Anastase added a hint of Victoriana to LFW with his delicately layered pieces, and other global influences could quite clearly be seen amongst Paul Smith’s collection. One of his best yet, the London designer brought us a wonderful mix of folkloric prints and North African tones.

Julien Macdonald surprised us all with his minimal use of bling amongst his sleek collection of tailored separates and column gowns, whilst John Rocha maintained his signature style in keeping his familiar Celtic references.

Although a slightly safer and more feminine collection than ever seen before by Dame Westwood, it worked. And of course, the shock tactics were out in full force with the gratuitous topless model!

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While most people have begun the hunt for the perfect winter coat and boots, there’s a certain sector of society that are onto the next season without giving autumn/winter 08 another thought. That’s because last week London was transformed from capital city of the UK to fashion capital of the world, thanks to London Fashion Week.

Running for six whole days, the fashion pack flocked to hundreds of shows presenting the new spring/summer 09 collections. And although we lost some of our designers to New York (Alexander McQueen, Matthew Williamson- ahem), there was still the likes of Paul Smith, Vivienne Westwood, Giles Deacon and Julien McDonald to fly the British fashion flag. Lighting up the stage with the latest creations, fashion week isn’t just about the clothes; it’s about what trends we can expect from the designers next season, and that doesn’t just include the cloth and thread that binds the outfits together. It’s about the entire package – from hair to make-up, shoes to bags, jewellery to sunglasses- even the soundtrack plays its part in relaying the designer’s inspiration and defining which target market they’re appealing to.

As you’d expect, one area that particularly caught our eye were the accessories, especially those of the sunglasses variety. Continuing to make an appearance on the catwalks were coloured frames with House of Holland intertwining flora and flowers around the upper rims of lime green and pillarbox red frames which, when combined with the rounded lenses, made them look a little John Lennon-esque (despite the rest of the show having a more 80s feel). Olanic also looked to be taking their inspiration from the 80s era with bright detailing in red and white and some creative designs in monochrome with rim-free lenses and winged frames. Over at Betty Jackson, black and white was also a popular choice for frames, which were presented with paler lenses and then worn propped at the end of the nose á la school teacher. Elsewhere, Todd Lynn showcased Linda Farrow sunglasses, Topshop Unique opted for blue-tinted lenses, and Ashish teamed up with accessory brand Tatty Divine and fashioned mirrored sunglasses into hair-bands and necklaces for a totally different take on the trend – genius.

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A watch can be the single most important accessory in which you can invest in. It can represent the wearer’s personality, age, character, taste and of course a subtle hint of expressing their financial status. There are a vast number of different types and styles of watches available; the contemporary watch can range from the futuristic to the classic, from fun to chic and of course practical and sporty. There is a watch for every occasion and people are quite able to purchase more than one statement watch according to their mood.

If you are looking to invest in a watch, it can be tempting to go for the on-trend version of the season but what is really the right watch for you and which brand or style depicts your own individuality? Here are a few simple tips to consider when buying a watch.

What do I need the watch for? You must consider exactly why you need the watch. Perhaps it is for everyday use, evening glamour, or for sports and activity? This is definitely the first factor that should influence your choice of watch.

What is the main purpose of the watch? Of course, the obvious function of any watch is to tell the time, but there are many ranges with added features. Some tell the time in more cryptic, mathematical ways (Nooka and Tokyo Flash) whereas others are multi-functional and also act as a stylish piece of jewellery (Marc Jacobs and Miss Sixty). Are you seeing yourself sporting something with a funky design, or maybe with a classic dial? Many people use their watch as a way of complementing their attire or appearance.

The watch face The face of the watch is usually the first thing you will notice and it is important to select a size which complements the wrist size of the wearer. For example, if you have a large wrist and you select a watch with a small face, it will emphasise this and look a little inelegant. The simple rule and best option for men is to select a big watch face, whereas females should opt for a smaller watch face.

The strap Of course, whilst the face is vital, the strap is the part of the watch which can add that extra something. A delicate, bracelet style strap can inject a real element of glamour. However, some straps do not necessarily suit the actual watch or might not complement your overall skin tone. If you are looking for something more neutral – perhaps an everyday watch, a good option is a traditional stainless steel strap which is practical and visually appealing.

What should I pay? Watches are available in a wide range of prices. Some styles are slightly more economical whereas the more luxury brand, exclusive watches are expensive and are often bought simply because of the price tag as a way of establishing and conveying financial status. As is the case with any piece of clothing or accessory however, if you invest a little more, the item does tend to be of a better quality in terms of durability, craftmanship and reliability. Some watches also have a good re-sale value so that if you think you are likely to buy another in two or so years, you can sell them at a reasonable price. Be cautious when purchasing your watch - have a good look around when choosing and consider carefully. Steer very clear of impulse buying and go with what suits you as a person and not necessarily what is on-trend.

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In recent years, many designers and artists have channelled their creative skills into designing clothes and accessories. A perfect example of this is the range of Nooka watches, designed by New York artist Matthew Waldman. Waldman aimed to create a new and innovative way to look at time and took great care in discovering new ways of presenting it in an abstract manner. Nooka is a boutique design company that focuses upon slightly edgier watches with a different time viewing layout that the norm – the watches tell the time in hour dots and dashes and incorporate a countdown status bar which increases as the hour passes by – very reflective of the current era, as if you are waiting for the hour to download.

These trendy and quirky looking watches come in a variety of styles ranging from slick and chic to bright and bold. One of the more futuristic styles with quite the sizeable display looks particularly abstract and very art inspired. The faces of all the watches are neither digital nor analogue and have been carefully designed to represent the time in a more visual yet though provoking way. The Nooka Zirc watches have a sophisticated feel with a black face and textured wrist band. In contrast, the Nooka ZUB20 Zot is made entirely from polyurethane and displays the hours as a progression of 12 dots. The watch is designed to combine fashion with function as is water resistant, durable and is available in black, white and canary yellow.

Celebrities are also favouring the Nooka brand – Kanye West sported one in his ‘Beatdowns’ portrait and Lil Wayne, Snoop Dogg and Alicia Keys are also fans – the range has certainly become a strong contender in the most hip and trendy of the watch brands. Waldman aimed to create a more forward thinking way of telling the time and these watches with their quirky aesthetic design are definitely a fun, stylish and practical option plus despite sounding like you need a maths degree to read them, they are actually very simple to use!

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If you want to stay on top of your trends as we race towards London Fashion Week, you’ll keep your eyes peeled for the new range of Welder watches that’ll be appearing on Shadestation this October. From the designer of U-Boat watches, (aptly nicknamed ‘the billionaire’s beach watch’ due to their somewhat high price tag), Italo Fontana has created the ‘Welder’ range so us mere mortals can get a slice of the action too. With exactly the same design concepts, the main difference between the two ranges is that the U-boats use Swiss movement, whilst the Welders house Japanese quartz movement – a slightly cheaper alternative.

Military-inspired, the original range of U-boats were commissioned in 1942 for distinguished officers of the Italian navy, but the Welder is bang up-to-date in style and looks. The Yorkie bar of the watch world, these aren’t strictly for guys, but you’d have to be a pretty brave girl to strap this chunky timepiece on a dainty wrist. But despite looking big and bulky, Welder wearers have commented on how super-comfy they are, and although several designs have four corners – complete with Hex Head Cap Bolt, they’re neither sharp nor pointy so don’t dig-in or scratch. Another striking distinction between these watches and your Average Joe chronometer is the fact that the crown (sticky out bit you turn to change the time!) is on the left, but this isn’t a mishap - just a design trait, so don’t go strapping it on your right wrist.

Another quirky feature is the way these watches are delivered to their new owners. Rather than a flimsy case, Welder watches come neatly packed in a watertight box, complete with second strap - impressive or what? With innovative dials, interchangeable faces and variable colour contrasts, ‘watch’ this space, because in five weeks time, you’ll all want to get your mitts on a Welder!

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