It's a Jungle Out There

When Carrie strutted her stuff in that gorgeous pair of Manolo Blahnik zebra print shoes we all sat and sighed on our sofas, lustfully wishing we could pull off a look like that. Well animal prints are massive on the high street this winter, particularly leopard print so it's time to give it a go. Yes the the torch has passed from the TV screen to the street scene but if you want to get this look working for you you need to forget the tacky splendour of Bette Lynch. In 2008 this look is all about subtlety.

I've seen quite a few girls on the tube getting it totally wrong and teaming a leopard print top with a leopard print coat and leopord print trousers...and maybe even a leopard print bag too. Ladies...it's all just a bit too much. Generally speaking you should not be wearing more than one item of leopard print clothing and you should definitely not be mixing animal prints by wearing giraffe, zebra and leopard all it once. Subtlety...remember?

If you just want a hint of leopard print simply use it when you accessorize. This beautiful hair band from asos (above) merges animal prints and cutesy bows. It now costs just £2.00 making it a definitive item for winter 2008. If you're feeling a little bit bolder opt for this sleek and chic leopard print tunic (right) also available from asos at the bargain price of £25.00. It will look great over black trousers or leggings, or teamed with your favourite jeans down the pub on a Friday night.

If you want to step up the amount of leopard print you're wearing without over doing it, opt for a pair of leopard print shoes. Because they are on your feet they are less noticeable which stops the look from being too overbearing. These adorable leopard print ballet pumps, complete with a little black bow, are built for both comfort and style and are available from New Look for just £20.00. The bottom line is to have fun taking a walk on the wild side but to also keep in mind that simple is always stylish.

I put a bird on my head...

Some say Carrie's bridal bird-in-the-hair moment was a fashion faux pas but I think it summarises true Sex and the City style. It was bold, beautiful and, as with all of Carrie's best looks, a little bit unexpected! Admittedly it's not the kind of look you can really pull off on the high street, but it is possible to successfully emulate the idea with some subtle feathered hair pieces and still look right at home in Leeds city centre...this is assuming that you're also willing to ditch the Vivienne Westwood weddding gown, it's a bit OTT for a trip to Dorothy Perkins.

It's really important with a look like this that your head piece is as unusual as possible. The last thing you want with such a unique fashion move is to walk down the street and spot other people wearing exactly the same thing. You can get individual hand-made pieces for low prices at Etsy. My favourite shops on this site for recreating the bridal bird look are Designs by Portobello who make this stunning peacock feather hair band (above) for $38.00 and Chuletin Designs who currently stock this fabulous feathered comb (below) for a mere $12.00.

You don't have to be going to your best mates wedding to dress your hair up. Although admittedly these accessories would be out of place in a grungy club if teamed with the right outfit these beautiful feathered fancies could be worn to a sunday lunch, a Friday night on the town, a family dinner or a walk in the park. You could go boho trendy with your look or up-market chic, either way wearing feathers in your hair is a bold move so you're likely to be the only one doing it. And let's face it, in a land overrun with Kate-Moss-a-like drones who spend their lives trying to copy-cat TopShop mannequins, there's no better feeling than staying at the edge of style and standing out in the crowd.