A little Christmas indulgence on my part, browsing the gorgeous pieces on French site Carnet de Mode and hopefully giving you a little inspiration along the way…!

Accessories are king when it comes to Christmas, for me at least! And the more luxurious the better – real sheepskin gloves, cashmere hats and scarfs or a beautiful piece of jewellery. Basically that thing which you would never buy for yourself, but dream of unwrapping by the Christmas tree. It’s a hard one though, family will always ask you what you want and I find it a real dilemma what to say. Of course, it is useful to have guidance on a present (there are some people who are just impossible to buy for) but then that does take out one of the most exciting things about gift-giving – the element of surprise. I guess it depends how much you value that. I’ve never been a huge one for surprises, I do always like to know what’s going on; I don’t really mind being told the end of a movie or novel, I’d rather know and when I was pregnant I definitely wanted to know if I was having a boy or a girl! And, yes, I know, it’s probably a control thing!

Anyway, there are some really interesting pieces on Carnet de Mode – it feels a bit like a French version of Liberty (if Liberty was just online and only did clothes!). Very elegant but with edgy choices. Sometimes it’s worth having a look further afield to refresh your taste and open you up to something new. As, let’s face it, it’s so easy to get stuck in your ways. My big style epiphany this autumn, as I keep mentioning (ahem, sorry!) is my move from classic ankle boots to more biker cut-out versions with a big chunky heel. I will be honest and say if it hadn’t been for blogging and considering new things to incorporate into my wardrobe I may never had made the leap, and now I can’t live without them!

So, take a little inspiration from my edit – see Carnet de Mode’s accessories and bags –and keep your eyes peeled for some more Christmas gift posts coming up – tomorrow I’m hitting Camden’s Christmas market, exciting!

1. Clutches by Georgina Skalidi | 2. Shoes by De Siena | 3. Rings by Tamarzizt | 4. Scarves by Esther Goodness Paris

This post is a brand collaboration.