ROSES GROW ON YOU ...

It's very refreshing to have something summery and romantic to punctuate the endless "very in" but very dull chocolate fashions that are currently being rammed down our throats. Rose prints are, surprisingly, also very "dans" this autumn (well, I do get sick of constantly saying "in"). This is because influential designers such as Anna Molinari and Dolce e Gabbana (rumoured to have made the most sought-after dress of the season in, yes, rose print) showed lots of it in their current collections. And you know how it is: where expensive designers lead, high streets stores follow. But, boring though it is to harp on about second-hand shops, they really are the places to look, because there you will find original and, let's be honest, far nicer examples of jolly nice rose prints. And with the money you save you can send your mum a bunch of the real things.

Dear Annie fans: Annie is away for two weeks. She'll be back.

Left: Pale vanilla ribbed wool jumper pounds 125, Sportmax, 32 Sloane Street, London SW1, inquiries tel: 0171 287 3434. Rose print ball gown, from a selection to buy or hire The Emporium, 330/2 Creek Road, London SE10, inquiries tel: 0181 305 1670. Green suede shoes, pounds 185, Karena Schuessler from Harrods, Knightsbridge, London SW1. Bracelet, Detail as before.

Below: Pink satin rose print dress, from a selection, Anna Molinari, 12 Old Bond Street, London W1. Inquiries: 0171 493 4872. Gold high-heels, pounds 20 (second hand), Cornucopia, 12 Upper Tachbrook St, London SW1. Rings from a selection at Detail, 48a Symons Street, London SW3 and all major high street jewellers.

Above right: Rose print cotton blouse pounds 55, Liberty, Regent Street, London W1 and branches nation-wide. Camel turtle-neck pounds 52, John Smedley, Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge, London SW1; Links of Harrogate, 1 Baines House, Station Parade, Harrogate. Grey wool skirt pounds 135, Marina Spadafora, Nicholas Edlington, Egypt Lane, Farnham Common, Bucks. Gold Bracelet, Detail, as before.

Below right: Cream wool cardigan with embroidery and cut work, pounds 15, Cornucopia, as before. White lycra T-Shirt with chocolate rose print, pounds 19.99, Oasis, 292 Regent Street, London W1. Inquiries: 0171 323 5978. Ring and necklace from a large selection at Detail, as before.

Far right: Camel cardigan pounds 64, John Smedley, as before. Rose devore dress pounds 30, Cornucopia, as before. Rings, Detail, as before.

photographs by liz collins styling by rachel collins hair by malcolm edwards for toni & guy using tigi hair care products make-up by charlotte tilbury using mary quant model merit

YES PLEASE . . .

Bizarre as it may sound, I have a few garments in my wardrobe that I call "period jumpers". They are nice snuggly woolies that you can wear when you have ghastly period pain (is this too grown up for you?) or are generally feeling ill. The main criteria is that they are extremely soft - so soft that you could sleep in them. So far only my Joseph cashmere boucle jumper has passed muster. But now Boden have these wonderful kid fur cardigans that do, too. Boden have heaps of other gorgeous things too: for starters, have a look on pages 90/91 for their towelling gym kit; page 97 for their crisp boxer shorts and page 62 for stretch flannel capri pants.

Kid fur (50 per cent wool, 50 per cent kid mohair) cardigan in red marl, blue marl or chocolate marl, pounds 75, sizes SML, call 0181 453 1535 for a catalogue.

Enough now of stupid coloured nail varnish. Natural is nice and that dark red that was so popular last year is still stylish, but please no more turquoise and navy blue and other nasty colours that make you look - no matter what you are wearing - as if you are a crustie (because invariably it gets chipped and looks ghastly). And while we're on the subject of stupid things, I am sick to my boots of "Rachel" haircuts. Why anyone would want their hair purposely cut to look like a bad teenage cut - like the one your best friend gave you in your bedroom - is beyond me. It might look OK for five seconds, but then it will flick out in all directions and look really bad. If you really want a "Rachel shag" then go down to your local zoo, let the goats have a munch, and save yourself a few bob.