“They’re lauding the ample, sexy behind of Joan, Mad Men’s smoking-hot secretary, and beginning to reject the boniness of eastern European skinny-minnies. Could it be that, finally, we can put those two incendiary little words, “size” and “zero”, behind us, and that Lowe and her softly cut ilk are the poster girls for a new aesthetic of womanliness and personality that lies ahead?” - Kate Spicer, on what she thinks is ‘the death of size zero’, in the London Times.

ps. Just wondering, when did it become ok to make fun of eastern European girls’ looks in such a blanket way, something we’ve seen a lot of lately?

“The “morning after” look has morphed from ignominy to desirability — the walk of shame has become chic. Pick up any tabloid and there they all are, the cream of London’s youth, working the look. Peaches and Pixie, Agyness Deyn and Alexa Chung, all caught in daylight dressed in night-before clothes — metallics, men’s cardigans, smudgy make-up, unbrushed hair and a squirt of eau de sex.” - Alice B-B, on the walk of shame, in the London Times.

“Burberry, the British luxury fashion brand, is riding out the credit crunch with £450 wellies, an £11,000 alligator skin handbag and a £3,000 chevron coat worn by Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City - the Movie.” - Steve Hawkes, in the London Times

“Sometimes I’ll walk past a store and see that [$500 flip-flops], or see rubber boots for $500, and it disgusts me. I know what it costs to make them.” - Robert Duffy, in the New York Times.

There was a love letter to online shopping in the London Times this weekend.

The author says, “Shopping has long been viewed as something that offers comfort in times of need, loneliness, boredom or inebriation, and now the door is open 24/7.” She’d rather spend obscene amounts of money on Net-a-Porter than in Harvey Nichols and even admits to buying a few outrageous pieces after a night of heavy drinking.

Natalie sympathizes. She loves to shop online - she’s bought clothes, shoes, bags and even, wait for it, bras. She credits some of it to the fact that she often buys the same brands so she always knows her size - she also knows the difference between buying a bag (safe) versus buying a dress (risky) over the internet - and that Nordstrom has the best return policy ever.

But I’m so baffled by the entire concept. How in the world do you know how something fits/feels/hangs without trying it on?

When I shop, I have to take every size - yes, small, medium and large - into the dressing room to see which fits best. I own jeans in sizes 28 through 31, dresses range from a 4 to an 8 and that’s even from the same brand! I can’t be bothered with ordering something, waiting for it, and possibly hating it and having to go through the trouble of sending it back.

Not to mention the fact that I have little self control and once I open the floodgates of online shopping, it’s only a matter of time before I stumble home at 3 am and buy the shoes to the left with little or no thought of the consequences.

If you shop online, how do you do it? And do you still go to real stores like Natalie, or do all your purchases get made in cyberspace?

“So in many ways the news that high-end labels are getting in on this particular act and calling it ombre is encouraging, as it means there is now a distinct possibility that there will be some tie-dye on the market that looks quite nice – if you like that sort of thing.” - Lisa Armstrong, on the revival of tie-dye for spring, in the London Times.

The Times UK has a very funny roundup of “The Year in Fashion,” proclaiming Sienna and (pregnant?!) Lily Allen as favorite style icons and Kate Moss as a major fashion trooper.

But the bottom of the story is where it gets interesting, as our idol Lisa Armstrong proclaims lip gloss to be dead.

She compares Juicy Tubes and Lip Venom to porn star chic, but we link it with Rihanna, Heatherette, and The Hills - maybe not the chicest of choices, but one that’s fun, youthful, and easy to wear with heavy eyeliner or a low cut dress. Granted, both of those things appear frequently at The Playboy Mansion, but they’re also standard for a Friday night out.

But maybe this is one of those examples when London trends and American ones don’t quite stack up - we still haven’t fully embraced Beth Ditto, soccer, or wearing feathered veils to church. In which case, perhaps a fresh coat of lip varnish is downright patriotic… or at least practical, since we use it instead of Chapstick in the winter.

“Above the shop floor, in the cash office, Prince Boateng is not so forthcoming. He is waiting anxiously for the return of a ‘Charley run’, in which staff wearing protective glasses ‘in case someone wants to spray their eyes with pepper spray – or perfume’ push a metal safe around the store to collect the takings from every till.” — On the madness of working at TopShop on December 15th, from the London Times.