The fervour of fashion week is abating. We've had London Collections: Men, Pitti Uomo, Milan & Paris crammed into the first few weeks of January. While the spectacle and splendour of the frankly amazing collections cannot be diminished, what does this mean to the everyman?

How do we enjoy the spoils of the catwalk without drowning in couture? Not every one has the confidence to pull off some of the more avant garde pieces, not everyone can wear them to work & frankly, not everyone can afford them.

Designer fashion is no longer the prohibitive members-only club is used to be. The abundance of diffusion lines (which many consumers do not know differ from their parent brands) allows those of us on a smaller budget to access these once hallowed hauses. However, they will never have the impact of the original pieces after being diluted and censored for the masses.

This is where we tread the fine line style and fashion. Style is a personal thing, but so is the loose term of "fashion". The fashion we see on the runway has been the personal concept and product of a single designer so to derisively say we are not influenced by the styles of other is a lie. We all wear something someone else (somehow) told us to wear.

Appreciation for these designer brands is important, however, we do not have to follow them fully. Blending of designers, trends or styles is key to creating your own wardrobe personality. The average man, such as myself, actually benefits from this situation. We might be limited by budget or bravery so it forces us to become more crafty in our style, getting to pick & choose from the best of both worlds.

It's been just over a week since the climatic (if somewhat cliched) finale of season 3 of the BBC's brilliant Sherlock and I am already missing it.

I've been a fan of Sherlock for many years, reading many of the stories in my teens and being raised on the Jeremy Brett version by my mum (she is a murder-mystery obsessive). The modern adaptation of Sherlock is a fresh and welcome change to the skewed view of the deer-stalker wearing detective we all think we know.

Benedict Cumberbatch's Sherlock is a man of the times, embracing modern technology and fashion with a carefree and indifferent edge that makes his style so appealing. This apparent lack of interest in anything other than "the game" belies a clear need for structure in his life and his uniform shows this.

Rarely seen out of formal wear, his suit is a suit of armour for this flawed hero.  He shows that a suit doesn't restrict, rather that it empowers. Seeing a man run (literally) all over London in a suit, it is clear that fit is key and finding the perfect suit is a labour of love rather than a thankless chore.

I've selected some of the key pieces and iconic looks from the series and found a few style-steals to help you channel your inner Baker Street Irregular.

First up is the iconic over coat
The coat worn in the show is the Belstaff Milton coat. At a whopping £1250 it is not the coat for everyone but such was the demand that the company brought it out of retirement following the success of the first season.  (Rarely worn without the vintage Paul Smith scarf seen above.)

Never seen in bright colours, the unusual inclusion of this purple Dolce & Gabbana shirt is still a staple of the Sherlock wardrobe. Purple is a great colour for most men, rich and warm, it's strong without being garish

You can't contaminate a crime scene with finger prints so a pair of leather gloves are a must for any gentleman
These heavy pieces are by Paul Smith.

Finally we come to Sherlock's days off. Not one to don a hoodie and I doubt he'd know what a onesie is, he does seem rather partial to a dressing gown (or 3.)
Another uniform of sorts, Sherlock resorts to his dressing gown when he is in his melancholic maudlin state, searching for a break-through. We all crave comfort in our clothing at times but most of us have forgotten that doesn't mean we can be slobs.

Here's my break down on those must-haves:

1. Peter Werth Morton Reefer Jacket (House of Fraser) £174: The classic combo of double-breasted & houndstooth will keep this coat stylish for years to come. Get it dry cleaned before you store it for summer.
2. River Island purple pin-collar shirt £30: The skewed formality of the collar pin is a little more classic Holmes (think the Downey Jr movie version) but modern enough to be suave.
3. ASOS leather gloves £20: A good basic piece of wardrobe kit, these gauntlet shaped gloves will keep your knuckles toasty while on your phone (although your iPhone won't work with them)
4. M&S Winceyette (god i love that word) dressing gown £17.50: Part Hugh Heffner, part home comfort, all about the Sunday morning malaise.

It's the first day of 2014 and I've spent it lounging in a onesie. I know, my life is so rock n' roll.

2013 was a great year. It was the year I finally started this blog after several aborted attempts over the past few years. I moved into my house in January and the BF proposed to me in it on my birthday. I made new friends and connections. Here's hoping 2014 will be even better!

A new year is a potential for all kinds of change but why do we put so much effort and pressure on changing because of one day? Surely change should be a continuous and on-going improvement of ourselves.

My new year's resolution was to not make a resolution. I have goals I wish to accomplish this year; things I want to do, things I want to make, places I want to go. The fact that the date has changed is not a motivating factor in this.

Will you join me in the boycott of faux change and just make it happen because you want to, not because the calendar says you should?

BTW: white rabbits white rabbits white rabbits. (I'm a cynical superstitionist who just loves a rabbit)