It doesn't get more glamourous than Cortina d'Ampezzo; a quintessentially beautiful resort village nestled amongst the breathtaking views of the Dolomite mountains, located just outside of Venice and the venue of the 1956 Winter Olympics. It is VERY italian and VERY fashionable. You cannot be sure of finding someone who speaks English in this little town (get ready for lots of hand gestures and blank looks) but you CAN be sure of mingling with the latest in ski trends on the slopes as well as the ever important Apres Ski - and im not just talking women: men and children gave even the effortless chic of the Italian ladies a run for their money.

It was my first time. Needless to say, more on my mind than "how am i going to get down that 90 degree angled slope in one piece", was "WHAT was i going to wear while attempting it?!" Committing a fashion faux pas on these slopes was not an option so i scoured the internet for ideas and quizzed my expert buddies on what was de rigeur in the 21st century.

I was in for a few surprises. As well as the typical skiwear brands: Dare2Be, Burton, Roxy and North Face to name a few; (there is a massive North Face store in Cortina, that my Black Piste friend insisted is a major tourist attraction of the town and not to be missed-mmm hmmm- and it was literally our first port of call upon arrival), the top names in Haute have also launched their own ski wear collections- from jackets and mittens to snow poles and helmets. You'll find the likes of Chanel, Prada, Escada, Versace and of course Pucci bracing the covers of all the glossies- the ultimate height of fashion but also technically excellent.

Your wallet has to be quite deep for these labels but fear not. Many many high street chains have clued up on the fact that skiing is not just reserved for the affluent anymore and have designed their own mid priced collections which will make your bank manager still like you.

The most comprehensive range that i found was SNO at Topshop. Although small, they have included everything from All in Ones, ski and snowboard pants, fleeces, scarves, leggings and hats. The best feature in the SNO jkt has got to be the CLEAR SKI PASS POCKET; a transparent pkt flap which allows you to beep through, hassle free to the ski lifts without having to contort your body in various positions trying to locate the position of your ski pass; which is hiding in one of the zillion pockets of your jacket but you cant actually remember which one!

Please do not forget your feet! Although at the bottom of the food chain, you must still dress them to impress. Uggs are the obvious choice and the brand even carries the waterproof Snow Joggers version now too....BUT....wait for it...my absolute, no questions asked favourite that EVERYONE should own a pair of are the original Tecnica Moon Boots. I could not get enough of mine and could i have clicked my heels together three times and been whisked off to Oz with them i would have. As well as being deliciously retro, they are the most comfortable, warm, light weight apparatus to have graced my foot in a very long time. However appealing those red soles are, Louboutins do not make you feel like you are walking on air. Tecnica even come in yummy shearling and luscious velvet options. Buy your moonies at Office in Topshop or on line at Rabanser.com or Tecnica-Causa.com. They are excellent value for a little slice of vintage.

Don't get me started on headgear and eye wear..those are a whole different blog on their own.

There is something for everyone from the snow boarder, to the apres skier; the off-pister to the faux fur disciple; so happy hunting and dont forget your sunglasses! You are after all in Italy.

If you would like to know a little more about Cortina or what not to wear (Pucci print all-in-ones are really a no no - no matter how kitsch), drop me a comment and ill be happy to get in touch.