M is all about: enjoying the promises of spring

People places and things on our hot list this week, which has brought some early shoots of spring with something for all the senses.

The ever-popular Sarah's Bag has released yet another hit, and this time both men and women can enjoy it. These unisex laptop bags add some flair to your average black zip-up and lend a vintage feel tShow more

A bag for both

The ever-popular Sarah's Bag has released yet another hit, and this time both men and women can enjoy it. These unisex laptop bags add some flair to your average black zip-up and lend a vintage feel to any outfit. Available in typewriter and stereo styles.

Dh1450, Marami, Dubai Mall, 04 434 3536

Fake or real?

We love a good game to jog our fading memory. This "Fake For Real" version isn't your run of the mill memory game though - not only does it test your mind but it also tests your perception of what you consider real. Whether it's Pepsi or Coca-Cola or a scene from the cartoon Finding Nemo or a photo of two real fish in water, we had to take a second look before differentiating between the real and the fake.

Dh155, S*uce, Marina Mall, 02 681 8650; Village Mall, 04 344 7270; Dubai Mall, 04 344 7270

Wear the flowers in your hair

With spring not so far away, our wardrobes are moving from a solid stream of black and navy to whites, pastels and florals. And what better way to become a flower child than to put them around your head? We don't mean Hawaiian lei girl-style, but rather this ladylike Dolce&Gabbana headband. The change in seasons may not be here yet but we're sure these beauties won't be around for too long, even at their extravagant price.

Dh5,500, Dubai Mall, 04 330 8566; Mall of the Emirates, 04 341 0626 and elsewhere

Travel the London way

When it comes to travel we're on the ball in the style department - until it comes to our luggage, that is. Our oversized beat-up plastic suitcases just don't cut it as we're wheeling through the terminal. Trust Asprey to come up with a new "Londoner" suitcase to do justice to our in-flight fashion sense. This glamorous trunk ticks all the right boxes: old-school charm, rich purple colour and contrasting strap.

From Dh10,850, Asprey, Mall of the Emirates, 04 341 0641

Website of the week

www.boutiques.com

The masters at Google solved our online shopping problems with one easy website. All you need to do is "Create Your Boutique" in six easy steps. First comes the "Stylyzer", which shows you a selection of runway, street style and magazine images and has you pick which is more your style. Next comes the sign-up while they calculate your style. Then you pick your favourite top, bottom and dress styles, and finally choose the designers you love. The system learns your style and directs you towards shopping websites and looks that work for you. All the more reason to shop online that little bit more.

A bargain bonanza

Get your wallets and credit cards at the ready as this year's Dubai Shopping Festival aims to be bigger and better. The 32-day shopping event that started Thursday will run until February 20 with thousands of retailers joining in the festivities and dropping their prices by as much as 75 percent. With these discounts, shopping never felt so good.

Lights, camera, action!

We tend to glaze over when people start talking gadgets. When it comes to cameras, you'll find us siding with the point-and-press types. But this little beauty caught our eye, and not just because it's pink. The Canon Ixus 1000 HS (standing for high sensitivity) celebrates a decade of the Ixus brand and gives long zoom quality in a super-compact frame. It has a 10 megapixel resolution and we love the fact we can shoot movies at 24 frames per second, then play them back by hooking up the camera to the television. You can rattle off 3.7 photos per second at the maximum resolution or up to 8.8 frames per second at the lowest, making it ideal to capture action shots. Now there's no excuse to miss any of the goings-on at your next girlie get-together.

Canon Ixus 1000 HS in pink, silver and brown, Dh1,499, in leading electronics outlets and Canon showrooms in Dubai Mall and Mirdif City Centre