As the end of the semester and exams quickly approach, it may feel like you'll never have a free second to relax ever again. When the holidays come, it's even harder to imagine wanting to do anything else besides sleep, eat and play (and you should be doing plenty of that, too!), but even though you may feel that you've done enough reading to last a lifetime while cramming, getting lost in a really good book is one of my favourite ways to relax and unwind. Naturally, fashion-themed books top my list and there is no lack of selection. Here's a list of a few of my favourites.

Carine Roitfeld: Irreverent
Former Editor-In-Chief of French Vogue Carine Roitfeld published her first book in October of 2011, less than a year after resigning from the acclaimed publication. Roitfeld, easily the epitome of French chic, has been a prominent figure in the industry since her career launch in the early '90s. Credited with launching Gucci-god Tom Ford's career at the aforementioned fashion house, Roitfeld has been more than a colleague to many. A fashion muse, the incredibly talented former Editor compiled a fine collection of her works while at French Vogue. The 250- page stunner features tear sheets from the magazine, strikingly memorable cover shoots and advertising campaigns. Irreverent is just that: saucy and cheeky; it has that certain je n'est ce quoi that only a true Parisian can embody.

Dana Thomas: Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster
Thomas, a correspondent living in Paris for Australian Harper's Bazaar, has a reputable laundry list of contributions from The New York Times to The Washington Post to Vogue. Also teaching journalism at The American University of Paris in the late '90s and working as an Editor of Conde Nast Portfolio, Thomas's journalistic credentials are seriously legit. In 2007, Thomas penned Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster and it almost immediately went on the New York Times' bestseller list while gaining cult status. Divulging secrets of today's luxury fashion industry, Thomas makes known the evolution of luxury brands and gives readers the real dirt on brands like Prada and Gucci, despite their efforts to keep consumers in the dark. Travelling to perfume laboratories, glossy offices and factories to interview workers, CEOs and marketing managers, Thomas answers the question some of us didn't even know existed: how did luxury lose its luster?

Simon Doonan: Eccentric Glamour
It's so hard for me to choose my favourite novel by my beloved Simon, but perhaps I have chosen to add Eccentric Glamour to this list as it can be the refreshing kick in the seat of the pants your dreary winter wardrobe may need come mid-winter break. By no means a conventional style guide, Doonan vibrantly encourages individuality, idiosyncratic behaviour and eccentric style to the max. With the tagline "Say NO to hoe!", Doonan rallies against the bleach, botox and boob jobs far too commonly seen on women. As the creative director of Barney's New York and an incredibly talented writer (Doonan contributes to The New York Times and pens the intangible and entertaining Barney's Babble blog), Doonan knows a thing or two about fashion, style and being true to yourself. Filled with hilarious style advice and sprinkled with interviews with glamorous celebrity eccentrics, this is one book you'll learn from without feeling like you're being schooled.