God I’m hungry. On the count-down to bikini-gate, and that one thought keeps dancing around in my brain waving beef burgers and two chocolate fingers at me. Despite the crop tops and the very short shorts the shops are taunting me with, there is at least one summer trend that mercifully requires you to cover up. Panamas. It’s a garment with a lot of history, one...

Love them or hate them, shorts show no sign of going away and while they send the fear of dread into lots of women, there is a style to suit all shapes and sizes. If you have never-ending pins, you can pull off most looks but try to make the most of your assets by purchasing some denim hotpants, in the style of Kate Moss. However, beware of wearing them with high heels...

So you may usually be on the defensive when told to to zip it - but this summer, it’s a style directive you’ll definitely want to follow. Yes, it’s time to put a zip in it and channel Siouxsie Sioux circa 1977. Zippers are popping up in some pretty unexpected places, and the effect is a tough-chic look almost anyone looks good in. Who’d have though that...

As we are all by now well aware, the eighties made a colossal comeback on the catwalks for spring/summer 09. But it is one microtrend in particular that captured the hearts of the fashion flock and A-listers alike. Yes, you guessed it: Body con. Short for “body conscious”, this refers to clothing that does exactly what it says on the tin: anything from skintight...

Moving on from the sombre and dramatic runway looks of last year, designers are opting for a more innovative, daring and colourful palette this season. It should come as no surprise therefore, given the “dare to wear” nature of the season, that the 1980’s is yet again ripe for revival. Designers such as Danielle Scutt went for a trashy and flashy 80s look, and...

Ever since the punk scene was thrown open to tattooed Vice-readers, the emerging metal revival has bubbled up into mainstream and high fashion. This time around, punk comes to subvert long-standing garments like the school blazer and the military jacket with studding and shredding work. Taking cues from Givenchy’s new all-black, chain strewn direction, the leathery...

Move over Dame Shirley Bassey! Fringing has gone beyond curtain trimmings and upholstery, surfacing in a myriad of chic guises on this season’s runways. Yes, this season, fringes are growing on anything and everything: dangling from the hems of skirts, jackets and dresses, embellishing evening gowns and footwear, even trimming bikinis. The burgeoning trend was prominent...

Convenient (step in, zip up, and go!) and inconvenient (best to have a friend for trips to the bathroom) in equal parts, the jumpsuit is back on our fashion radar. Yes, while we once thought that it took a strongly fashion-forward woman to wear a jumpsuit, it’s now clear that it just takes a smart one. With even the most fervent romper-hater reconsidering their stance,...

It’s the naked truth: Birthday suit dressing is officially in vogue. If you’re the colour-shy type and usually live in black during the winter months, this new nude trend is your refreshing spring tonic. This season’s look of sheer romanticism went hand in hand with nude tones. Subtlety was a signature look on the spring/summer ’09 runways, with a set of styles...

With the onset of summer it’s no surprise that seasonal florals rear their head once again. However, this season you can forget looking sickeningly saccharine as we see a new take on the look. Spring has sprung with a new posy of floral prints in eye-popping colours that bloom bigger, brighter and bolder. From traditional prints to more abstract designs, vibrant and...