The latest looks for spring have had designers learning towards more feminine shapes and floaty fabrics, moving away from rigid lines and also moving away from the Body con look thankfully. Although there seems to be a lighter feel to the colour palette and fabric textures, there are still some trends from autumn that remain strong.



The belted waist and ladylike silhouette that were strong this winter with belted coats, has been given a new lease of life with many belted dresses being shown on the catwalks. Another way to wear your belt this spring is to team it with cropped trousers or a full volume skirt if you wish to go for the girlie look. A skinny belt would suit trousers whereas a chunkier belt would suit a wide skirt.

Monochrome colours seem to have been pushed out of fashion temporarily and have made way for neutrals. The neutral palette has been accessorised with pastel colours in one show and in another teamed with the acid brights that were seen in the autumn. Therefore it seems that this trend can be interpreted in many ways, so pick a look to match your taste and current wardrobe staples.

Another major trend for spring/summer 2008 is florals. The floral trend has seen abstract patterns to full on blooms on short and longer dresses, this look being all about a feminine and fresh style. If this look is too ladylike for you it can be toughened up with a denim jacket or a chunky boot.

A look that was very popular over the winter period was the high waisted and wide legged trouser. This trend is still going strong but with a new twist for spring with a lighter colour scheme and lower waist. Avoid black and select a beige pair instead, although the wide leg is still strong the ultra high waist that we saw over winter is now lower, so the style is more wearable.

Although many a celebrity bought into the oversized bag trend, most of us mere mortals noticed the potential for injury and stayed well away. Breathing a sigh of relief the smaller clutch bag is back in for spring, with the bag again being more of an accessory to an overall outfit. It is not necessary to coordinate your clutch to your footwear, picking an accent colour from your outfit may make your look.

Although neutral colours were the main attraction at many a catwalk show, there are some major colour themes working there way in. Two of the brightest shades for summer are royal blue and purple, with purple being teamed with all shades of pink to create a bold statement. This look can be interpreted with more wearable shades of lilac with a flower pattern, killing two looks with one outfit.

Back on the catwalk fashion radar for spring is denim, in every shade and style. For most of us denim never goes out of fashion, however with many designers taking a fresh look at the material, this means there should be more choice than ever filtering down onto the high street.

Try to avoid dressing in denim from head to toe and also steer clear of mixing your denim washes and colours. You could team your denim with the neutral trend, perhaps with a tailored jacket or maybe mix a denim skirt with a floaty shirt. This spring there are many fashion trends to try, the catwalk looks are clean and a breath of fresh air.