In sartorial terms, the spring/summer season brings with it several guarantees (none of them relating, unfortunately, to the weather).
Festival theme:There will be a "festival" theme of some sort this season, thanks to Isabel Marant's Navajo-inspired S/S 2013 collection and taking the form of embroidered and fringed denims, khaki shirts and detailed and studded boots. Dorothy Perkins's red jacket is the perfect addition to an otherwise nondescript wardrobe – throw it on over a simple jeans-and-tee combo for an instant update.
Unflattering pastels:Pastels will rear their unflattering heads, with the blame this season going to Louis Vuitton's candy-coloured 1960s mod girls.
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Let there be lightness:Fabrics and colours will lighten up, although there's good news for those of us stuck in a cool climate: Marks Spencer's metallic leather skirt, for starters, will keep out the chill.
Monochrome:Several unexpected things happened this season that have made spring one to look forward to rather than recoil from. Monochrome was huge on S/S 2013 catwalks – an unusual turn for a usually floral-heavy time. Monochrome is, after all, easy to wear (although this is not absolute, as those of us who attempted last season's houndstooth trend can attest). This season it takes the form of geometric, graphic prints on coats and jackets, and go-faster stripes down the sides of relaxed jogging bottoms. Try Penneys's joggers out for size, at a wallet-pleasing €15.
Eastern influence:The orient was a great source of inspiration, too, for designers heralding the dawn of the new season last September. At Prada, this came in the form of kimonos and unwearable flatforms – in reality, Miss Selfridge's printed sandals nod to the trend with cherry blossom notes and metallic accents, while remaining sleek and feminine in shape and silhouette.
Affordability:We're looking at a relaxed, almost simplified outlook for the new season: a dab of 1960s here, a splash of monochrome there, a dip into the oriental and back out again and into a pair of relaxed tracksuit bottoms (with heels, of course). And none of it need break the bank; Markus Lupfer's ice cream sweater may be a luxury most of us are unable to afford, but keep an eye in cut-price chains for pieces "inspired by" his sequined knits. The rest keeps us well within reason, and while these pieces are trend-led, they are not "trendy", so you'll be coming back to them in 2014 and beyond.
