Are you trendy?

Why is it that come spring we get that sudden urge to be at our most fashion forward? Is it because the flowering season is more inspiring than the others? Is it the sprouting greens, the delicate honeysuckle purple and vibrant daffodil yellow which pull us out of our shapeless wraps and lengthy cardigans despite the blustery breeze biting at our goose pimpled legs?

I'm not sure what it is, but I know spring is the season for my insatiable spending. Every shop window display invites my meandering eye and draws me so close to the automatic doors that I'm forced to go in and browse for at least 15 minutes, before grabbing my decaf macchiato from Starbucks.

That's one of my favourite activities; sipping on a sugary hot beverage whilst scanning the racks, even if I'm not really 'hard core' shopping, I just like to gaze absentmindedly at the floral prints and the yummy bright colours, pass my hand through the light spring fabrics, and remind myself that eventually it might be warm enough to wear them in this country.

So how do you navigate your way through the myriad of looks this season is offering? I'm sticking to four key spring trends that I'm going to mix and match to keep them fresh into the summer months.

The *trends I'll be following this spring will be...

*All items can be found on www.asos.com. Click on the pics to go straight to the site.

WESTERN

It's a bit of cowboy, a whole lot of denim and some tassles thrown in for good measure. Double and triple denim is especially popular this season and it will still keep you reasonably warm on those cooler spring days.

Key pieces

Left: Cropped fringe jacket
Centre: Killah boyfriend shirt
Right: Denim Wrangler dress

Accessories

Left: Brown leather mocasins
Centre: Leather fringed studded bag
Right: Fringed brown satchel

MILITARY

Again this is a good trend for those who aren't quite ready for bare arms and legs in Britain, just yet. It's also ace for those of us who prefer muted or darker colours which are usually more slimming. Epaulets, studs and crests are details to look our for.

Key Pieces

Left: Stone coloured chino trousers from Asos.
Centre: Khaki long line vest, Mango
Right: Khaki military jacket

Accessories

Left: Leather body bag
Centre: Leather studded cuff
Right: Dogeared skull detail wooden beads

TRIBAL

This trend is not for the faint hearted. You can get really inventive with bold clashing prints, billowing maxi dresses, head scarves, beading and braids; it all works. Wear with a tan and chunky silver jewellery.

Key pieces












Left: Africa cut out back dress
Centre: Princess Tam tam playsuit
Right: Asos African shift dress











Accessories
Left: zebra print flat sandals
Centre: woven yellow clutch
Right: trio of wooden bangles

PASTELS

It's not so much a trend as it is a theme, especially for the high end designers. Stella McCartney, Fendi and Michael Kors among many others are using candy colours, and a whole range of nudes, beiges and taupes to really flatter all skin tones this season. It's basically a really easy way to look feminine and ultra girly. Draped, sheer fabrics flatter everyone and keep you cool on those rare sun filled lazy spring afternoons.

Key pieces












Left: Rose detail t-shirt dress
Centre: Dipped hem oversized vest
Right: Reiss Odila silk blend trousers

Accessories










Left: Ash Lotus cut out sandals
Centre: pink pumps
Right: pink snakeskin clutch

Dress it up

This is a fashion piece I wrote for the Vogue young writers' competition in 2008.

In recent years the fashion experts say, that to be in tune with the zeitgeist you really have to look like a boy. Models, forget how your genes and the seasons have turned you out. Flatten your chest, slouch and wear your boyfriend’s jeans. Then the likes of Balenciaga, MaxMara and Luella will say ‘Androgyny is in’ and use you on their catwalks. The shapeless waif look of the 1920’s threatens, but instead of bandaging our chests and sporting beaded fringe we’re encouraged to wear the sexy granddad shirt or the saucy trilby.


But me, I'm on strike, girl I was born, girl I am. Cavali, Galiano and Marchesa at least, I thank you. Designers who believe that this is still the age of the dress, all flirty and female. I' m a Valentino girl, curvaceous and proud of it, 'I don't think any man in the world wants to go out with a woman dressed like a boy?' Valentino asks. What he says is true, if not a little misogynist. Let’s face it - his dresses are cut for the size zero beauties of this world.




After a tempestuous writer’s strike, the Oscars were delivered, in true Hollywood style. The award season came and went – those little statues and statuettes found loving homes - but the fashion hits and misses will outlive even the teariest acceptance speech. Galliano, Valentino and Marchesa revolutionised traditional Oscar attire with their LRD – Little red dresses, on Heidi Klum, Mylie Cyrus and Anne Hathaway, while black dresses were panned by fashion critics as lack lustre.


I'm particularly excited to have seen Jil Sander's liquid silver maxi creation pictured on the oh so mini Nicole Richie at the opening of DCMA Collective's flagship store March 14th - just to prove that us vertically challenged petites can pull off the full length gown too.


My fave fashion moment for the iconic dress has got to be the decadent 1950's. It was in September of 1952, when Vogue gave birth to the concept of the LBD, 'The little black dress, deceptively simple, is the core of every collection.'

Voluptuous figures were hugged in all the right places in tussore dresses - skin colour was flattered by baby blue and blond. I don't think anyone will forget the flirty flash of Marilyn's knickers, when she sported that flapping white halter dress. Those were the days when women looked up happily to men and men looked down protectively and romantically on women. (I think and hope: allow me my dreams.)

If any designer has the power to recreate such a fashion moment, it must surely be Marchesa. Their stunning eveningwear, inspired by vintage and Asian flavours, screams opulent, high fashion princess – is there any other? Their Resort collection boasts Grecian and bateau necklines, full tulle skirts and beautiful organza. Cascading fabrics dominate the collection in stunning ivory, jade, gold and fuchsia. They even provide plush party dresses with their notte by Marchesa collection – short and sweet with plenty of ruffles.




But, the dress for this summer is all about the tea. Paisley, dotty or floral, it all works. High Street retailers are doing this the best at the moment - Topshop appear to be the front-runners - with Kate Moss's help - but Oasis must surely be given a mention. Sara Berman's new collection at ASOS is causing a stir with her cute and affordable tea dresses.



Mademoiselle Coco Chanel once said, 'Never do anything by halves.' I believe that this must be said of our fashion forward wardrobe. Dressing for a sparkling soiree or on the European beaches this summer, don't do your outfit in halves; wear the dress.

Andy's story continues...

Installment three of my latest story.

Don't know what's going on? Read the previous installment here.

He was the last person in the office and he was looking at his monitor in contempt. The new fonts were bothering him. He'd insisted that his decision was final in a heated debate with his Picture Editor, Dominic, but now he wasn't sure. And the more he continued to scrutinise them, the more they irritated him, blurred and danced up and down, jeering at him and his inability to make a decision without second guessing himself. His eyes were beginning to sting again. He rubbed his thumb and forefinger into his eye sockets in a circular motion, trying to generate some sort of lubrication, or dull himself into a trance.

'Ah...tough decision to make eh? The cerulean or the indigo for the strapline? I've really been looking at the layout again and...' what Dominic said next was lost on Andy. Dominic jabbered on about this colour code and that, but Andy let his eyes wander around the room. Simon was packing up now. He was on the phone and wrestling with a usb cable with the other hand. He was smiling. Really smiling. Andy began to notice how straight his teeth were; bizarrely straight in fact. Had he had work done? He was a poof after all. But he'd never considered Si to be camp. Not in the tight net vest, glow sticks and boasting about sex at the gym, camp. Why was he smiling so hard? Must have been on the phone to his 'partner.'

Andy had been averting Dom's peepers for a moment too long because Dominic was now out of his chair and wafting his hand in front of Andy's face like a petulant child. Andy was almost convinced his picture editor had ADHD.

'Jeez Andy. You should go home mate. You're looking pretty haggard these days. Go home and bang your wife for Christ's sake.' Haggard? Really? People thought he looked haggard. Balls. What was wrong with the good old 'shagged' 'shattered' or 'knackered'? Andy decided to ignore the rather inappropriate comment about 'banging his wife' and chanced a look at himself in the office window, which doubled up as a mirror, now that the steets of London were dark and glittering with shop window lights. He opened his mouth wide and grinned. Bloody hell, he's spot on. I look craggier than Gordon bloody Ramsey. He didn't appreciate his sallow skin or the crooked teeth either.

'I need to get out of this place. I'm ageing by the minute.' Dominic was already half way out of the door and didn't bother to acknowledge Andy's comment.

As Andy shuffled out of the office, trying his best not to wince from the pain in his bunions - he'd left his trainers under his desk - he thought he might grab a drink to snaffle on the train ride home... Something to take the edge off seeing his devastatingly beautiful wife and knowing she expected a good seeing to. He stopped at a Threshers on the way to the station.

'Sir. I'll have one... Bottle of vodka.'
'Yes sir... Any particular brand?' the shop assisant peeked over the counter, almost indecipherably, at Andy's glossy shoes and thought he was on to a winner.
'Errrr...Oh just the cheap stuff over there will do.' He wagged his finger at a clear bottle covered with an orange label and some foreign words Andy could not translate. He could afford better, but he wanted it to feel dirty, really naughty.

'Ten pounds for the Polish stuff. But you know, the Russian is probably better-'
'That'll be all'. He handed the man one of six notes in his wallet and swiped his booty from the nice middle aged man. He didn't wait for the ride home to get a taste of the mind numbing substance. Once he was outside the shop, ignoring the lash of the wind and rain, he wrapped the plastic Threshers' bag tightly around the bottle, unscrewed the lid and felt the liquid burn his cracked lips, warm his throat and tingle in his stomach. That's when he realised he was supposed to be eating out - having lied to his wife about meeting the guy from the MOD - she wouldn't be cooking for him tonight. His stomach gurgled. The greasy kebab shop was calling. He dived into Hal's kebab hut and picked up a mixed doner and a side of chips.

As he approached the station, It didn't even occur to him what he looked like. His tie hung loose on his chest, his shirt untucked, as he stumbled on to the train. He slumped himself across three seats on the practically empty train and popped open the squeaky yellow polystyrene box. The train wasn't leaving for another fifteen minutes. He slipped the fatty meat and dry chips into his gob inbetween swigs of his vodka. The bottle was half empty and he was drunk. He belched loud and unashamed.

More people were entering the train. It was a mixed batch. It wasn't that late so he wasn't surprised to see lovesick teenagers, families holding show programmes, as well as an elderly couple holding each other's hands. And then he saw Simon Hiles.

'Andy... Is that a Hal's Kebab special?' Si and his partner stood unblinking, waiting for an answer. Holy shit...this is humiliating.