Beauty & Fashion | Fashion

Springboard to new style

This season designers acknowledged the credit crunch to re-work some boomerang classic trends we've seen before - less spring fling, more long-term loves. So use your money wisely and invest in key staples to stay one step ahead of the catwalk game. We highlight the front row trends that had the fashion pack on the edge of their seats. Take a hop, skip and jump into spring mod

Xpress
Published: 01:12 March 4, 2010

Tribal Trail

This season's tribal trend may be tipped towards the "glamazon", but you don't have to go for full-on drama. For a relaxed Africa-inspired look, either work with earthy tones as a base and inject flashes of eye-popping colours like yellow, orange, green or flame-red, or try a tribal print top in more muted hues.
High street: Antik Batik's Buli mini dress, Dh2,180 Budget chic: Rocha John Rocha tribal dress from Debenhams, Dh250
Top tip: Accessories with opulent tribal-inspired jewellery

Sorbet Shades

Lemon, mint lavender and rose... seems the designers took their inspiration from a Häagen-Dazs menu. Cool pastels are the shades on the colour palette chart this season.
High street: Antik Batik's Adeli lilac dress, Dh 2,180 Budget chic: Dorothy Perkins' mint tunic, Dh210; Splash blue tassel top, Dh65
TOP TIP: Toughen up the look with contrasting stark accessories if you don't want to look uber girly

Revel in Ruffles

If you haven't already got ruffles peeping out from your wardrobe, it's time to invest. Go as large as you dare. Try an asymmetric shoulder style so your body isn't overwhelmed by oversized ruffles. High street: Forever Unique ruffle petal dress, Dh1,050
Budget chic: Jane Norman ruffle pleat bandeau dress, Dh450
TOP TIP: Look for concentrated ruffles on a neckline or hemline in floral shapes - romance without the all-singing, all-dancing violins

Maxi impact

Casual maxi dresses with slits and printed maxi kaftans are the flavour of the season. Go with a fun pattern and colours that suit you well and which make you feel confident and beautiful when wearing them.
High street: Evans Grecian purple maxi dress with slit, Dh400
Budget chic: Printed kaftan from Splash, Dh150
TOP TIP: Flat sandals make for good footwear for a maxi dress because there's no fear of catching a stiletto heel in the hem

Show time

Nothing kick-starts a wardrobe like new sandals. The perfect pair will instantly update trousers and give tired dresses and shorts an effortless seasonal lift.
High street heels: Kurt Geiger, Dh1,579 High street flats: Carvela Koo, Gold, by Kurt Geiger, Dh569
Budget chic heels: Shoemart, Dh115 Budget chic flats: Dumond's Summer 2010 collection, Dh295
TOP TIP: Get the pedicurist on speed dial. It's time to give your feet a starring role in this summer's must-have shoes.

Get the blues

We're not suggesting denim has ever slipped off the style radar, but some seasons it's bigger than ever... and this one trumps them all. Designers just can’t get enough of denim, so much so they're breaking all the rules by layering denim over denim. On the catwalks, the likes of Ralph Lauren, Dolce & Gabbana and Twenty8Twelve didn't just include a dash of the blue stuff, models showcased denim overdose head-to-toe styling. The denim trend isn't just about your old faithful jeans – we're talking about a true blue takeover in your wardrobe with denim jackets, shirts, shorts, dresses, skirts and even shoes teamed together to complete the jean-ius look. So if you're guilty of demoting your denims, this is the time to give the hard-working garment a stylish promotion and embrace its versatility. By the end of summer, denim fever will undoubtedly be in your genes.
STYLE TIPS
If you’re not brave enough to dabble in the top-to-toe trend, utilise your denim with layering instead, such as a shirt or jacket slung casually over a dress. Your must-have denim washes should look like they’ve been washed a thousand times or bleached in scorching sunshine.
Working the same type of denim gets the fashionable thumbs up but alternating denim styles and washes shows a bit more individuality.
For instant springtime glamour, roll up the hem of your jeans and team with a killer pair of heels