With so many new trends emerging for Spring and Autumn 2007, where’s a girl to start? Fret not, Jessica Gearhart from Stylebible.com fearlessly leads the way

Now, every season trends come and go. We mostly ignore them, opting for what we know already works. There are a few that are fun, funny or just plain weird, which merit a bit of attention.

We think the trend towards 1980s futuristic dressing is a tad strange, but we love the 1940s and 1950s throwbacks and all the soft clothes (i.e. athletic wear) – very LA.

We’ve chosen a few items to look at love and/or laugh at. From barely-there minis to high-waisted, coverall trousers. Love them or leave them, this is what the fashion world has to offer for S/S 07 and A/W 07:

Micro-minis
Wear a short-as-hell hemline with tights in winter and bare-legged (if you’ve got the pegs for it) in the spring and summer. Forego rah-rah skirts at all costs unless you consider yourself a ladette. If so, alternate with pink velour tracksuit and day-glo spray tan.
Designer
Emilio Pucci
High Street
Dorothy Perkins
www.asos.com

Architectural shoes
Not for the faint-at-heart. They are, er, fashion-forward, appealing to the more courageous fashion martyrs among us. Think Louis Vuitton’s new Scarlet Johansson campaign: wedges with peep-toes and sky-high, oddly-shaped platforms a la Dior Couture A/W 07, where models had to be helped down the runway.
Designer
Dior Couture Spring 07
High Street
Office

Neon and PVC
Sigh. Neither worked in the 1980s and they still don’t work now, but, alas, fashion is cyclical. Hunker down and ignore fashion trends, opting for style instead. Nu-ravers and traffic wardens aside, neon should be banished to the periodic table forever, and PVC should stay in the dominatrix’s lair, never to resurface in fashion again. Whose skin looks radiant against neon yellow? Perhaps radio-active. Think PVC is forward-thinking? On the runway, yes. On the street, no. You’ll sweat, you’ll stick. It won’t be pretty. If you must, go to fetish shops or Gareth Pugh for PVC and apparent Scottish wünderkid Christopher Kane for neon.
Designer
Christopher Kane (He did neon the season before.)
Henry Holland (For shameless 1980s neon this season.)
High Street
Hit Camden Market or any charity shop for 1980s castaways.

High-waist trousers, jeans and dresses (although we don’t suggest this for everyone)
A flat front trouser can make you look great, especially for those with an athletic build. They elongate legs and make the tummy look flatter. Dark colours are the best, especially navy. We suggest hitting the high street for this look. H&M does a great high-waisted skirt with braces. Very chic, very Dietrich. RIP hip-huggers. We banish you to the female fashion hall of shame for your ability to make even the most beautiful women ‘feel fat’.
High Street
H&M
www.asos.com
French Connection

Masculine tailoring
Another homage to the Hepburns, Dietrichs and Wests among us with enough gumption to keep their bits hidden from the public eye. Masculine tailoring exudes class, style and confidence in a way that Jodie Marsh’s, er, camouflage scraps of fabric never could. Go for bespoke and it will last a lifetime. Vidler and Nixon do beautiful pieces or opt for the most traditional tailoring you can find and head to Savile Row or Kate Starkey Couture. Good suits aren’t just for men. Classic houses are Hunstman and William Nortons. Stay away from Richard James, Boateng and any other high-street retailer posing as a bespoke suit maker. NB: all of their suits come from factories (yes, factories), the only difference being that they have different tags on the collar. Pay the extra money and get it made or at least altered to fit after you purchase a suit or trousers. It will make all the difference.
Designer
3.1 Phillip Lim
Alexander McQueen
High Street
Wallis

To come: metallics, cropped jackets, accessories and the shirt dress… also, do you dare leave the house donning a turban? We say, not unless you’re a snake charmer!

Jessica Gearhart is acting editor for www.stylebible.com.