Put a spring in your step with this season’s colourful trends – here’s our top 10 selection for a fresh look

THIS SEASON is one of the lightest, brightest and most whimsical that fashion has seen in years – but that doesn’t mean we’ll all be dancing around the maypole in floral prints. Rather, cool cuts are paired with even cooler tones for a frosty, fresh look at fashion. Instead of the 1940s silhouettes of A/W gone by, we’re looking at the 1920s and 1930s for inspiration in their loose, body-skimming shapes and pastel tones – good news for those of us who like our clothing flattering, although bad news for those of us whose skin is more buttermilk than cool whip. Here’s our top 10.

The wedge trainer

If last season was all about Miu Miu, this season, Isabel Marant reigns supreme. Last season’s wedge trainer, the Bekket, sold out everywhere, and this season’s Willow looks set to do the same. At €522 per pair, is this a sign that the recession is coming to an end? Ash has a convincing double in the form of its tan and red Bea trainer.

€202.80 from My-Wardrobe.com

The nail varnish

Chanel has done it again with this collection of candy-coloured nail polishes that herald a brighter, lighter season and are named appropriately. April, May and June are available now.

€21.50 from Chanel counters nationwide

The doctor’s bag

Handbags are not about practicality, but this leather number has the advantage of fitting just about everything inside, bar the kitchen sink. Plus, its boxy shape and minimalist fixtures will remind anyone who's anyoneof Celine, which can be no bad thing. Wear it with a messy top knot and a smirk for the ultimate in fashion cool.

€149 at Zara

The leather jacket

Acne has been the first word in cool since the Swedish label’s founding in 1996. This jacket is a tough, biker shape in a delicate duck-egg finish and the addition of zips pushes it into must-have territory. Pair it with skinny jeans and wear it every day for the rest of your life.

€996 from My-Wardrobe.com

The yellow raincoat

Usually, we would say that “practical” and “fashion” don’t belong in the same sentence, but Mulberry’s British seaside collection gave us all permission to invest in a raincoat. Adidas by Stella McCartney provides the high-street version in this sunshine yellow number. Wear with a smile and a 99.

€350 from Net-a-Porter.com

The show-stopping watch

Michael Kors watches have been popping up everywhere for the past few seasons, which makes this a bit of an investment piece. In the gold colourway, this particular model is a man’s style – but looks great on a more slender wrist.

€306.05 from Asos.com

The basic tee

Although it is often tempting to buy three T-shirts in a plastic packet for less than a tenner, they are worth investing in. This needn’t mean Helmut Lang all the way (although we would recommend dabbling); instead, check out Cos’s offerings. This chalky blue tee will look as good tucked into a printed skirt as it will on a Sunday, over a pair of boyfriend jeans.

€49 at BT2

The shift dress

The influence of Victoria, Victoria Beckham's collection of easy-to-wear shift dresses and playful prints, is obvious in shorter hems and looser shapes. This pretty shift dress by Goat, with scalloped neck detail, will look as good over opaque tights as it will with open-toed sandals. It doesn't come cheap, but you could buy two for the price of one of Beckham's designs. €489 from Seagreen.ie

The acid-bright shirt

They say no wardrobe is complete without the addition of a white shirt – we, and 1,000 put-upon waiters, beg to differ. While the white shirt screams “classic” and, shortly thereafter, “dull” and “unimaginative”, this mint green eye-catching number is masculine enough to be timeless without crossing over into boredom territory. A bright pink lip will put you on the right side of the fashion line. Around €60 from Warehouse

The espadrille

For spring/summer, Burberry upped the ante on its signature trenches with striped collars – however, more than €1,000 seems an obscene amount to spend on a mac (especially when you’ve just forked out €996 for your leather jacket), so why not take the trend and apply it below the knee, with Topshop’s Lively espadrilles?

Topshop.comfor £62 (plus £5-odd postage) or instore for €94