Thanks to the geographical locations of Northern and Southern Hemispheres, while are currently in Spring going on summer, the folks up north have just stepped into fall. You know what this means; yes, the spring collections for 2010 are now out. Of course things being what they are, this means we won't be wearing any of these trends till this time next year, but a girl can still look, salivate and plan her outfit(s) in advance, can't she?

So at this point, we have 5 main looks and I think all of these will translate well over here too. Mixed prints are making another round and at least this means we'll also be able to re-use the florals, graphic prints, painterlies, et al that we've accumulated in the past months. Personally, I'm not a big fan of mixing my patterns but it can easily be done by sticking to a similar colour scheme. Still, I think I'll be whipping out those colour-block items that are still (thankfully) in and work them back with the prints.


Americana is another look that has come back around. Shades of red, white and blue are a given but these can easily be worked back with other neutrals like taupe, stone, sand and beige. The odd black leather jacket will also work well to toughen the look and come in handy on those nippy spring nights. Overall, this is a look that you can dress up or down as much as you want. Preppy would be great but relaxed and slouchy work as well and clean and crisp.


Yet another trend that is making a comeback is the polka dot. Again, this is a look that is very suited to ladylike cuts and designs but they can be modernised by the use of different fabrics - grey marle gives polka dots a sportier edge. Of course, there's nothing quite like a 50's-esque silhouette with this charming little print. And yes, we are talking small dots as opposed to those huge ladybird ones.


Tribal doesn't seem to be going away either. Last summer we saw the return of ikat and come spring next year (or maybe even earlier, depending on how quickly high street chains can spew out copies) we'll be seeing a strong African influence in colours and textiles. Yes, this does include the safari suit, though a more relaxed version instead. For those who don't want to go the whole hog with this look, wooden beads will be a must.


Finally we have shades of grey. And may I first say, I LOVE grey. I admit I was pretty late to jump in on this trend when it started a few years back. For some strange reason, I felt that it was just a poor man's version of black and I'm not afraid to admit that I was wrong and soon saw the error of my ways. So yes, I wear heaps of grey and I'm loving the fact that its not going away anytime soon. Recently we had luxe sport in grey but it looks like the new collection will be about luxe fabrics like silk, satin, silk georgette, etc. So practical and luxurious? Yes, please!