Trending: masculine shoes

From brogues to brothel creepers, it's a man's world as far as footwear for ladies is concerned.

 Ashley Olsen steps out in Prada's hit brothel creepers...

 Karl Lagerfeld swaps the skirt suits and heels for trousers and tough-looking brogues for Chanel autumn/winter 2011.

 Chloë Sevigny always does the boy/girl-dressing thing so well - and this mac-and-Chelsea-boots combo is no exception.

 Suited-and-brogued-up models backstage at Dolce & Gabbana autumn/winter 2011.

 Blinging brogues at Dolce & Gabbana autumn/winter 2011.

 The always-stylish Olivia Palermo favours velvet slippers for a night out.

 King of tailoring Paul Smith gives his womenswear line a masculine spin with brogues.

 A boyish loafer plays down an otherwise dressy ensemble at Stella McCartney autumn/winter 2011.

 ...and featured fabulous leopard-spot slippers in The Row autumn/winter 2011, the collection she designs with her twin sister, Mary-Kate.

Singer V V Brown wears her lace-ups with cute socks.

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Trending: buttoning up

Whether it's your dress, blouse, jacket or coat, just make sure it's buttoned right to the top.

Whether it's your blouses, dresses or jackets, buttoning right to the top will keep you on top of a trend which was seen all over the autumn/winter 2011 catwalks, like this silk green blouse at Chloe.

 Givenchy's autumn/winter 2011 collection was littered with collars either in loud prints or made from black patent leather.

 Long an advocate of the buttoned up collar, Alexa Chung's granny-chic styling is often topped off with one, and this Miu Miu silk dress is no exception.

 Cacharel's floral collection was a lesson in how to do sweet geek chic, with buttoned up collars topping off mini-dresses and skirts.

 Chloe Sevigny buttons up a crisp white shirt.

 Much like the Suno dresses, Elizabeth Olsen accessorises her white blouse with not one, but two statement necklaces.

 Fearne Cotton's loose printed shirt and tailored shorts lend themselves perfectly to her tomboyish style.

 Bright printed blouses buttoned up to the can be paired with high-waisted pencil midi-skirts for a sleek but still sexy silhouette, like at Jonathan Saunders autumn/winter 2011.

 When Kate Bosworth stepped out in L.A last week it wasn't just the blue dip-dyed hair that caught our eyes, but the buttoned-up blouse she was wearing beneath.

 Suno's ankle length silk dresses have an air of 'granny chic' about them as well; each buttoned up collar is topped off with a statement necklace for added allure.

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Trending: Lace - 2

Jade Parfitt clearly liked what she saw and paired her neon Christopher Kane dress with a black jacket and boots.

Backstage at Valentino models try their black lace dresses on for size; long-sleeves and leather trimmings create a gothic-chic evening alternative to the classic LBD.

 Chanel's monochrome creation doubles up on lace, with a white lace dress under a black lace overlay: a chic, understated but red carpet-ready gown.

At Monday's Met Ball in New York, Rihanna's lace Stella McCartney gown was a two-faced ensemble, with a full-sleeve and long train on one side, and nothing but sheer mesh on the other.

 

Model, Chanel Iman channels the summer's prevailing 70s trend in a sandy-pink lace dress with flared sleeves and a wide-brimmed straw hat.

Chloe Sevigny channels the 80s instead, teaming her cream lace mini with a denim jacket.

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The shorts suit

Who's been eschewing pretty dresses for edgy blazers and shorts on the red carpet?

The ever-stylish Olivia Palermo is always ahead of the curve with her fashion-forward choices; she stepped out in this outfit in 2009.

Blake Lively is fond of showing off her legs - and no wonder, with pins like those. Her shorts suit provides the perfect showcase.

It's Chloë in Chloé! Ms Sevigny opts for a blush shorts suit by the French label to bare those enviable legs.

She loves her shorts suit so much she's bought another one in a different colour. She keeps it sweetly vintage in feel with a straw floral-adorned boater.

The poster girl of boyish shorts, no one works them quite like Alexa Chung. She ties the chic monochrome palette together with some fetching footwear.

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Prepare to bare

Actress Chloe Sevigny in a stomach-bearing dress

It happens every summer; just when you think you've perfected your seasonal look, fashion throws a sneaky trend curveball out of nowhere that's a bit like Marmite. You either jump in head first and adopt it as your own, or stay well clear. Midfriff-baring garb is sure to be an opinion divider.


Aside from the likes of Pixie Geldof and Alice Dellal - east London types who channel that grungy, Nirvana-esque look with ironic gusto - we haven't been subjected to so many stomach-baring outfits since the Spice Girls and All Saints went head-to-head in the charts in 1997. Back then, the name Mel was pretty much synonymous with a cropped top - notably Mel Blatt of All Saints, and Mels B and C from the Spice camp - they wouldn't have been seen dead pairing their tracksuit bottoms with anything else.

This time around however, the look revolves around the waist rather than the hips, and the result is much more sophisticated. Blame it on designers like Yves Saint Laurent and Versace - who put the spotlight on naked high waists in flouncy dresses and pencil skirts respectively - or style setters Eliza Doolittle and Alexa Chung, who love to let their tiny midsections come out to play.

But this is a trend with traction. Curveacous singer Rihanna cottoned-on ages ago, realising that a short top teamed with a high-waisted skirt or trousers was the best way to accentuate her hourglass assets. So if Mother Nature gave you curvy legs not suited to that other summer special - denim cut-offs, midriff baring could have your name all over it.

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Chloe Sevigny Designs For Opening Ceremony

London Fashion Week revealed Chloe Sevigny's new unisex collaboration with Opening Ceremony. According to Chloe, "the collection is an homage to one of her favorite designers, Miguel Adrover with dashes of gay lumberjack, James Dean, preppy New England, and English punk."

The new collection will be sold in Opening Ceremony stores and items will range from $95 to $945.

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