Fluro: A How To Guide

So... the past few months I've pored over the S/S 12 shows, magazine predictions and been to all my buying meetings and there's been one trend forecast I've been unable to avoid. Fluro.

If you're anything like me the mere word gives you the shivers and immediately transports you back to hideous 80s shell suits and sweat bands. Grim.

But, unfortunately, as a buyer/agent I am not at liberty to bypass such a strong look due to my personal mental flashbacks. However disturbing they may be.

It is definitely a look that is going to be all over the high street and me, being me, I know I'll have to at least dabble in it. So I have devised a few 'looks' that range from dipping your toe in to full on diving head first into the vibrancy of it all.

This is for those who want to nod towards the trend but are unsure how far to go. I think if you keep the main outfit basic, tone wise, it means the accessorising of it can be what keeps the look up to date but without taking too far a departure from your comfort zone.

Again, this is quite a basic day look and, I think, so easy to achieve. I'm sure you've been unable to avoid the bright coloured jeans popping up in high street windows up and down the country and they may look intimidating but pairing them with a basic tee, a soft leather and some pale tonal shoes and bag makes them much easier to wear than they may first appear. Highlighting it with a bright bib necklace (most of us have them from last S/S) makes it, I think, a great look - I'll certainly be digging out my cobalt skinnys this week.

This is a stronger evening look and I think Miu Miu has it absolutely right with the dress. It's classic enough in shape to avoid being an 'unwearable' high end piece but the nod to fluro is done so well that surely any girl wearing it would feel a million pounds. There's no need to dress this up, simple black heels and a clashing clutch et voila!

And of course, there are those who have read fluro is a-coming and rejoiced. This final look is for them. Prints are also going to be massive this coming S/S season and believe me, you can bet if there's a designer ballsy enough to embrace fluro they're going to be all over prints. Topshop's responsible for these beauties and Miu Miu for the top (they're really onto the fluro thing, non?) and why not let everyone enjoy your worldly possessions by throwing them all in a see through bag (courtesy of Jil Sander)? But really, if you're going to do that you, at the very least, need the Comme des Garcons coin purse.

Actually...by the end of this post even MY convictions are thawing. Best get to Topshop online before those leggings sell out!