Welcome the day clutch as a more elegant alternative to the oversized tote or satchel for Spring. The idea of a grab-bag for everyday use is an interesting one. Their sleek rectangular shape is modern and new, and I especially like them matched with a spotted top. The contrast that is created between the roundness of the polka dot and the linear shape of the clutch is somehow striking.

Unfortunately, the day clutch isn’t very practical. While oversized styles might be large enough to hold all your essentials, it never leaves you with both your hands free. You need to… well… ”clutch” a clutch (either with your hand, or between your upper arm and your side). So this fashionable trend is fab when you can spare the extra hand, but will leave you fumbling when you can’t.

Day clutches by Kate Spade, L.A.M.B. (Nordstrom) and Hobo International (Amazon.com).

Here’s another relevant piece of information regarding the skinny model controversy (see “Can fashion models be too thin?“) – a set of recommendations released earlier this year by the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA):

Keep models under 16 off the runway and don’t allow models under 18 to work at fittings or photo shoots past midnight.

Educate those in the industry to identify the early warning signs of eating disorders.

Require models identified as having an eating disorder to receive professional help and only allow those models to continue with approval from that professional.

Develop workshops on the causes and effects of eating disorders, and raise awareness of the effects of smoking and tobacco-related disease.

During fashion shows, provide healthy meals and snacks, while prohibiting smoking and alcohol.

These are merely suggestions and will not be enforced.

The question of unhealthy body mass indexes (BMIs) was not addressed. According to their statement:

“The CFDA is about awareness and education, not policing. Therefore, the committee is not recommending that models get a doctor’s physical examination to assess their health or body-mass index to be permitted to work. Eating disorders are emotional disorders that have psychological, behavioral, social, and physical manifestations, of which body weight is only one.”

Another indication that the ultra skinny model will be around as long as super–slim sells.

Exaggerated heel height continues to make a trendy impact. It seems that 4- to 5-inch stacked-heeled platforms and wedges are destined to remain fashionable for a good deal longer. These new highs are a low point for me. While I’m an enthusiastic promoter of “leg-flattering elevation” (because a pair of heels slims down your curves by adding height), many of the heeled shoes in stores at the moment are frightening.

I adore flat shoes, but enjoy a stable 2 inch heel when I feel it enhances my outfit. These days I’m often attracted to a fabulous shoe, but then inhibited by the heel height. This is especially a challenge because it’s a dress season, and dresses look nicer with some sort of heel. Shoes for Spring are for the most part either really low or ultra high with very little in-between. I draw the line at comfortable 3 inch heels that I can wear for half a day to dressier occasions which involve me being seated for some of the time.

Do these new highs actually increase your style quotient? I don’t think so. How can anything uncomfortable, impractical and bad for your back and feet be stylish. Towering platforms and soaring wedges are one trend I’ll be forced to bypass season after season. I sincerely hope that trusty 2-inch heeled shoes make a strong comeback soon. For  the meantime I’ll be spending my shoe budget on something else!

If you can walk comfortably in any of these 4-inch-plus heels from Zappos.com, it’s a skill that you can put in your resume.

Not quite red, pink or orange, but rather a mixture of the three. It’s what I call coral and it’s a superb colour to wear for Spring. Since it comes in a variety of intensities, there’s sure to be a shade that’s best for you. Take your pick from watermelon, pomegranate, guava, lipstick, rose and hibiscus. I like coral best when it’s matched with either other warm tones or white. It’s fresh and feminine and certainly worth a try.

Coral clothing and accessories from French Connection, Arden B., Anthropologie and Zappos.com.

Simply put, it’s a dress season. Regardless of your lifestyle, a women’s wardrobe is not complete without the odd dress. Unfortunately, a dress is probably the most difficult item to fit on a body unless it’s tailor-made. But having our clothing altered is a good solution and one that you should embrace when it comes to shopping for that perfectly fitting frock. Over the next 4 months, you’ll see stores full of new dress shapes and lengths, along with fresh colours and exciting prints. Day dresses are particularly big which makes a lady-like change to work and casual wear as temperatures start to soar.

You’ll see these new looks:

• Sack or shift – the “it” shape for the season. This ‘70’s inspired style is unstructured, voluminous, and worn just above the knee. It’s loosely cut silhouette is shaped at the shoulder and very comfortable.
• Maxi – ankle-length day dresses are back after falling off the fashion radar for 15 years. This length is best on statuesque inverted triangles who won’t look like they’re drowning in all that fabric.
• Shirt-waister – this A-line or straight silhouette has buttons down the front and is belted at the waist. The top part of this silhouette resembles a shirt which explains it’s name. It’s perfect for pretty pear body types when trapeze in shape.
• Sheath – the return of the form-fitting ’60’s sheath is a prim and proper alternative. Avoid this style unless you are well proportioned. It’s best on racy rectangle or hot hour glass body types.
• Draped – a dress that drapes in the front and/or back through design details like knots, pleats, tucks, gathers and ruching. It’s perfect for adorable apples who need to disguise their midriff. 
• Wrap – Diane von Furstenberg’s ingenious wrap-around creation gained immense popularity last season and continues to do so. It’s the shapely and curvier girls who look best in this style.
• Bubble – this dress balloons out subtly at the hem and makes quite a statement at any occasion.
• Kimono – wide sleeves and obi-inspired waist details make this style exotically fun. 
• Empire – the empire seam (a high-waisted seam that sits directly below the bustline) can either be gathered or straight. The dress resembles a maternity baby-doll style if the seam is gathered, but can look very chic if the seam in straight.

Looking good in a dress is all about wearing the right style for your body type, making sure that it fits you correctly and wearing some sort of heel (even if it’s just an inch). I’ll cover which dresses are best for each body type in more detail as the season progresses. In the meantime, don’t be afraid to try something new – you might fall head over heels in love with this dress trend, just as I have.

The new Sack, Shirt-waister and Kimono dress silhouettes (Nordstrom).

There are timeless and of-the-moment items that are always good investments. You’ll be able to adapt the following items stylishly into your wardrobe regardless of your age, body type and fashion persona.

• tailored single-breasted knee length woolen coat
• trench coat
• structured black jacket
• crisp white collared shirt
• a little black dress
• a pair of perfectly fitting dark jeans 
• animal printed accessories (shoes, bags and scarves)
• a pair of black pumps or sling-backs 
• ballet flats 
• flat thong sandals 
• a classic designer handbag

The best wardrobes are built over time, so don’t feel rushed to acquire these items if don’t already have them. Make your selections carefully and you’ll enjoy them for a very long time.

Ballet flats by Giuseppe Zanotti (Zappos.com) and animal printed clutch by Alfani (Macy’s).

The butler bag is apparently the world’s first compartmentalized handbag. It was designed by Jen Groover who “was inspired by the common problem of digging through a purse in panic wondering whether something was lost or if she was holding up a line of people while her children were screaming.”  She was convinced that a handbag could be functional and fashionable at the same time.

Groover’s original idea was to put a dishwasher tray into her diaper bag. It was like magic! Everything had it’s place and was at her fingertips. She realized that this compartmental divider was also the answer to her bag problem. The butler bag comes in two timeless leather designs and an assortment of colours. You can buy the smaller version on-line for $95 and the larger one for $150.

I switch handbags often, so I keep the contents of my handbags to an absolute minimum. The butler bag is not be the best solution for me because I couldn’t fill it up (and it would get too heavy if I could). But it might be the perfectly practical and stylish solution for you if you like to use one bag for long stretches of time. Is anyone out there using one of these bags? I’m curious to know whether the contents remain compartmentalized once it’s in the swing of everyday use.

The Classic and Hybrid Butler bags are available in an assortment of colors.

Generally, single breasted trench coats are more flattering than double breasted ones. This is particularly true if you are well endowed or carry a little extra around the middle. But even slim and well proportioned women sometimes don’t look right in double breasted styles. So I’ve been puzzled in the past when I’ve dressed curvier women in double breasted styles that have worked really well.

The secret lies in the relationship between the height of the person and the horizontal distance between the double row of buttons.

Buttons that are widely spaced on double breasted items tend to have “a widening effect”. Taller women can carry off these styles because the larger spaces are proportional to their height. On the other hand you’ll automatically get “a slimming effect” once those buttons are pulled in closer together. In the extreme a single row of buttons is still the most flattering option for shorter and curvier women.

There are no hard and fast rules dictating who can wear yellow and who can’t. Whether the colour will flatter you depends on your skin tone, eye/hair colour, which shade of yellow you choose and what you wear it with. I’ve dressed pale-skinned, green-eyed blondes in mustards, saffrons and neon tones with mod black and white. And I’ve dressed olive-skinned brown eyed brunettes in canary with cobalt.

Consider a yellow accessory if you love the color, but feel that you can’t wear it close to your face. There are plenty of sunny shoes and bags to choose from that are guaranteed to instantly refresh your Spring look.

Yellow sandals and flats (Zappos.com), Tommy Hilfiger satchel (Macy’s) and Maxx New York oversized tote (Nordstrom).

I adore spots. Like stripes, polka dots are a “timeless and of the moment” choice. They are fun, graphic, modern, age-less and always a statement. Polka dots come in various sizes, forms and colours. Some spotted prints are loud and extreme, while others are soft and subtle. There aren’t any hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing the best spot for you. Large or small, contrasting or tone-on-tone, equidistant or unevenly spaced, and overlapping or uniform, your choice of polka dots this season is abundant. Think of spots on items like girly blouses, cardigans, dresses, skirts and jackets. And if you still can’t get your head around actually wearing dots, there’s always the option of a stylishly spotty accessory.

Spotted Spring statement pieces from Louben, Charles Gray (Nordstrom) and INC. (Macy’s).