September is here, and spring is officially upon us, even if it doesn't always feel that way. But it's definitely time to start thinking about our spring/summer wardrobe, and figure out what new trends we are going to incorporate this season.

Here are the top 10 trends, both local and international, that you should consider:

Metallics

Big news at the MTN Durban Fashion Week — metallics. They have been around for a while and remain popular for this next season.

It's mainly in the accessories that you should be incorporating this trend. Belts, shoes and handbags are the obvious ways to use leather in metallics like bronze, gold, silver and atomised reds. But a swimsuit or a pair of leggings is more adventurous and can be made to work by the edgier fashion followers of both sexes.

Colour

Monochrome is an international style trend that made a significant appearance on the catwalks at Joburg Fashion Week. It was most successfully executed as silk colour block mini dresses, black and white gingham shirts and sun dresses with plenty of volume and classic suits worn with white shirts. It is a timeless way of dressing for both men and women and it should be a staple of the spring/summer season this year.

Other colours that are strong contenders on the catwalks are bold yellow for dresses, tunics and shirts; navy and red paired with white for the nautical look; and shades across the purple spectrum — mostly at the lighter end for summer.

Floral

If it's pattern you are after, look no further than floral. Ranging in size from small sprig-like floral dresses and blouses, through to bold Hawaiian flowers on the chaps' shirts, floral is an absolute must in your wardrobe this season.

Ladies should be looking largely at roses, daisies, lilacs and poppies to decorate their more floaty garments, while the gents should focus on the more exotic flower range and abstract prints in bright colours. There is more of an '80s vibe about the men's wear, while the ladies' floral is all about softness and femininity.

Romanticism

Taking femininity as the point of departure, the ladies need to celebrate their womanhood this season. Fabrics are sheer, diaphanous and a bit see-through. Peek-a-boo cut-outs and insets were frequent on the catwalks and a puff of tulle netting was seen on shoulders and under skirt, after skirt. Ruffles and frills are a standard and can be worn on any garment, as long as the fit flatters your body shape.

Pussy bows on blouses in sheer fabrics is the first essential buy for the ladies' updated wardrobe this season — making sure that you get the shoulders and necklines that suit your particular shape.

Those of you with bigger busts may want to leave the bow hanging loose, while those of you with flatter chests can pull off the full sexy secretary look. Combining this look with pencil skirts and narrow or wide leg trousers, waistcoats and city shorts gives a great alternative professional look that is updated and attractive.

Accessories to consider in this trend are clutch bags for both day and evening wear, '50s swimwear with the lower leg, crossed front with full-bust support, and the classic peep-toe sling-back heels for a finished silhouette.

Androgyny

If femininity is not for you, ladies may consider raiding their boyfriend or husband's wardrobe as masculine tailoring, the boyfriend blazer and tuxedo jackets are big news.

For chaps happy to explore this arena, you should be looking at shrink-to-fit ladies-style jackets, higher-waisted cotton trousers and beautifully cut, narrow-fitting shirts — with your buttons done up all the way to the top. You can even consider wide, almost cummerbund-style belts for a very polished look, as we saw at the Virgin Mobile Cape Town Fashion Week.

This is all done with a goth/punk edge. A flashback to the early '90s pointed shoes and stovepipe trousers, is very fresh for this season. And it goes without saying that this is all executed in monochrome.

Hippie chic

There was definitely a mood of '70s psychedelic across all the local and international runways this season. With Ombré (from the word meaning 'to shade') in charcoal to grey/silver, being the most popular of the fabric treatments. There was also tie-die and colour blocking that was reminiscent of this time. Fringing, feathers and tassels decorated many of the garments, and paisley print was pretty ubiquitous from ties, through to shirts and scarves.

The oft seen maxi dresses, kaftans, waistcoats, tunic smocks, high-waisted flares and washed-out jeans were very literal interpretations of this time, although it is more a homage when you realise that most of these are now executed in natural fabrics for far more ease of wear.

Accessories like wide-brimmed straw hats, vintage leather bags, beaded jewellery, bangles and multi-layer beaded necklaces were very popular and shoes are the easiest and most comfortable interpretation of this trend with raffia wedges and flat and heeled gladiator sandals being very wearable.

Tribal style

There is a move toward globalisation in society, politics, economics and fashion. And this season, we see how even deepest darkest Africa has moved onto the international catwalks with graphic tribal print very popular.

The resort safari look has been mentioned a lot internationally, but it looks more like what we understand to be a romantic interpretation of colonial wear. Gents don't underestimate the power of the remodelled safari suit jacket and shorts for this season. This time the jacket is worn open, and the shorts fit to the knee.

This trend is accessorised with lots of feathers and hand-crafted beads, so if you are looking for a more gentle way to incorporate this trend, then this use these accessories. Alternatively, head wraps and scarves and tortoise-shell sun glasses are also a popular choice.

Volume

Playing consistently across Durban, Joburg and Cape Town, there is no question that volume at the shoulders and volume at the hips is a strong trend this season. Ladies should play this to your own physical advantage by using the volume to balance out larger areas. For example, if you are rocking broad swimmer's shoulders, then use lantern hips to balance this out. The shoulder emphasis is equally flattering for real ladies with a bit of extra junk in your trunk, with pleating or draping at the shoulder, balancing out the hips most effectively.

Silk

It was a real pleasure and surprise to see silk back on the catwalk for men's shirts since it has been a while since this has been in the macho domain. Silk was extremely popular for ladies blouses and dresses as well — the forerunner of a general move toward more luxe fabrics for both sexes. As this is an ideal draping fabric in both silk chiffon and silk satin, it's an excellent choice for those who are lucky enough to be curvaceous.

Shorts

In terms of trends for the chaps, there were some wonderful fitted shorts suits that smartened up a very casual approach. Toss away those loose-fit cargo shorts that end somewhere on the mid-calf, and invest in a couple of pairs of shorts that sit above the knee for a far more modern and streamlined take on summer.

Ladies should also look to shorts for a modern update in their wardrobe, however this season it really is a young person's game. The shorts are not much more than hot pants, sitting well above the mid-thigh region and being best worn with those lucky ladies who have no cellulite. But they too can be dressed up for an evening appointment, fresh off the beach.

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