Success with Baroque styles lies in combining a classic, historical trend with modern flair. Naturally, this look can be a little tricky to pull off. However, the right combination can result in a winning style of old meets new.

Dresses

Classical and romantic is the name of the game here. Baroque dresses are usually fitted with a bodice and have full but short skirts. They can be either dark with complex prints reminiscent of the patterns adorning the walls of Versailles, or in a solid colour with accents of lace, fur, or embroidery.

Shoes

Since this style makes such a bold statement, try opting for simpler shoes that allow your swirling prints to shine. You can try a pair of plain black brogues, peep-toe ballet flats, or dark suede ankle boots. Dark solid colours will counterbalance the complicated prints and let them shine.

Printed Pants

If you’re looking for an outfit that is a little more demure, you can try a pair of printed fitted pants or leggings. Think light, pastel prints of flowers or leaves, like antique wallpaper. Pair with a solid colour top, perhaps in off-white with lace.

Tops

If you are going for a daring look, go for a bold, flashy printed top with leggings, pants, or a simple black skirt. Baroque tops are often fitted and sleek, and may include lace accents or embroidery. Alternatively, if you’re searching for a look that’s more light and fun, try a sheer, flowy blouse in classic off-white.

Accessories

Since a Baroque outfit can be such a showstopper, it is important to choose the right accessories that complement rather than clash. If you are already wearing an eye-catching metallic print, try instead to accessorize with subtler hues, such as a black headband, simple jewellery, or the Prism sunglasses at Avenue 32.

On the other hand, Baroque accessories, especially scarves and bags, can help dress up a more conservative outfit. Try carrying a cute back purse with gold print to dress up your grey, everyday fall jacket, or bundling up with silk scarf with a bright and dark pattern. These accessories can add just a touch of class, resulting in a bold yet sophisticated style.

The return to Baroque is covered beautifully in a recent piece done by Vogue.

Aviators, so named because of their prominence among United States airmen of World War II, were wire-rimmed sunglasses with mirror lenses strategically shaped to fit underneath pilot goggles. For all of their utility, the style actually became a fashion statement; Aviators are Ray-Ban’s first and most popular design to date.

That is not to understate the popularity of Wayfarers, however. Introduced in the 1950s, Wayfarers were sunglasses with a plastic frame and dark lenses. The design proved that Ray-Ban had accomplished once again what they had with Aviators — revolutionising fashion and eye-wear.

Current fashion culture has taken a turn toward the much more classic styles of yesteryear, which makes a universally recognised brand like Ray Ban a no-brainer. While Aviators have never really gone out of style, they seem to be the preferred look (especially for men and self-proclaimed hipsters) this summer. However, the popular sunglasses maker also returned to one of its most beloved designs — the Wayfarer — which finds stylishness in its simplicity. The change became an instant trend, with celebrities like Johnny Depp and Kate Moss sporting pairs of their own.

Wayfarers
Like every good classic come ‘round again, Wayfarers are featuring a new touch on an old favourite with colourful summer designs. Every year, the company unveils a line of Wayfarers designed in collaboration with prominent artists called ‘Rare Prints’. This summer’s Rare Prints collection features three-dimensional graphic designs aptly named ‘Blocks.’ The playful prominence of geometrical shapes and vibrant colours are clearly a nod to the 80s, uniting styles from two different vintage eras to give well-knowing fashion enthusiasts a double dose of classic design.

You may go snag a pair of these sunnies at the first chance you get, but don’t forget to make them your own with Achica Fashion Accessories that pop. Whether it be on your lips or covering a mini-frock, double-decker bus red is in this season, perfect for pairing with the grey lens design from the Blocks collection. And when spending time on the beach, make sure to protect yourself from sun exposure with olive green lenses and an over-sized hat to look chic yet prepared.

For more tips on how to pair your Ray-Bans with the best summer fashion trends, visit the Guardian’s fashion blog.

Workout socks are important too. If they are too thick or too thin they will cause blisters and a great deal of discomfort. An excellent make of training sock is Thorlos, with cushioning at the heels and instep to prevent blistering as well as spandex around the arch for a closer fit and Thorlon for moisture control. Warmth is also an important factor when selecting exercise apparel. Runners will appreciate the Stridelite Soft Shell Jacket in the cold winter weather. It comes in dark colours and has a built in 360 degree strobe light for safety, with great insulation quality against rain and snow.

Women need to find the perfect sports bra before embarking on any sports or fitness activity. Sweaty Betty has a good selection of exercise clothing for women, including yoga wear, sweats, beach and snow. .Sweats include sports bras and athlete vests in bright colours, trainer liners, capris, head bands and racer pants. Yoga gear includes mantra vests, warrior pants, pilates socks, control leggings, yoga bras and ballerina back cam tops.

Snow activities require the right clothing for warmth and dryness. Expedition jackets need to be breathable yet water proof. A reflective logo is essential for safety, waterproof bond zips keep pockets airtight and dry and a fleece backing for insulation as well as an internal snow skirt are also important. Snow sports require the participant to wear thick ski socks, ski gloves and fleece glove linings, as well as the right pants. Sweaty Betty has a pair of storm pant, stretch fitted with a fleecy inside, bootleg cut and deep waistband, with waterproof zips. It is completely waterproof up to 10,000mm. Stella McCartney Wintersport Recco Pants are great for keeping the girls warm during snow activities and have Climaproof and Climawarm for added insulation against the elements and with an inner and outer snow leg cuff and built in compass. Fake fur ear muffs make a great fashion statement as well as being practical and bomber hats have long ear flaps to ensure extra warmth as well as an on trend look.

Speedo has long been at the fore of sports swimwear and have some great designs for both men and women. They have under wire bikinis, tankinis and stylish swimsuits such as the Women’s Azara Swimsuit and Chi Tank swimsuit that are both flattering and practical. For great performance the Fatskin Racer for men is the ideal swimming trunk. When embarking on a new sport, your comfort and performance will depend on which footwear you choose, so find the best for your requirements.

Firstly, it is essential to get the right bikini or swimsuit. Spend some time finding the perfect one that will flatter your figure. Remember you may often need more than one, so try to find a few that you know you will feel confident in. If you are worried about your short legs, make sure you find a bikini that is high cut to lengthen them. If you are worried about a small chest, find a bikini with pads and ruffles to give the illusion of a bigger bust. Finally, do not be afraid to mix and match bikini tops and bottoms. If your bottom is a problem area, look for dark bikini bottoms and go for a colourful pattern to show off your top half.

If you are planning on taking part in water sports on the beach you may need to pack something more substantial. Look around for quality swimming costumes from top sports brands. If you do not want to wear a swimming costume, look for a bikini from a brand designed for water sports such as Animal Clothing or Santa Cruz. These items will be designed to withstand the pressures of such sports.

It is also important to carry the correct gear and accessories. Make sure you have a hat for the beach. This should cover your head and ideally your neck as this an area sensitive to the sun. Big straw hats are in fashion right now, so take advantage of this and take one to the beach. This will help prevent you from getting sunburn and sunstroke as well as giving you a stylish beach look. Large sunglasses are also in, but make sure you get a pair that will protect your eyes from UV rays.

A beach bag is another must-have accessory. If you are spending all day at the beach you will need a bag with enough space inside to carry all your accessories, a change of clothes and possibly items such as beach balls. Large beach bags are big in 2010 and often flatter your figure. A large beach bag can make your body appear small in comparison. You should also carry some decent flip flops to ensure your feet do not burn on the beach. Although you can find some very cheap flip flops from almost any store, invest in a brand name item. These often do not cost significantly more than the cheapest pair, yet will last for years to come.

If you are a surf babe or are looking to take up a water sport you may need some additional gear for the beach. Animal clothing stocks a range of water sport related accessories as well as fashionable beach wear for active women.

But buying maternity clothes can be a pricey business and many pregnant women feel that buying them is a waste of money, as they will only be worn for a couple of months and then discarded. There are, however, many ways to be comfortable and stylish right up until your due date without breaking the bank.

The best way of saving money on maternity clothes is to stop yourself from running out and buying racks of pregnancy wear the minute you find out your are expecting. As your bump grows in size the maternity clothes you buy early on will be of little use towards the end of your pregnancy, as they will no longer fit you and your bump. Instead there are many ways that you can easily adapt your regular wardrobe for the first and beginning of the second trimester, so that you are only buying maternity clothes that you really need.

In the earlier stages of your pregnancy regular clothes such as smock tops and empire line dresses should fit comfortably, as the inherently baggy nature of such items will naturally accommodate your growing bump. Buying a belly belt will also help you to stretch your regular wardrobe even further, as they act as a comfortable panel that sit inside your trousers and jeans, allowing you to undo the fastenings. Similarly belly bands are also handy as they stylishly fill the gap between tops and bottoms that may be created by your bump!

Of course you can only stretch your regular wardrobe so far and a point will come when buying maternity clothes is unavoidable. That being said, unless you have money to burn it is best to avoid buying yourself a whole new bump-friendly wardrobe. Instead invest in just a few key maternity wear items that you can mix and match to keep your comfortable and stylish until the end of your pregnancy. A well-fitting pair of maternity jeans is absolutely essential, so try on a few different pairs to get the ones that are right for you. Remember that jeans with an over-the-bump jersey panel are likely to be more comfortable as your pregnancy progresses.

Another maternity must-have is a wrap dress. These are hugely flattering to the pregnant figure and a wrap dress crafted from soft jersey material will allow you bump room to grow. They can also be dresses down for day time and dressed up for the evenings, so go for one in a plain block colour to give you plenty of accessorising options. Finally, a couple of basic maternity t-shirts is a great investments as they are stretchy, comfortable and can be worn with or under everything (such as pre-pregnancy cardigans and jackets). Get a few different styles (v-neck, scoop-neck etc) to keep things interesting.

Buying babies clothes can also seem like a waste of money as babies grow at a rapid rate which means most of their clothes last only a few months, if that. To avoid throwing money away apply the ‘versatile basics’ maternity wear approach to buying your baby’s clothes too – invest in basic, inexpensive baby clothes that can be mixed and matched. Buying or borrowing second hand baby clothes from other mums is also a great idea and they will probably be glad to be rid of them!

So there are ways of buying maternity and baby clothes without breaking the bank. Just make sure you invest in well made, versatile items from high quality maternity retailers such as hotmilk maternity and you shouldn’t go far wrong.

While we love the bold colour pieces, you can also be more than satisfied with this trend if you lean toward neutral coloured accessories. Geox is offering some super-duper wedges in stark white and creamy brown, and nothing says summer better than that colour combo. Oh I know, the fact that they are strappy, and will expose your perfectly tanned tootsies.

No matter what your price range, remember to keep this look minimal. In most cases even two small items seems to be too much for any one outfit. And if you are lucky enough to become the very proud owner of the Fendi purse then you will want all eyes on it, with nothing to detract from its gorgeous self.

Many of Lieber’s designs are so encrusted with gorgeous gems that they look a bit like the candy I used to purchase in bulk. And some of her clutches actually float through my head just before I doze like homemade fudge, and holiday cookies used to. But now, instead of wanting to taste the hard candies, I want to feel the cool sculpted metal, the chain strap, the semi precious stones. I have often wondered if Leiber herself was once a lover of the sweets too, as some of her designs are reminiscent of strips of candy buttons, and the interlacing of licorice sticks. Yes, adult candy is how I think of it, I suppose I’ve just traded one addiction for another. But at least this one counts as something my mother and I now have in common, and this one makes me look good while the toffee and candy corns did not.

Think that’s enough info to send you out looking for a pair, well just wait, they come in those trendy ice cream clours of the season. So, if the shape wasn’t enough to garner attention, then the saccharine sweet shades will do the job. Get a pair of these and get ready to stand apart from the crowd anywhere you go.

Actually, get a pair of these and be prepared to stand head and shoulders above the rest. If the price tag is more than a little steep, relax. There are positively going to be copies from all sorts of your favourite brands. Just be patient, and relax in knowing you will soon be floating around on these engineering feats (ha ha get that one feet/feat????)

This means our  shoulders chest, and necks really do need the same attention our face receives. You can’t skimp on all areas below the chin for months and then expect to be able to stun and wow when you unveil your unquenched zones. What does this mean….treat your décolleté the same as you do your forehead, nose, chin and cheeks.

Otherwise, you are likely to find that the skin on your face is a colour that is not in harmony with your neck and chest. Yep, discoloured and blotchy is what you will encounter if you neglect it. Or, you can soothe it and hydrate it accordingly and really have something to put on display unabashedly.

Such a quick change recipe can be dished up with items such as chokers, clutches, heels with details, festive headwear, embellished capes or sweaters. Well, quite honestly the list could go on forever, as could the alternating looks you can conjure up. Pick out things that will become focal points to your outfit, and take the emphasis off of the dress itself. Ooh and have I forgotten to mention that all those accessories will not be limited to use with that one dress. Nope, they can be loved up all year long, thus making them good investments instead of just special event pieces. Who knew prudent could look so good, and feel so super.