As part of this season’s 90’s fashion revival, utilitarian cargo pocket pants are trending for Spring. I have mixed feelings about cargo pocket pants so I vote both yay and nay. Some cargo pocket pant styles look very unflattering to my eye. Yet I adore the look of others.

I like knee length cargo pocket pants best, particularly in silk blends and worn with heels as shown in the pictures above. I also like this style in casual fabrications worn with flats, which is a look we discussed last season. So for me, cargo pocket pants are a yay when they’re short and I like them even more with a dressy touch. Ironic, since they’re supposed to be casual bottoms.

I don’t like the look of long cargo pocket pants worn casually, like those below, nearly as much. It’s especially unflattering when you carry a little extra in the hip and thigh area. Pear shaped body types stay away!

Needless to say, the cropped lengths that end just above the ankle and below the calf with wide hems that are worn with flats give me heart failure. Extra long and slim legs relative to the rest of the body are prerequisites for the silhouette. So if you’re a tall-ish inverted triangle, you’ve definitely got a head start on making this look work.

I wore long khaki cargo pocket pants 15 years ago along with the rest of the world. They didn’t feel right then and they don’t feel right now. But I’m still after a smarter silk pair in clamdigger length so I might give the top styles a go. What’s your perspective on cargo pocket pants?  Yes, no, or maybe?

I don’t need (or want) to sport every fashion trend every season. But I have a trendy fashion persona and I do like to sport the trends that tickle my fancy, especially if they’re a little more daring and controversial. Wearing the same wash of denim both on top and on the bottom is an example of one of these trends. I was excited to give it a bash – my way.

When I first started seeing this trend pop up on Spring Fashion Week catwalks last September, I didn’t like it at all. But after seeing more and more creative ensemble combinations interpreting the trend, my eyes started to adjust. I began to appreciate how these outfits can work when the right amount of textural interest is added back into the look.

For this particular outfit I first added in a white camisole to break up the expanse of denim. I then added knee-high boots and a black boyfriend blazer to break it up even further. By covering large portions of the denim and making the shirt function more like a layering piece, I feel that I can successfully sport the trend. I’m also happy swapping out the boots for shoes, thereby exposing more of the jeans. But I wouldn’t be happy omitting my blazer and wearing the outfit with shoes alone. That would be too much of the same denim in one outfit even for my liking.

I am not wearing any accessories here other than my usual watch, wedding ring, handbag and specs. I have started to enjoy wearing fewer accessories per outfit, just because it pushes my fashion envelope.

Revealing more skin with this trend is another good way to go as it reduces the amount of denim coverage on the body. Swapping out the jeans for a denim skirt and the jacket for a cardigan are great also substitutes. Throwing in a scarf will work too.

You either like the advanced denim on denim trend, or you don’t. I warmed up to the look fairly quickly and enjoyed the challenge of making it work for me.

Wearing denim on denim is no longer a fashion faux pas. In fact, it’s one of the hottest trends this season. For hardcore trendy fashionistas that means wearing a blue denim shirt with jeans in a similar wash.

I totally get that wearing the same denim wash both on top and on bottom is hard to swallow. So for starters, try a different denim wash or colour for on the bottom. The obvious choice is to mix in black denim jeans (or skirt) with the denim shirt. I wore this Levis combination to death in the 90’s so I think I’ve had my fill of that look. In Spring and Summer though, white becomes my black, so the obvious pairing for my style was white jeans. White looks pretty with some of the lighter denim shirt washes and picks up the sparkle of pearlized snaps well.

I finished off the ensemble with turquoise and yellow accessories because I fancy fresh colours with white as temperatures begin to rise (you might recognize the turquoise belt from last Spring).

You can substitute white bootcut pants or jeans, clamdiggers, walk shorts or a skirt. Adding coral or fuschia into the mix would be right on trend too. I also like the idea of a  matching a denim shirt and white jeans with a weathered brown belt, cognac shoes and wooden accessories for a more earthy vibe.

Alternatively, you can swap out the white completely and opt for dark blue washes, red or or grey jeans (or a skirt in one of these colours). Forum members Laura, Tam and Julie have been experimenting with their own denim on denim looks and look fab. Be sure to take a look at their outfits too.

In these pictures I am wearing my denim shirt from the Gap and a new extra-long glass beaded necklace from Nordstrom.

Clarks is doing great things this season. Comfortable and good looking sandal styles like the Raasas, Country Meadow and Smooch are great buys, and now there’s also a sweet little peep-toed number called the “Diamond Heart”. Its oversized button and chunky stacked heel are deliciously retro in flavour. The top stitching adds a nice casual element to the look. The broad ankle strap is not for everyone, but if that’s not an issue, it’s soft and buttery like most leather uppers on Clarks footwear.

It is available in US sizes 5 to 12 across three colours that I find equally appealing. The black is urban and strong, the metallic is pretty and versatile, the beige is unique and probably the most retro looking of them all. Which colour do you like best?