Work and family visits take me to Europe frequently and I enjoy observing fashion across the continents. Trends are generally the same, but cultural and regional preferences do create important differences. For example, skirts were big in London last Autumn but virtually non-existent in America. Instead, dresses were the “it” item over here.

Spring 2008 was officially launched in Euro stores this month, which made the timing perfect for my visit to Spain last week. Spanish-based fashion retail stores offer an excellent overview of European fashion trends. Here is a summary of what the new season brought to Barcelona last week.

Colours:

• Brights – tomato red, watermelon coral, citrus yellow, kelly green, lipstick pink, mandarin orange and cobalt blue
• Pastels – antique pink
• Neutrals – army green, mushroom brown, warm tan, ink blue, cream, white and black

Patterns:

• Florals both large, small, monochromatic and brightly coloured
• Black and cream gingham
• Earth toned tribal designs

Fabrics:

• Leather
• Metallic silver and gold man made and natural fibre blends
• Creased futuristic polyester blends
• Linen
• Silk
• Rayon and cotton blends
• Denim
• Cracked patent

Silhouettes:

• Skinnies were by far the most popular silhouette for casual pants. Leg openings for skinnies ranged from extremely tapered to straight. Fashion critics who predicted that skinnies would be gone in one season were so wrong. We are going into our fifth season for this style and it has become a mainstream basic. You can’t wear a voluminous tunic with anything else and nothing tucks into boots quite as well as a pair of skinny pants.
• Bootcuts were the order of the day for pants that weren’t skinny and many of them higher in the rise.
• Knee length pencil skirts in denim and thick cottons.
• 80’s “membership jackets”, but fabulous this time around. They’re fitted, tailored, sometimes belted and not bomber-shaped like they were 25 years ago – a modern day military look.
• “Safari” inspired styling on dresses, skirts and jackets.
• Belted trench coats in every colour and fabrication.
• Fitted biker jackets in black and cream
• Trapeze jackets
• Belted jackets to the hip were just as popular as trapeze and baby doll styles.
• Billowing soft tunics with wait cinching belts
• See through soft blouses either tucked into high-waisted pants or left un-tucked and cinched in at the waist with a belt.
• Voluminous short shift dresses and waist-focusing fit-and-flare ‘50’s dresses
• Soft printed ankle length maxi dresses

Shoes:

• 80’s inspired ballet flats (the pointy-toed kind with uniform circular cutouts patterned into leather or plastic)
• ballet flats with ankle straps
• Heels with “T-strap” detailing
• Floral printed pumps
• Gladiator sandals
• Wedges
• Converse sneakers in canvas and patent

I didn’t see wide-legged pants, colour blocked shoes, 50’s full skirts, acid wash jeans, shoulder pads or preppy blazers. But these trends might follow in the next few months. I’m particularly excited about the new season’s bright colours, gingham prints, military inspired styling, higher rises, biker influences, soft blouses, belted jackets, tunics, waist-focusing dresses, patent Converse sneakers and 80’s inspired ballet flats. Which Spring trends get you excited?

Ballet flats that are characteristic of the season: circular cutout, floral and ankle strapped. The circular cutout ballet flats in Spain were less sporty and generally more retro 80’s looking than this Michael Kors style. I swear I had a plastic fuchsia pair as a teeny bopper and can scarcely believe that I bought a virtually identical cream pair in leather a few days ago.

I regard Spain to be the leader in fashion retail because it is home to Inditex, one of the largest fashion distributors in the world and the holding company for eight different chain stores, of which Zara is the biggest and best known. The others are Stradivarius, Massimo Dutti, Pull and Bear, Bershka, Oysho, Zara Home and Kiddy’s Class. Inditex’s 3700-odd stores are represented in a whopping 68 different counties. Most of the merchandise available in these stores is made in Spain – not China.

What impresses me most about Inditex chains is the affordability of their highly creative, sophisticated and current designs. Each chain focuses on a niche market and age group, with levels of quality appropriate to the target market. But even their higher end Massimo Dutti store is more affordable than Banana Republic. I am convinced that this helps to raise the style quotient in Europe. It’s easier to look good when there are gorgeously stylish clothes and shoes at thrifty prices around every corner.

This is what I miss in America. You can absolutely get phenomenal clothes and shoes in the US at fabulous boutiques and department stores, but it is usually expensive. There is no American equivalent to Spain’s Zara, Sweden’s H&M, Britain’s French Connection, France’s Promod or Holland’s Mexx. Banana Republic probably comes closest, but its fashion has lacked flair recently and isn’t cheap unless you purchase on sale.

I hope that Spain continues to spread it’s gloriously affordable and fabulously wearable fashion all over America. Then we too can enjoy eye-catching boutique looks at inexpensive mainstream prices.

Zara in Paris.

When a model looks fab in an ankle length skirt, chances are high she’s almost six foot tall. Women of average height and shorter somehow look as if they have been swallowed up by the skirt. This is not a flattering look.

Skirt lengths around the knee tend to work for all body types. Visually, a hemline that cuts the legs somewhere in the middle is where your legs will look their longest and slimmest. Extra-petite women tend to look better with their hemlines raised a little shorter. If you do prefer to go longer, a structured skirt to the mid-calf with a fab pair of shoes or boots can also look great.

Ankle length is a much better look when it comes to dresses that create an unbroken line from head to toe. You’ll see ever-so-petite Eva Longoria sport a long dress on the red carpet with style. National costumes like the Indian Sari or Malaysian Sarong work on petite, small framed women because they look more like dresses than the separates that they are.

For more on this topic, join the discussion in the YLF forum.

European style is distinctive and you’ll notice its flavour as soon as you set foot on Euro soil. I’m in beautiful Barcelona, where men and women are generally well turned out, and I love it. While it’s the Parisians that lead haute couture, and the Londoners that lead prêt-a-porter; it’s arguably the Spaniards that lead fashion retail. Spain is home to Zara, one of the most successful clothing retail chains.

In true urban Euro style, the number one uniform on the streets of Barcelona across all age groups and body types is jeans or pants tucked into flat knee-high boots with either a belted knitted tunic or shorter piece of tailored knitwear. The look is finished off with coat, scarf and fab sling bag. Practical, put together and stylish. The same ensemble with flat ankle boots or fashion sneakers is the next most popular choice and to my delight there are loads of women wearing good old Converse. It’s Winter, so ballet flats are few and far between. The highest heels you’ll see on the streets are two inches, but that’s rare too. People in Barcelona commute on foot so it’s all about stylish flats and dressing in layers. The skirt-and-boots look isn’t as popular as it was in London, but streamlined knee-length puffer jackets, cropped leather biker styles and urban boots are a favourite and look great.

I chose not to bring my riding boots, but I’m right at home during the day in dark straight leg jeans, short, faux fur trimmed, belted leather jacket, a variety of fitted turtle necks and scarves, comfy cream and black Converse and black, biker sling bag. My heeled, cream patent ankle boots, dressy tops, cobalt coat and clutch come out at night. Easy!