Apart from animal hide, all fabrics fall into one of two categories: knits or wovens. It’s not the fiber content that distinguishes them, it’s the manufacturing process. Yarns like cotton, viscose, rayon, wool, polyester, velvet or silk can either be knitted or woven.

• Knitted fabrics are produced on huge knitting machines that “knit” different yarns together. These machines use exactly the same hand knitting method to make fabric. They knit a row of plain and a row of pearl at the speed of light to create a “stocking stitch” effect. You’ll see the familiar stocking stitch pattern on knitted items if you look closely. All knitted fabrics stretch. T-shirt fabric, sweatshirt fabric, knitwear (fabric that sweaters and cardigans are made from), jersey, mesh, toweling, felt and La Coste fabric are examples of typical knitted fabrics.
• Woven fabrics are produced on huge looms that “weave” different yarns together by interlacing threads both horizontally and vertically. Woven fabrics do not stretch unless Lycra, elastic or spandex fibers are woven into the fabric at the same time. This is how button down shirts and jeans get their stretch. Linen, denim, cotton twill, satin, chiffon, corduroy, tweed and canvas are examples of typical woven fabrics.

It’s important to distinguish between knits and wovens because each fabric type has a set of good and bad properties. See if you can distinguish between what’s knitted or woven in your wardrobe.

Blokes, its time to move on from pleated khaki’s or chinos. This is a dated look. So much so that Banana Republic has eliminated pleated styles completely. Most department stores continue to stock pleated chinos because they sell to gents who are none the wiser.

Opt for flat front chinos instead. They’re a lot more flattering and will work for every age and body type.

• Dress them up smart casually with a tucked button down shirt + undergarment T + dressy shoes + matching belt
• Dress them down casually with an un-tucked T or polo shirt + fashion sneakers.

Flat front chinos are classic and preppy. I wouldn’t call them funky, trendy or sleek, but they’re a pretty decent smart casual look that’s often appropriate in a conservative work setting if dressy jeans are not permitted.

Pleated chinos are passé.

Flat front chinos are current and flattering.

High fashion retailers in the USA are selling brightly coloured, ultra skinny jeans and my Euro sources tell me that this style is all over London, Paris and Germany too. I saw glimpses of this denim movement last season and also when I was recently in Spain. It’s a scream. I owned red, turquoise and fuchsia pairs with ankle zips 25 years ago.

Apparently the idea is to treat this silhouette more like leggings than pants this time around. So you’re supposed to wear these lurid skinnies under tunics and dresses instead of tops. Either way I’m bypassing this trend; but I’ll admit that I’m strangely attracted to the look because it’s a hilarious blast from my ‘80’s past.

I wouldn’t be surprised if this trend appeals to today’s teenyboppers and youngsters because it’s so different to most of the silhouettes they’ve been exposed to for the last two decades. I wonder what’s next. Home perm kits and crimping curlers perhaps?

My prediction: this look is a fad that’s going to disappear after one season.

It’s interesting that different product categories tickle our fancy to different degrees when we shop. Some of us love to shop for shoes and bags, while others prefer to shop for skirts and dresses. After being in the fashion game for ages, I have concluded that this is a very personal thing, greatly influenced by individual and regional differences.

Here’s my personal list, ordered from best to worst:

• Favourites: jackets, bags, tunics, coats, blousie tops and knitwear
• Least Favourites: shoes (particularly Summer shoes), bras, skirts, socks and workout wear

I feel the cold quickly, so it is a good thing that jackets and coats are high on my list. On the other hand, a fashion stylist who doesn’t like to shop for shoes is not the norm. I love looking at shoes and dressing my clients in them, but it’s become increasingly frustrating shopping for my own shoes. Fussy feet and fabulous shoes do not go hand in hand.

I’d love to hear your list. I suspect that it will be quite different.