Whether you're a lover or a fighter, it’s all about the confident, sexy, and strong Renaissance woman this season. Gladiators are becoming more glamorous than casual, conquering the arena as the showstoppers of 2015, as shown by Dsquared2 and Stella McCartney. Following are mules and flatforms, with emphasis on the ankles, fringes, leathers, and feathers showcased by Oscar de La Renta. Reptile, paint, and floral prints are details used for texture, and added metal hardware on boots are giving a cowboy presence this season. Ethos Of Mystique Gladiators serve as a designer’s muse. From the unusual fabrics to the buckles, zippers and prints, imaginations continue to soar on the runway. The Hybrid Mule Refreshed and altered with whimsy, hardware, and laces, the mule is anything but boring! Lucite Vision Lucite heels are featured heavily this season and the material sculpturally pops up in unexpected ways. Bow Ties Whether it's a bow in the front or a tie in the back, sculptural, lavish or soft bows are everywhere! Floral Decor From prints to embroidery, the floral touch reminds us that spring and summer are finally here! Spaced Out Flatforms 90s refreshed soles get the height without discomfort as subtle sneaker elements are added. Flirty Fringe & Feathers Fringes are edged out with beaded details and hardware; feathers add a sexy flirty feminine touch. Curved heels On high and low heels, trendsetters are sacrificing comfort for the added interest and edge. Weave On The new weave has everyone excited, adding playfulness, texture and diverse designs.                  

Colour Trend Indulging all the senses, marsala, the universal earth-warming hue of wine, enriches us with confidence and stability in all things this season.

There are a few key trends each season that steal the show and resonate with a fashion-focused few, and the truth is that only a vast minority of people are privy to that group. But when you break down a trend to its wearable root, you're left with pieces you'll love and love to wear. Styling becomes less of a chore and pairing pieces together comes naturally. I decided to do something a bit different this season: instead of prattling off trends that you'll never be able to fully incorporate into your budget, I've broken it down into Bankable-Budget-Breakers, Quantity-Over-Quality and Call-A-Friend. To make this completely "shoppable," there are items you need—period, items that will slay a trend but will not break the bank, and trendy pieces you know your fashion-forward bestie has in his or her closet and now’s the time to borrow them. The Bankable-Budget-Breakers Any style-starved sister will tell you that suede is the biggest trend this season and that vintage borrowed suede looks tired and worn—adjectives you never want to have surrounding you come spring. Suede skirts, dusters, over-the-knee boots, and gloves are all items that will dip you in that 70s chic trend that swept runways from NYC to Paris. Theory, Halston, Gerard Darel Gucci and SAINT Laurent Paris have all embraced the trend and it's definitely one you're going to have to invest in too. Remember, time does suede no favors, especially if it's pig skin or if it hasn't been properly stored. Quantity-Over-Quality I'm the first person to justify an impressive price tag when shopping, but sometimes it's simply not necessary when fast fashion retailers have caught up to the trend. You can save a few pennies and it's perfectly okay. However, these next trends are going to be a flash in the pan or are already on their way out, so if the less-than-stellar style only lasts a season, you're not out a whole lot of cash. A gummy-soled sandal. We've all seen them in bulk at places like Forever 21 and Aldo. Spending a fortune on a Giuseppe Zanotti sounds like a fun Saturday afternoon, but it's totally not necessary to achieve this look. Another trend that can be achieved cheap and cheerfully is head to toe print. Be it a jumpsuit, maxi dress or slammin' separates, you can get this look for a tiny fraction of what it would cost off the runway. The Call-A-Friends You know them well: that close pal who invests in trends like they're going out of style; you know they're fashion hills to die over and you have probably saved them from a few unfortunate fashion faux-pas in the past. Well, your expert styling advice comes with a price, it's time to call in some favours. If ever there was a time to wear culottes, that time is now. Those bell-bottoms she has need a serious hem job...think mid-calf. Convince her to turn wide legged pants into culottes, and then convince her to borrow them. Unlike previous seasons, the more pleats up top, the better. Cool culottes are the mini skirts of last spring so you know what they say: beg, borrow or steal. Let's focus on borrowing. Other borrowable items include any shoe with a chunky heel and thick sole. Compliment that shoe with a wide waist cincher or thick belt wrapped around your hips over your high-waisted culottes.      

The Bankable-Budget-Breakers Investing in a quality can be a sure fire way to be a classic gent, but hitting trends on the head can be tough from a bespoke perspective. Custom suits can be made from thousands of swatches, but which ones will make you stand out in the right way for Spring 2015? When I went to Hong Kong last year, all the men were wearing bright, eye-catching cobalt blue. It dotted the financial district like sastrugi after a blizzard. Guess what just made its way to North America? Cobalt blue. Since last year, the color has only gotten brighter, but this season, think slate blue instead of sky blue or navy. Aside from suiting, invest in a solid pair of loose fitting lamb leather shorts or a leather shirt. This bad boy style is guaranteed to get you noticed in all the right ways. Quantity-Over-Quality After you've spent all your budget on a new suit, it's time to trick out your spring style with easy to buy quickies like a brown and white, or blue and white gingham shirt, a washed leather work style boot and an over-sized scarf. It doesn't have to be cashmere to be stylish. Wear it over your coat and hide the tassel ends to give it a captivating street style look. The Call-A-Friends Call up your buddy and tell them you're showing up with a six pack of his favourite drink. Then, while he's guzzling back, watching the game, it's time to "mission impossible" his closet! Your mission: grab all the holey shirts and sweaters you can find for the 90s grunge revival trend. Truth is, he won't even know you have them until he sees you on the popular page on Instagram wearing his old throwaways. Other things to borrow? Vintage sunglasses and paisley bow ties.