How to work the sales to get the new season’s trends

Another year, another opportunity to rejig and refresh your wardrobe.

Love them or loathe them, the sales are the best time to refresh your clothes rails.

We’ve simplified things this year with a fast-track guide to skimming through the reduced-price rails and selecting the trends that are likely to stick around.

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Stretch leather leggings, €650, Alexander Wang, The Outnet

Cold shoulder 

The off-the-shoulder look was, alongside bomber jackets, the most-Googled trend of the past season, which means it has hit critical mass.

But shoulder-exposing isn’t over for the new year. Enter the one-shoulder top/dress. The options on the catwalks range from deconstructed at Monse to 1980s-inspired at Saint Laurent.

Athleisure 

The year 2016 has officially been the year of athlesiure, so what about 2017?

Made popular by Vetments, the look has also been springing up on the catwalks of Versace and DKNY, so hang on to your hoodie.

But time is up for the other sporty stalwart – the jogger in all it’s incarnations: leather, velvet, denim and cashmere.

It is unflattering and doesn’t pair well with any kind of shoes.

It is set to be replaced by the high-fashion legging (see Gucci inadvertence), which is just as comfy, but hugs curves and makes legs look longer.

Shirting 

Think of norm-core evolved. Peacocking is so passe, ditch the bling and do as the fashpack does and, instead, sport a classic crisp shirt.

Opt for one of the more interesting varieties in blue pinstripe or wear it knotted, twisted, deconstructed or slashed. Good with mid-calf skirts or cropped denim.

Logo Tees 

On the catwalks for spring, Dior’s first female creative director Maria Grazia Chirui made a strong political statement with a white T-shirt that read “We should all be feminists”, while Haider Ackermann showed versions that read “Be your own Hero”.

Sure to be everywhere in the sales, get on board and represent your favourite brand or political statement.

Underwear as outerwear 

Breasts were the erogenous zone of the 1990s, and long limbs dominated the noughties.

For the past few years, we’ve been obsessed with abs and the crop-top reigned supreme. But, for 2017, the new focus is on the bralette, the silk slip top or the cropped bustier, masterfully layered over T-shirts, shirts, or blouses.

Denim 

Decorated, adorned and absolutely desirable – not-so basic denim is sticking around for spring.

Pale denim was done every way on the spring catwalks – cropped and embellished at Peter Pilotto, distressed and frayed at Verus and oversized at Topshop Unique. Washed-out, asymmetric, dishevelled, and frayed are key; ditch patchwork and ripped-knee styles.

Mismatched 

The fresh way to make a statement with accessories for 2017 is by decorating your earlobes in different styles.

So wrong, it’s right – there’s something cool and offbeat about mismatched earrings. As the spring catwalks of JW Anderson and Monse proved, mixing your ear candy has never been chicer.

Ruffles 

If you’re looking to make a dramatic entrance, ditch those slip or shift dresses. For spring, everything is ruffled, romantic and voluminous.

Whether it’s waterfall-tiered frills at Rodarte or a cascading frill flourish at Bora Aksu, the girliest detailing has got even girlier.