The 80′s are back! I must admit my first reaction was WHY? I did the 80′s the first time round and was vexed to see why teens were lapping up the whole leggings/neon heels/off-the-shoulder tee’s look, but as I have already been there, done that – who am I to judge?

I am pleased to say that the 80′s trend Autumn/Winter 09 is vastly different, homing in on the best of the 80′s – shoulder pads and embellishments! Think Dynasty meets Samantha from Sex and the City; structured jackets, flattering draping and fitted knits covered in bling… just writing about it puts me in a good mood! If you’ve taken any notice of the gorgeous Diane Kruger of late, she’s been rocking this trend for a while, courtesy of Jason Wu.

Inspired by the film ‘Coco Before Chanel’ our love affair with ‘Parisian Chic’ and ‘Chanel homages’ has once again dominated the high street with most shops churning out nautical themed tops and ‘ I Love Paris’ tee’s; but it’s the Chanel style jackets and bags you should really sit up and pay attention too – as most are quite simply, brilliant and a snip of a designer price tag!

My personal favourite is our current love affair with the Hero Jacket – or Trophy Jacket as it’s now known – a cropped jacket that’s adorned with sequins and embellishments, it makes a real statement and can transform an outfit. Moschino have designed some beautifully delicate versions, covered in pins and crystals but it’s Dolce & Gabbana’s ornate brocade Trophy Jacket and sequin jacket that’s are the real winners. Stunning ‘homages’ can be found on the high street at Topshop, Mango and Dorothy Perkins.

Micro trends Autumn/Winter 09-10 include over-the-knee boots, or ‘panto boots’ as I affectionately call them! Stella McCartney has created a lovely pair of flat over-the-knee boots that look oh-so-comfy… high street shops Russell and Bromley and New Look have followed suit.

The statement necklace or bib necklace is still massively en vogue and a great way of updating a plain ensemble – best on the high street is definitely the Accessorise range, but Primark has also created a statement necklace worthy of appraisal!

English heritage is another trend that has endured through to this next season – this perhaps has a lot to do with that feeling of nostalgia we all crave when times are tough… Nicole Fahri and Vivienne Westwood have designed beautifully cut dresses and jackets made of tweed, velvet and plaid prints. Gap has released a jaw-droppingly sharp version of a vintage tweed jacket with a modern twist that’s well worth a look.

When casting my eye over the key trend Autumn/Winer 09-10 one thing really stands out at me – the level of high quality cuts and craftsmenship prevelent in our high street ranges. Key trends look less dissposable – and clearly are less dissposable as they come with a price tag that reflects the level of work put into the garment. Fast fashion has had its day and our high street has taken notice, creating beautiful ranges of investment pieces designed and made with materials that will stand the test of time. This excites me – a lot.