The weather is getting warmer, the days are getting brighter, the flowers are starting to emerge and a ton of trends have popped up as well. Spring is definitely here! Now the trends can be fun and there are a lot, but let's talk about the "doable" trends that work for "real" women, with "real" lives and "real" bodies.

The first one that comes to mind, and by far, the biggest trend I think has been the color yellow. This spring has featured a lot of bright colors, but yellow has been the most common. It has been shown in everything from dresses, bags, skirts and belts. However, as fun as this trend is, I have to admit that yellow items can very easily look "cheeky". It is also a hard color for a lot of people to wear yellow, (at least by the face).

I don't want to scare anyone away from trying something in yellow, but it can only be with a touch. My pick would be either this yellow dress - very cute, yet not too trendy that you can't wear it next year. However, I also love a yellow purse or a yellow pair of sandals. These could be worn with white jeans and a navy t-shirt - or even navy city shorts and a white tee. This is something anyone at all age and any body type can try as it's more about the touch of color than the shape.

And speaking of yellow sandals, another shoe trend this spring is the gladiator. These can be found as a flat, like the one at the left, or in a heel. Gladiator sandals are very sexy and fun, however, it you don't like your legs, then this style is not for you. With all the extra "stuff" going on, this will attract attention to your legs. However it is great for those with big feet as all the straps help "break up" your feet and therefore, they don't look as big! (I should know with size 11 feet!).

A safari influence has always been popular in the spring, but this year it has a bit of a twist with a tribal feel. What I mean, is that this season is more than just khaki and safari jackets. Instead, look for tribal prints in dresses and skirts. Big resin and wood bangles are something anyone can wear. However, please note that if you are petite, only layer a few as each bangle needs to be in proportion to your body - nothing too big as that can overwhelm a small frame. This bangle can be found at Banana Republic.

Tunics are big again this season thanks in part to Tory Burch's success. Tunics are easy to wear and look very summery. I think these look best with jeans or city shorts. They are best on an apple because they are easy to fit and just float over the body and broad shoulders - they don't hug. A rectangle can wear this, but this style doesn't work for a pear as it usually hits right at the hip and doesn't have enough structure. Same goes for an hourglass as it's not tailored enough to really work - I have a few, but I have to belt them to show off my waist - otherwise I get lost in all the extra fabric.

Dresses are also popular again this season, however, the one shoulder dress has emerged as a clear favorite. This is actually a great style because by exposing one shoulder, that draws the eye up and away from problem areas like a tummy, hips or thighs. Plus, who doesn't have great shoulders?! This is an easy thing to show off. You will however, need to wear strapless bra, but I think that's a small price to pay for how great this looks! The dress at the left would look best on an hourglass and rectangle, while the dress at the right is perfect for a pear and apple (because of the movement and A-line at the bottom - helps camouflaging hips for a pear and balance out an apple's broad shoulders).

Designers have also taken this trend and incorporated it into tops as well so this is another way to try a trend without fully committing to a dress! Again, everyone has great shoulders!

Another really big trend has been ombre, (pronounced am-bray). This means anything that fades from one color to the next. This is one trend that I would NOT do. Why? Because this trend is so identifiable and something that we will look at next year, and say, "Ugh, I remember that." One note is that this can be pulled off in a shoe. In fact, I think this is kind of a nice take on the traditional black shoe - it's something a little different and interesting, but I would not do this in a dress, bag or top - to noticeable and very "trendy".

Lastly, I've received a lot of questions about summer purses. I would focus on spring/summer fabrics like straw, nylon, canvas or one of my favorites, patent leather - so easy to clean and take care of. Plus, it's always nice to add a bit of texture to an outfit and that's what patent does.

Leather is ok for the summer, but it needs to be in white or a fun, bright color. Darker leather purses, look out of place and especially anything made out of animal skin like lizard, crocodile, snake et cetera.

One note on purses – cheap purses are hard to pull off as they end up looking really bad, really cheap, really fast - (with the stitching, hardware, faux leather, et cetera). Now, this isn't to say that you have to spend over $500 on a purse, but be prepared to spend something. My favorites are Piperlime.com, BananaRepublic.com, AnnTaylor.com and my two favorites - Cole Haan and Furla (both have stores, but are sold on Nordstrom.com). These two labels make great purses - nice leather and fabric and classic designs without breaking the bank. They also don't put a lot of "stuff" on their purses - ie logos, fringe, hardware, zippers, et cetera.

One final note is that it is now safe and finally time to pack away boots, sweaters, turtlenecks, animal-printed bags, shoes, belts et cetera. Yes, we may still have a few cool days, but wearing these items now, really look out of place. So embrace your sandals, jeans jackets and perhaps a fun trend or two! If you need help or want some professional advice as to what would work for you, just let me know - I am happy to help!