Karen Millen’s website has been updated with a sneak peak of their S/S 09 collection and it looks like we are in for a treat.

Embracing several of the new S/S 09 trends such as Garden (think floral print dresses) and New Exoticism (all about ‘the traveller,’ so things such as animal prints and tribal influences) their looks are perfect for embracing next season’s trends in a stylish and fashion forward manner.

These three looks are my favourites out of their 12 looks on the website. The first look is all about the giraffe print and this dress is a great starting point for putting together the New Exoticism trend. To really embrace the trend just add a clashing hot colour accessory and pile on the jewellery.

My second choice (and the only item of my three picks that is available to buy right now) is this elegant red floral print dress which encapulsate the Garden trend perfectly and you can pick up for £140.

Finally I love this simple safari style outfit. The high shine skirt is perfect for both day and night and is a more subtle way of embracing this trend than going down the clashing colours and textures route.

Check out the collection for yourself here.

Part of the New Exoticism trend includes what we would call ‘safari style’ looks, which help sum up the ‘travelled woman’ vibe that the trend is all about.

I love safari style clothes – great for hot weather they tend to be loose and breathable for the sun, whilst at the same time they give a ladylike and chic look too.

This floral print shirt from French Connection is a perfect example of this trend. Added to which not only does it cover ‘New Exoticism’ with it’s traditional safari belted blouse qualities, but it also rocks the Garden trend vibe with it’s pretty floral print.

Perfect for work or play, it’s 100% cotton and costs £50.

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When it comes to eveningwear, next season will be all about three main trends; strapless, asymetry and twenties. As we’ve seen an awful lot of the first two in the previous season I am really excited to see a big wave of art deco inspired detailing, fringing and overal twenties fabulosity about to hit us full pelt this summer.

Look to Alberta Ferreti, Jill Sander and Mark Fast for inspiration from the S/S 09 catwalks, and for feathers, tassels and equisite embelishments in the detailing.

The one thing to avoid is embracing the trend a little too vigourously and turning out looking as if you’re off to fancy dress. So to combat this, and to give the look a contemporary twist, try teaming with a sculpted short leather jacket nipped in at the waist or a similar tough accessory.

You can pick up this particular twenties frock from Oli for £56.00.

Some of the more popular handbags next season have taken inspiration from classic vintage styles – think Chanel and chain handles and quilting. Whilst looking for something along these lines I came across this cute bowling bag from Topshop!

Featuring the all important quilting detailing it’s ruby-peach colour pops and is a great fresh colour for next season. Also, as next season is all about bright clashing colours you don’t need to be concerned by whether you bag will go with your outfit – if it goes, great, if it clashes, even better.

The main colours for next season include a mix up rich autumnal shades with soft and rosy make-up colours. So team this with a deep plum or navy coat for example and you’re spot on.

You can pick yours up for £35 from Topshop here.

Sheer fabrics and peek-a-boo sentiments were all over the SS 09 Collections. Within this trend, the colour white seems to dominate and a great starter piece to crack this trend has to be a semi-sheer plain basic cotton top, such as this one by Rick Owens.

Layering is the key to creating the sheer look – exposing as much skin as you wish, with the main aim of creating layers of varying transparency.

This super fine ribbed top features a seam up the back which is great for accentuating its sheer qualities. Layer with contrasting colour tops underneath (look to Nina Ricci and Max Azria fro inspiration).

You can pick this up for £140 from Net-a-porter.

If you’ve still got a bit of Christmas cash to burn, then check out the Coco Ribbon sale. As well as their own products, they’ve got lots of great designer items in their sale.

This Luella Corset Mini Dress is reduced from £325 to only £195, and is perfect for a staple LBD investment piece. The mini dress shape and extra layers give it a cute but sophisticated look, and the bow on the back is the perfect detailing. The corset part is under-wired with a fastening, so it’ll stay up whatever you’re doing, and will create a flattering figure.

For a Luella dress this is definitely a bargain and is a great item to pull out the wardrobe again and again.

You can buy it online or from the Coco Ribbon boutique in Notting Hill.

Not to be mixed up with the print trend, another hot trend next season has been coined as ‘New Exoticism’ and ‘One World’. With this trend you are looking to clash various colours and prints, throw on lots of layers and texture and anything that shouts exotic and the well travelled.

I love this dress as it is soft and light to wear for the warm weather ahead and it has a definite ethnic feel – all you would need to do is team with chunky tribal-esq jewellery, adding a textural waist belt to pull it together and the look is nailed.

A great piece to get your new season wardrobe going, you can pick this up from New Look for £25.

Another key trend for next season is Print. It will come in many forms – from arty to abstract – but one thing they will have in common is a digitalised feel.

The main aspects to look for are bright sharp colours and hard edges and although the trend has been picked up with some tops and skirts, its reserved mainly for the dresses which are mainly in the form of shifts.

A great example of this trend is this fabulous dress from Jonathan Saunders’ resort collection. Featuring a neon brick print this silk sleeveless dress ticks all the right boxes.

A great transitional piece, simply team with back opaques and towering heels and when the sun comes out just loose the tights!

You can pick this up from Browns for £795.

With designers debuting their S/S09 collections now, new trends are emerging left right and centre. Colour blocking looks set to be really popular, continuing on from this season’s jewel colours, and the ever popular purple.

You can check out how the designers are doing it over at Vogue – there’s a great photo gallery full of ideas. However, some of the high street shops are already ahead of the game, producing great on-trend pieces that are available now, and for a fraction of the price.

Marks and Spencer’s Limited Collection can be a bit hit and miss, but they’ve nailed colour blocking perfectly with two great tunic tops. One the left is the Short Sleeve Block Colour Tunic, costing £19.50. Teaming a bright colour with a more subtle one, this is a way of doing colour blocking that will ensure you don’t end up looking like a set of traffic lights.

The Colour Block Top (which can be worn as a dress if you’re daring and a bit vertically challenged!), at £35, matches blue and two shades of gray in a wide sleeved tunic shape. Team it with simple black trousers, jeans, tights or leggings for a simple but effective look. It would also look great with some blue accessories.

Both are available from the Marks and Spencer website or in stores that carry the Limited Collection range.

Look out for this trend hitting the rest of the high street soon!