We all have a certain way we part our hair. And we’re willing to bet it’s been styled that way for so long, you don’t even have to think twice to let it naturally fall in place. Well, we’re proposing a switch-up.

The spring/summer catwalks were full of copyable hairstyles and great new trends perfect for all kinds of occasions, but the focus? Partings. Yep, which way your hair sits can totally shake-up your look - and better still, swapping sides requires little to no effort.

It’s a big deal – we know – but flipping your fringe one way, or tucking your hair another, is super simple and all you need for a fresh spring update. Whether it’s straight down the middle like the models at Stella McCartney, swept to one side as seen at Chloe, zig-zagged or removed altogether (hello, Christopher Kane), changing your parting is the perfect quick-fix for a modern, updated look (and hey, it’s not permanent!).

We’ve rounded up our favourite partings from spring’s runways to give you a little new season hair inspiration – which way are you going?

Down The Middle

L-R: Stella McCartney, Gucci, Victoria Beckham

Ah, centre partings – perhaps the most classic of them all. To retain that effortless look, take your lead from Stella McCartney, who gave models a clean centre part with plenty of shine and natural movement. If you’re off to a summer party, though, try a sleeker look a la Gucci, who slicked hair back into a low chignon for a thoroughly modern effect (great for off-setting a feminine dress). Use a gel or mousse to hold hair in place, and spritz with a shine spray for a super glossy finish.

Side Swept

 L-R: Chloe, Salvatore Ferragamo, Lanvin

What to do with your loose hair? Tuck it behind your ears! Models at Salvatore Ferragamo wore their hair slicked over on a severe side parting and tucked behind their ears for an androgynous look, while Chloe and Lanvin opted for a softer, more feminine approach to the trend with naturally tousled tresses. Don’t be fooled into thinking you need a fringe for this look - sweep hair over to one side and secure with grips behind the ear (you can tweak the shape to sit as you wish), teasing a few strands as you go for an easy, undone finish. Voila – a side fringe that doesn’t require scissors!

Alternative Parting

L-R: Gianfranco Ferre, BCBG Max Azria, Christopher Kane

If you’re feeling adventurous, try this multi-parted look from Gianfranco Ferre, separating your hair into three sections to create a ‘V’ for a futuristic finish (the perfect edge to a prim and pretty outfit, we reckon). BCBG Max Azria, meanwhile, opted for a rough zig-zagged parting, which is as practical as it is effortless (no more wind-ruined hair!). But if you just can’t decide? Do without one altogether – Christopher Kane showed there’s nothing cooler than fuss-free, scraped-back hair for spring.

What a busy weekend it was for the Cannes red carpet, with back-to-back premieres, photocalls and even a special screening of Jennifer Lawrence‘s new Hunger Games film. Wearing Dior all weekend (natch), the actress worked a series of monochrome looks, including a gorgeous asymmetrical white strapless dress with hot pink pointed courts. She wasn’t the only one wearing the luxury French label, though - Rooney Mara sported a caped black and white dress to the photocall of her new film Ain’t Them Bodies Saints.

Nicole Kidman wowed again this weekend, this time in a full length, heavily-printed gown by L’Wren Scott, while Carey Mulligan opted for a peek-a-boo monochrome gown from Vionnet for the premiere of Inside Llewyn Davis, in which she stars with Justin Timberlake (who looked very dapper in a black tux, obvs). His wife Jessica Biel joined him on the red carpet in an unusual feathered gown from Marchesa’s recent fall collection, which was perhaps a little heavy on the jewellery front, but extremely striking nonetheless.

See the rest of the best dressed celebrities from this weekend at Cannes below, and keep your eye out for Lea Seydoux’s powder blue Louis Vuitton gown – so chic!

Aishwarya Rai wearing Elie Saab Couture at the Inside Llewyn Davis premiere

Carey Mulligan wearing Chloé at the Inside Llewyn Davis photocall

Carey Mulligan wearing Vionnet at the Inside Llewyn Davis premiere

Carina Lau weraing Elie Saab Couture at the Bends photocall

Eva Longoria wearing Zuhair Murad Couture at the Le Passe premiere

Jennifer Lawrence wearing Christian Dior at The Hunger Games: Catching Fire party

Jennifer Lawrence wearing Christian Dior at The Hunger Games: Catching Fire photocall

Jennifer Lawrence wearing Christian Dior at the Jimmy P. (Psychotherapy Of A Plains Indian) premiere

Jessica Biel wearing Marchesa at the Inside Llewyn Davis premiere

Lea Seydoux wearing Louis Vuitton at the Grand Central premiere

Lea Seydoux wearing Valentino at the Grand Central photocall

Liya Kebede wearing Roberto Cavalli at the Jimmy P. (Psychotherapy Of A Plains Indian) premiere

Nicole Kidman wearing L’Wren Scott at the Inside Llewyn Davis premiere

Rooney Mara wearing Christian Dior at the Ain’t Them Bodies Saints photocall

Rooney Mara wearing Giambattista Valli at The Great Gatsby party

Sara Forestier wearing Giambattista Valli Couture at the Le Passe premiere

See the best dressed from day one and two at Cannes!

Ok, so as far as the weather’s concerned, we may not have reached t-shirt territory just yet, but seeing as we’re close enough (it’s mid-May, would you believe), now’s as good a time as any to iron out our short sleeved beauties ready for when the heatwave hits.

But if you’re thinking about reaching for that slouchy Vince number you’ve been living in for the past two summers, think again. Because SS13 is all about the couture tee. Yep, that’s right, t-shirts have been given the ultimate high fashion makeover this season, making them the centre piece of cool transitional style.

Be it Marni‘s deceptively low key grey tee, whose round collar has been decorated with crystals and plastic flowers; Sophie Hulme‘s playful pineapple-embellished silk top; or Christopher Kane‘s punk rock take on the classic white t-shirt, with his use of black ‘masking tape’ as a means of adornment, be sure to make room among your staples for a new addition this summer.

That’s not to say you can’t wear your trusty T by Alexander Wangs anymore – and make no mistake, these jazzed-up basics don’t come cheap – but think of these t-shirts as works of art that are well worth the investment. Plus, what’s not to love about a casual tee glamorous enough to go to dinner in?

Shop our edit of 10 of the best couture tees in our boutique below: 

Top: 1. Marni embellished collar short sleeve t-shirt, £430, The Corner 2. 3.1. Phillip Lim mesh and floral applique t-shirt, £425, Browns 3. TNTees Zayan lace and cotton jersey t-shirt, £200, Net-a-Porter.

Love them or hate them, ruffles are having a very flouncy moment. They cascaded all over the spring/summer 2013 catwalks in undulating flutters.

Unashamedly feminine and girly, frills are the foil to this season’s graphic, androgynous mood, but they’re not always the easiest things to wear. They’re a bit of a ‘look’ and done wrong, can come off a little flamenco. Done right, though – well, there’s nothing quite as deliciously dramatic.

Marc Jacobs tempered his graphically stripy collection with contrast-edged Pierrot-like ruffles at the neck and around the plackets of blouses to give a dainty sixties feel.

Nicolas Ghesquière’s final collection for Balenciaga was all about the frill. In black with white lining, his frilled skirts were large and serpentine, snaking down and around legs in a stiff and sculptural fabric. On fiercer dressers, one of these would look ultra cool worn with a no-fuss tee, biker jacket and spiky heels.

Frida Giannini, at Gucci, channelled the glamour of the seventies in her collection of tropical brights and whites. She had liquid frills dripping down from necks and tumbling down sleeves, and sinuous frills belled out from the hem of sleeves and over shoulders.

Riccardo Tisci revisited the couture days of the sixties at Givenchy with asymmetrical dresses that had just one sleeve and a frill that fanned out at the neck to frame the face, then fell down the side of the body.

At Chloé, it was a sugary affair with exaggerated frills looping over trapeze dresses, or frothy chiffon positively twitching with girliness.

So how to rock a ruffle if you don’t have the proportions of a Gucci model? Keep it simple. Really simple.

Frills act as a kind of accessory, so keep the rest of your look clean and streamlined. Go for a pair of this season’s minimal two-strap sandals and don’t bother with things like layers – not necessary.

For work, you could try a crisp shirt with a subtle ruffle at the front, or opt for a blazer that has a soft frill at the collar. A frilled dress, whether knee or full-length, will need little else in the way of ornamentation. Keep jewellery spare and shoes on the dainty side of things.

If you’re feeling adventurous, team a frilled top with a pair of cigarette trousers in a complementing colour, or a pair of trews in lace or brocade. But, vital tip here: keep the silhouette narrow or you will look like a clown.

A pair of artfully torn jeans will inject a bit of butch to a frilled top, and stilettos up the sex factor. Actually, as a rule, a frilled top should almost always be worn with trousers. A skirt will look too mumsy. Unless it’s a ripped denim mini. In which case, go for it.

Shop our pick of the best ruffled pieces in our boutique below:

The eagerly anticipated J.W. Anderson for Versus collection launched this week, with a catwalk full of unisex items. – Stylesight

Tall girls rejoice! Karlie Kloss has teamed up with denim line Frame to create jeans with an extra long leg (we’re talking 40 inches!). – Nylon

Topshop has named its future design stars, who will each receive a 12-month paid internship with the high street chain. – Vogue

It seems we’re not the only ones loving Rooney Mara at the moment – she’s just been announced as the new face of Calvin Klein’s fragrance Downtown. – Bellasugar

We might not be able to get our hands on an actual invite, but luckily we’ll be able to watch Carine Roitfeld’s ‘Ultimate Gold Collection Fashion Show’ live from Cannes on May 23. – Telegraph

Images courtesy of Vogue.co.uk

Day two of Cannes Film Festival kickstarted the slew of premieres for this year’s big film hopefuls, including Emma Watson‘s latest movie The Bling Ring. Sure enough, the actress looked amazing at both the photocall, wearing a Christopher Kane burgundy crop top and mini skirt with delicate organza ruffles, and afterwards at the evening’s red carpet premiere, changing into a monochrome Chanel Couture gown.

Possibly our favourite look of the second day, though, was from Cannes jury member Zhang Ziyi, who wore a green textured Giambattista Valli Couture mini, teamed with bright yellow pointed courts – a welcome splash of colour among the monochrome looks dominating the day. Actress Sonam Kapoor, meanwhile, took the voluminous skirt to a new level in her custom-made Dolce & Gabbana strapless gown.

See the rest of our Cannes style highlights from day two below!

 Claire Julien wearing Balmain at The Bling Ring photocall

 Melonie Diaz wearing Vintage Moschino at the Fruitvale Station photocall

 Emma Watson wearing Christopher Kane at The Bling Ring photocall

 Zhang Ziyi wearing Giambattista Valli Couture at the Un Certain Regard photocall

 Liya Kebede wearing Alberta Ferretti at The Bling Ring premiere

 Sofia Coppola wearing Louis Vuitton at The Bling Ring premiere

 Fan Bingbing wearing Elie Saab Couture at the Jeune & Jolie premiere

 Freida Pinto wearing Sanchita at the Jeune & Jolie premiere

 Emma Watson wearing Chanel Couture at The Bling Ring premiere

 Sonam Kapoor wearing Dolce & Gabbana at the Jeune & Jolie premiere

See day one’s best dressed here!

Think you can’t wear stripes because you’re too short/have big hips/don’t want to highlight your tum? Well, girls, you’re wrong. Anyone can wear stripes, you just have to know the best places to wear them and which direction they should run in. And lucky for you, we’re here to solve the stripe situ once and for all.

Since stripes are one this season’s biggest statement-makers, we figured it only fair to run through a few ground rules when it comes to wearing those lines. These quick and easy pointers will help ensure the item you love on the hanger looks even better on you.

The first and most important thing to remember: wherever the stripes are will become the focal point of your outfit. It’s a strong print that will draw attention, so if you’re conscious about your hips and thighs, don’t wear skinny striped jeans – instead, distract eyes by investing in a cute striped jacket that’ll keep the focus on your top half.

Oddly enough, wider stripes can be surprisingly slimming, and vertical ones have the effect of lengthening the body. The trick here is all in the width and colour: the smaller the stripe, the more largening effect it will have (the theory is that it takes more print to cover your body). So wide horizontal stripes are good to go – at least, on your top half. Reserve thin vertical stripes for boxier items like smart tailored blazers - the perfect way to ease yourself in with super chic results.

Carry on reading below to see which stripes will suit your body shape best, and check out our Summer Stripes collection in our boutique for our pick of the best. You’ll be ready to embrace summer’s most statement-making print in no time!

Horizontal

Best for: Boyish frames or hourglass figures – they’ll add dimension to smaller frames and accentuate curves.

Avoid if: You’re big-busted – wide stripes here will only draw attention to your chest.

Horizontal stripes work well for boyish frames, as they help create dimension. Constant mid-weight stripes, like classic Breton tees, are a great all-rounder though, as they’re easy on the eye. Opt for a cropped version like By Malene Birger‘s beauty to accentuate your waist if you’ve got one to flaunt.

Vertical

Best for: Petite girls to lengthen the body and legs.

Avoid if: You’re wearing them on the widest part of your body – it’ll take more print to cover and therefore draw the eye outwards.

A god send for petite girls, vertical stripes draw your eyes down, lengthening the body. The trick here is to keep lines clean and in proportion – a pair of high waisted skinny jeans will work because they create a constant line for the eye to follow, but a midi-length dress will cut your legs in half, losing the effect. Avoid wearing vertical stripes across your wider areas, though – the eye will be drawn to the lines outwards, rather than down. Thinner stripes work best for boxier items like blazers and jackets, or perhaps a breezy shirt dress.

Chevron

Best for: All shapes! And no, we’re not cheating. This optical illusion draws your eyes from the outer edges inwards, creating a narrow point for your eyes to focus on (truth be told, it’s a little miracle).

Chevron is the new stripe in town! In the same way that V-necks are flattering to top-heavy girls, chevron stripes (like the ones on Jonathan Saunders’ metallic dress) draw the eye to the centre of your body and out again, creating a narrow V for the eyes to focus on - they slim heavier frames, accentuate hourglass shapes, and create curves for those who are lacking. If you’re bottom-heavy, look out for inverted chevrons (that start at the waist and flare out) on full-skirts for a super slimming, skimming effect.

Now you know how to navigate summer’s new stripes, go forth and rule!

1. Dorothy Perkins multi stripe button back dress, £49.95, Dorothy Perkins 2. Steffan Schraut white navy diagonal stripe V-neck sweater, £144, Stylebop 3. Paul & Joe blood orange/white striped silk pants, £234, Stylebop 4. Jonathan Saunders Issy holographic striped crepe pencil skirt, £485, Net-a-Porter 5. DKNY silk striped top in charming pink, £168, Stylebop.

Ok, so the term summer might feel a bit ambitious to us Brits at the moment – shouldn’t 20 degree days be a given in mid-May? – but truth be told, nothing lifts our spirits like shopping for a great pair of sun-ready sandals.

Sandals are like an instant hit of sunshine for our feet (and wardrobe) making them well worth the investment. And, regardless of whether you can wear them now or not (rain permitting), now is the perfect time to snap up a pair (or three), since the stores are littered with fab designs ready to breathe new life into your transitional style.

From simple thong flats and classic buckle-ups to brightly coloured strappies – via all the print, texture and detail a girl could ask for – we’ve rounded up 60+ pairs of chic flat sandals you can wear all summer long. Beachside, city strolls, weekend-with-jeans, pretty-dress-partners – whatever your style, situation and budget, we’ve got your back.

So, whether you’re building your holiday wardrobe or simply preparing for sunshine, shop our pick of the best summer sandals in our holiday boutique (you’ll be spoilt for choice)!

Top: 1. MM6 Maison Martin Margiela neon strap sandals, £218, Matchesfashion.com 2. Flash 2 part twist lock sandal, £45, Topshop 3. Ethnic flat sandals, £39.99, Zara 4. Hoss Intropia sandals, £108, shoescribe.com 5. Ancient Greek Sandals Ikaria metallic leather wing sandals, £130, Net-a-Porter 6. See by Chloe fluoro strap leather sandal, was £230 now £161, my-wardrobe.com

Oh Cannes, how we’ve eagerly awaited your arrival, with your glamorous red carpets, the finest A-listers and, of course, the countless couture dresses! To say we were excited when the film festival officially kicked off yesterday would be somewhat of an understatement, because as we all know, Cannes is no regular red carpet event. Style-wise, the week-long parade is a bit like having the Oscars, Met Gala and Golden Globes all rolled into one. And that’s just a little bit exciting from where we stand.

Starting with the obligatory photocall, we saw several of who are sure to be this week’s big style winners step out for the first time. Among them was new judge Nicole Kidman, wearing a sleek black Alexander McQueen pencil dress with bell bottom sleeves and an unusual neckline, followed by Carey Mulligan, also wearing black, in a strapless jumpsuit from Alexander Wang’s first collection for Balenciaga.

Moving onto the evening, the premiere of The Great Gatsby (and official opening to the festival) spotlighted Dior as an early favourite, dressing everyone from Nicole Kidman and Carey Mulligan (again), to Julianne Moore in an organza full skirted dress from the SS13 couture collection.

If last night was anything to go by – Audrey Tautou, Solange Knowles and Cara Delevingne all soared in the style stakes with their designer gowns – we can’t wait to see what dresses the rest of the week brings.

See our pick of the best dressed from day one of Cannes below, and stay tuned for more updates as the festival continues!

 Audrey Tautou wearing Red Valentino at the Cannes Film Festival Photocall

 Nicole Kidman wearing Alexander McQueen at the Cannes Film Festival Photocall

 Carey Mulligan wearing Balenciaga at the Cannes Film Festival Photocall

 Audrey Tautou wearing Yiqing Yin at the Cannes Film Festival Opening Ceremony

 Cara Delevingne wearing Burberry at The Great Gatsby premiere

 Freida Pinto wearing Gucci at The Great Gatsby premiere

 Carey Mulligan wearing Dior Couture at The Great Gatsby premiere

 Julianne Moore wearing Dior Couture at The Great Gatsby premiere

 Nicole Kidman in Dior at The Great Gatsby premiere

 Solange Knowles wearing Stephane Rolland Couture at The Great Gatsby premiere

The cat was let well and truly out the bag when Kate Bosworth rocked up to Coachella this year in never-before-seen Topshop gear (the high street store shortly announced she would be ‘assisting’ on a new festival collection inspired by her style).

Well, now we have a sneak preview of the brand new range in the form of a short film directed by Kate’s fiance Michael Polish as the couple made their way to the Californian festival, aptly named The Road to Coachella.

Set in a series of desolate locations, the film shows the actress staring wistfully into the distance and walking through the sun-drenched desert wearing pieces from the 16-piece capsule collection, including checked flannelette shirts, denim cut offs and – for a dose of boho fun – feathered wings.

“Kate and I were discussing the summer trends and how she had been one of our inspirations,’ said Topshop creative director Kate Phelan.

“She was here working with us on our Christmas project – the next day Kate came in with all these incredible images and references and shared what her ultimate festival outfits looked like. It is an organic extension of Kate’s fashion sense aligned with the Topshop brand. We think that’s fresh and exciting.”

So do we. Check out the video above for a sneak peek of what to expect from the new festival collection, and stay tuned for its launch soon!

[Vogue.co.uk]