Sense of adventure

Feature Couldn't get front-row tickets to this year's shows? Never mind. Shannon Wylie reveals the key looks for this season, from frivolous frills to a revamped military theme.

Couldn't get front-row tickets to this year's shows? Never mind. Shannon Wylie reveals the key looks for this season, from frivolous frills to a revamped military theme. The spring/summer 2010 collections pinpointed six key trends that you need to know about if you want to be fashion-forward this season. Though are all very different, the unifying theme seems to be the great outdoors. Models made a breezy entrance on the runway in bright summer whites and frivolous frills, or strode out in the new shorts like our favourite sporting heroes. Wild-at-heart designers were inspired by the colours and moods of the jungle. Those with an adventurous spirit gave us a revamped version of that old favourite, the military theme. Front rows from London to Paris, from New York to Milan were abuzz. So here is your ticket to the shows, with a guide on how to take these looks from catwalk to sidewalk.

Clean Cut Utterly refreshing, this clean, modern take on 1990s minimalism is a huge hit for spring. Simple, structured tailoring is key; the shades to choose are white, tan or black. Celine featured A-line skirts and high-waisted trousers, while Narciso Rodriguez focused on an updated version of the smock dress. Jil Sander followed a nautical theme, while Osman was strong and geometric. Wear it well Less is more. Keep the colours basic and the cut clean. Structured skirts, shirts and dresses give a fresher look than the basic tailored-jacket-and-trousers combination.

Wear it well If you're not brave enough to style pattern on pattern, wear one piece in a bold print supplemented with something plain. Ruffles There comes a time when every woman's wardrobe welcomes a soft dose of prettiness - the floaty summer dress, the tiered skirt or the soft, feminine blouse. This time around, it's the ruffled and frilled fairy tale frock. Designers dedicated whole collections to the ruffle in every shape and form, from Latino va va voom to cowgirl-inspired frills to romantic.

Tribal To make sure you don't look as if you have crawled out of the trenches, don't wear the white shirt, camouflage wrap dress, khaki shorts and military jacket all at once. Wear it well From wildflower prints to animal-inspired stripes and spots, the catwalks were awash with the wild outdoors. Balenciaga and Gucci gave us strong make-up and bold shapes. Rodarte stayed true to form with deconstructed stripes in browns, blacks and animal prints. Proenza Schouler favoured the zebra stripe and Alexander McQueen's designs were a truly exotic zoo of style.

Wear it well A hint of ruffle or the whole caboodle - wear this look any way you want. Add a strong belt or killer heels to give it an edge, but keep your hair simple and your make-up soft. Soldier On Hints of military style have been creeping back on to the catwalks for the past few seasons, but this spring/summer the trend was in full throttle. Designers are giving the look a feminine edge. Balmain favoured leather and khaki while Iceberg went camouflage. Burberry focused on trench coats and Pucci gave us tailored jackets. But Anna Sui's take on the French kepi won the designer war.

Get Shorty Shorts will be this summer's staple garment. From cheeky cuts to knee-length styles, catwalks the world over were rocking the trend. Valentino and Prada opted for high shine in silver and gold. Phillip Lim went for block colour, while Marni injected checks into the luxe look. Wear it well Exotic flower prints, snakeskin scales and bold, strong shapes are taking over this season. They are best delivered in a dress; keep accessories simple and shoes strappy.

Wear it well Glam up your sporty style. Super-sleek trousers, knee-length socks and striped shirts all say "sports star" without making you look as if you're off to the gym. Sports Star Don't worry, this isn't a return to the horror of the velour tracksuit. Designers sought inspiration from some of the world's greatest sporting stars. Hermès headed to the tennis court and Versace's stripes were a nod to F1. Alexander Wang gave hints of track and field, while Nicole Miller looked to the water with a strong collection based on surfing, scuba-diving and waterskiing.