Spring/summer lookbooks are being unveiled by all the major high street stores and judging by the looks on show, colour, pattern and retro styling are the main focus. So what specific looks can you expect? What styling choices should you make?

We have gone through a selection of styles from leading British high-street retailer Warehouse and pulled out some of favourite summertime looks. Here is our top three trends with some tips on key looks and items of clothing to add to your spring/summer wardrobe.

Fifties inspired dresses

Dresses are a summer staple. They are light, floaty and feminine and just some up summer in one look. They are effortlessly easy to style and can be dressed up or down depending on your choice of accessories. Warehouse has a selection of summer dresses under the umbrella trend of ‘silver screen’. Styles are inspired by the feminine shapes of the 1950s and coloured in pastel and candy shades. Draping, pleats and embellishment add structure and texture and a healthy dose of glamour, hence the ‘silver screen’ name. Our top pick is Warehouse’s embellished bodice soft prom dress in soft salmon pink with white lace embroidery. The over-the-knee length is flattering and elegant whilst the wide round neckline and slightly drawn waist add softness.

Get sporty

Reminiscent of the early nineties, fashion and sport have teamed up once again to offer relaxed yet sharp shapes, styles and materials. This trend is epitomised by unstructured cuts, silk jersey drapes and natural, light tones. Mesh jumpers, loose, tapered chinos and Capri pants, loosely tailored shorts, cropped bomber jackets and hoodies are the mainstays of this trend, entitled ‘urban sport’ by Warehouse. Our favourite look is a black soft fabric bomber jacket in black with zip detailing paired with destructured zip side shorts in cream, a black satchel bag and some cream, low-heeled loafers. It is urban chic without being too try hard. Urban sport is most definitely ‘urban’ thanks to its eddy styling and modern materials, yet it works just as well on holiday or hitting the town with the girls.

Tropical paradise

Intense, bold tropical themed prints in bright, eye-catching colours are clashed until they work together harmoniously. Maxi dresses, tunics, high-waist shorts, boob tubes, Capri pants and pyjama-shaped trousers form the backbone of Warehouse’s Hotel Mustique collection. The colours palette is a mixture of pastels and nudes combined with hectic, busy floral patterns. It is also similar to styles worn in the late eighties and early nineties, with loose tailoring and deconstructed cuts. One of our favourite looks from this trend is Warehouse’s eastern tropic print maxi dress (pictured). It is an easy way of getting into this trend as it is simple and effortlessly stylish, requiring minimal accessorising. The pink colour, eye-catching floral motif and shoestring straps make it girlie and feminine as well as sassy and sexy. Add a skinny belt and some flat sandals to finish off the look. Keep all other accessories to a minimum and let the dress do all the talking. Check out Gwen Stefani in her summery maxi dress on peoplestylewatch.com.