Fashion is taking it to the minimum

SOMETHING'S happened, something you might not have seen coming. Fashion is marking the end of the recession (and the arrival of a brand new decade) by a sea-change in style. Pack away all those garish multicoloured jewel-encrusted aberrations. Once again, less is set to be a whole lot more.

Fashion's new direction is refined minimalism, expressed in a palette of barely-there pastels such as subtle sherbet tones of lavender, lemon or mint, plus soft neutral shades including pearl grey or true nude. Black, it seems, has been run out of town; pale-but-interesting is the colour language you now need to master.

The last time designers threatened women with a diet of minimalism, they were intent on taking all the fun out of fashion. It seemed like a form of penance.

The new restraint marks a departure from last season's menacing Vampira-meets-superhero 1980s revival that judged every woman underdressed (and out of fashion) unless styled with three-ply shoulderpads and 15cm spike heels. But it's not completely devoid of flirtatious femininity. And it's certainly not dull or boring.

Many key shapes challenge previous fashion conventions. Henceforth, trousers should be higher-waisted, with soft pleats or draping adding some volume around the hipline, then tapering to a narrow hem that sits a little above the ankle. Think of harem pants fused with capris, and you're close to the overall effect.

The most important jacket is set to be a long-line blazer with a decidedly un-exaggerated shoulder-line and precious little body contouring – as defined by Phoebe Philo's acclaimed debut collection for Celine. (Red Herring's version captures the mood, if admittedly not the quality, at a price that's a tiny fraction of any at Celine). It should be worn over tunic dresses as short as anything Sharon Stone sported in Basic Instinct, or with a simple round-neck blouse tucked inside those challenging new trousers.

You're really needing to abandon all temptation to play matchy-matchy, as any one single pastel shade worn head-to-toe will always tend to have an alarmingly ageing effect. No contemporary designer is daring to take fashion inspiration from the late Queen Mum. What seems more modern (and very much more interesting) is a clever yet unlaboured mix of two, three or four entirely different shades of similar tonal strength.

Equally, if you're drawn to the new neutrals, dare to try a little subtle juxtaposition such as working a nude-coloured top with pearl grey trousers under one of those new unfastened jackets in ivory. The effect will seem much more interesting and fashion-forward than a range of components painstakingly co-ordinated in perfectly matched beige ever can. Better still, you can vary the mix to move the shade that most flatters your own skin-colouring closest to your face.

In this new fashion order, embellishment isn't exactly prohibited, but it's certainly kept to a theme-appropriate minimum. So the sequin or crystal bead embroidery that so readily adds a little glamour and distinction to a tunic top or dress must henceforth be discreetly tonal. But any Jane who hates to look plain will be relieved to learn that soft pleats, Grecian drapery, and the occasional ruffle are all allowed.

There's no need to let the nude and pastel tones appear a complete wash-out. Take a leaf out of Karl Lagerfeld's book, and mix in some metallic touches inspired by Lagerfeld's pastel-perfect haute-couture collection for Chanel, shown last week in Paris.

The addition of strappy sandals in a metallic finish (or perhaps bands of metal studs on a nude-coloured leather bag) will hint that, behind your pale and interesting new faade, there still beats the heart of a warrior queen determined to survive any crazy thing that fashion throws at her. Yes, even the new minimalism.