It’s fashion’s fresh breeze

January is miserable, writes Amy Harrison. There is no getting away from it unless you can afford to jet off to sunnier climes.

And while the most depressing day of the year - January 21 - may be behind us, the weather still seems just too dull to lift the spirits.

That’s exactly why we should all be planning for the next party season - the sumptuous days of spring and summer.

Now is the time to be considering those fashion choices that will lighten the mood.

And just taking a sneak peek at the divine colour palette heading our way the clouds are already parting to reveal a slither of bright blue sky.

For starters, the dress is the new queen of fashion.

It has dominated the catwalks for several seasons now and it’s back again for 2008.

We just can’t get enough of it. But this year it’s going to be lavish and indulgent.

Think Keira Knightley wearing the deepest of emerald green in Atonement. That dress is even challenging Marilyn Monroe’s windswept look as the most iconic silver-screen frock of all time.

So it is certainly time for us mere mortals to take another look at our most dependable wardrobe staple.

Luckily, with spring looming on the horizon, Coast at Telford’s House of Fraser has unveiled its take on the new season and it’s a fresh breeze which is guaranteed to blow away the cobwebs.

In a series of stunning new pictures the key pieces of the new collection capture the very best of romance and femininity.

Luxurious fabrics and vibrant colours are used to maximum effect to glide us into a warmer climate - and probably the sooner the better.

This season’s dresses are evoking an air of flirtiness and creating looks for both the day and night.

An emerald-green maxi dress with sweeping, Grecian chiffon and a ruched bodice is one of the highlights of the new collection, and perfect for those taken with Keira’s cinematic style statement.

It has been paired with jewelled flats and a blue jewel-drop necklace, showing its versatility and conveying the staying power of the maxi dress as it continues to be on-trend and essential for every wardrobe.

Another style certain to make a comeback this year is the prom dress - but this time in a vibrant, hot raspberry pink.

It’s a look which has proved popular because it is flattering, and with proms continuing to be the must-attend event of the summer this style has staying power.

Striking yellows and ditsy floral prints are going to be among the key looks of this year, with Coast adapting them to suit its new take on dressing to impress. The floral theme transfers into the separate pieces in the collection, with Coast’s rose-hued shirt adorned with a cluster of brush-print flowers.

A mix of styles is on offer as Coast shows it determination to cater for every whim of the dedicated fashionista.

Even the little black dress makes an appearance, but with an interesting twist. In a sexy halterneck style, rows of beads run along the delicate chiffon into a V-shape, which is perfect for cinching in that post-Christmas waist.

Embellishment moves the season’s dresses into smarter evening wear as seen in the nude, drop-waisted evening dress that skims across the body as if barely there.

Trimmed with encrusted jewels, Coast creates a wow with this unusual dress that embodies the vintage elegance of the 1920’s flapper.

Coast has also introduced its first line of footwear to prove that constant change is needed to keep up with the tough environment that is the high street. Designs include strappy sandals and girly ballet pumps which are aimed at complementing the other accessories which Coast already stocks.