"It is official: Zara is flirtier and more fashion-conscious than ever before. We covet the gorgeous, low-cost, on-trend items that fill their racks. This season's clever fusion of styles makes shopping here absolutely addictive."

 

Punk princesses!

Zara is all about effortless fashion. We've always trumpeted their trademark style of considered nonchalance, a carefully put together yet elegantly laid-back look. This season, however, Zara toughens up in accordance with the prevailing trend of this autumn - Hard, Fierce and Tough. Zara embraces the theme with super-sculptured silhouettes and incisive tailoring worn in Eighties' soap-star mode as well as plenty of metal-adorned black for punk princesses.

It's serious, but sassy dressing. Shopping at Zara makes it delightfully fun to experiment with masculine tailoring, draped tops, coat-hanger shoulder pads and skinny leg dressings. We love the monochrome poses pictured here, worn with a tough, don't-mess-with-me attitude. Turn up that jacket collar, flaunt those wide shoulders, reveal studded belt or bag accessories, and walk tall in over-the-knee heeled boots.

Big shoulders are surprisingly flattering. If you don't fancy the straight-line wide padded fit, try a gloriously soft, exaggerated puff sleeve which gives a lovely shape to a mini-dress. Both treatments leave any waist looking tiny, especially if accentuated by a metal-adorned big belt.

Black and grey are the core colours, relieved with cream and businesslike white. Check accessories carefully to add different textures and flashes of metal to the mix.

As ever, Zara is great for on-trend coats. We love the wrap-around, salt'n'pepper tweed jacket worn - of course - on top of layers of spiky black. Younger devotees will adore the pretty, feminised, cropped black leather biker jacket which can be worn - very Zara - over a long, cream, tucked tunic, leggings or skinny jeans and spiky-heeled boots.

It's not all dark and dangerous. Zara lovers will find plenty of beautiful pieces to fit other Autumn/Winter trends or to satisfy individual style - a camel coat, a long and lean fur gilet, jewel-coloured silk blouses and knitwear in a zillion colours and styles.

 

NB: Images show current ranges. If you are planning a special trip, please contact the store beforehand to make sure that these products are currently in stock and in your size.