An article in The Courant this morning says that this summer’s high street styles are similar to last summer’s because most retailers are worried to put anything new and untried on the shelves while the papers are full of talk about a recession.

The article recommends buying clothes that have a classic fit and that won’t go out of style in a season and pairing them with an item or two to make them look current. This advice, however, seems appropriate for fashion in general, not just in times when money is tight.

While everybody wants to look fashionable, you have to be careful not to try and adopt every current fashion trend all at once. The best way for most people to wear fashion is to find a current look that suits them and adapt it to their own personal style. It’s always important to look like yourself, not like a catalogue. This enables you to look both trendy and unique and to be daring without sending out a red alert to the fashion police.

The main thing to remember is that clothes should make you look your best and should reflect your mood and your personality. Being a little daring is great - but make sure that your clothes reflect what you intend for them to reflect and not something entirely unflattering and make sure that you don’t look like you’ve been trying too hard to look trendy.

Climate change is an important issue in the fashion industry, according to industry site Just-Style. While the unpredictable weather has made it hard for high street chains to know what products to stock, as average global temperatures are set to rise between 2-5°C by 2010, retailers are faced with the additional worry of how their manufacturing processes are contributing to this scenario.

Many fashion retailers have moved their manufacturing outside of the UK and Europe because of costs, but this causes problems in terms of transport and pollution. As more and more people become aware the effects of manufacturing cheap clothing have on the environment, shoppers will begin to demand more ethical clothing.

At Schultz we like to think we’re already doing a little bit to help reduce the devastating effects that trans-continental shipping has on the world by manufacturing all our products within Europe.

Both the Chicago Tribune and the International Herald Tribune report on a new exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City called “Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy.” The exhibit traces the costumes worn by superheroes from the original Superman costume which was based on the attire worn by circus strongmen in the 1930’s to the costumes used in more recent super hero epics such as this summer’s Iron Man film.

What struck us the most about the information we read about the exhibit, apart from the chance to see these famous film and TV costumes in one place, was how the exhibit is showing the influence that superheroes have had on fashion designers from Moschino to Dolce & Gabbana to Theirry Mugler as well as on sportswear such as water-repellant swimwear from Speedo.

We really wish we could go, so if you’re in New York between now and 1st September, check it out and let us know what you think!

We spotted a disturbing article about WAG fashion trends on The Guardian website. Apparently, Cristiano Ronaldo has branded his girlfriend with his own initials and jersey number in the form of a pair of flashy diamond earrings. Does this mean we’re set to see ladies being “claimed” by their blokes with the use of expensive jewellery in an effort to keep other men away?

According to Fashion Trendsetter, checks are going to be the hottest look this spring and summer. It’s not all flannel cowboy shirts and recreations of early ’90’s grunge though as this season’s styles for women look very femine and vary from great girl-next-door blouses and light patterns on sheer fabrics to Dukes of Hazard inspired swimwear.  For both men and women there’s great funky new takes on the stripes we’ve all been wearing for a couple of years now. It seems even the check-pattern trouser is back.

Personally, we reckon there’s some really great-looking stuff out there and for a smart-casual look you simply can’t go wrong with an updated take on the check shirt paired with jeans.