We have seen natural textures like raffia used on summer shoes before - usually the heel - but this season it has taken on a life of its own! No longer limited to the heel, raffia sandals, pumps and handbags have become an important trend for the summer season. And it started on the runway when Burberry Prorsum showed a Spring/Summer 2012 collection with raffia everywhere - striped coats, skirts, and some fantastic ankle boots that sold out very quickly when they arrived online.

If you're looking for a new summer handbag, a raffia bag will add a fresh touch to summer dresses, whether you choose something structured and minimalist or a boho style with embroidered detail. It's also the perfect material for a tote (beach or Read more: Raffia Trend for 2012: Shoes & Handbags - fresh look for the summer

Here's a trend that can be obviously daring or surprisingly conservative!

We have seen sheer knits and chiffon's before, but this is a fresh look at some new season arrivals. The sheer trend is chic, but what makes this interesting is how it leans towards the menswear trend now. Minimalist shirts, simple maxi skirts and dresses, and even some tanks and tunics that you can wear for both day and night.

Despite what you might think, this can be a trend you can wear to the office, just make sure you stick to neutral colours - nothing in Read more: Sheer Trend for Summer 2012: Minimalist shirts, maxi dresses & tunics

This is a one-stop shopping piece today, as Shopbop is offering 20% off your entire order, as part of their Friends & Family sale (expires at midnight on April 18th). So I've put together a terrific selection of items to shop the trends you have seen here on the site lately! A good rule of thumb for these types of offers is to shop quality - 20% off a designer handbag that is normally a little out of your budget, or a dress that will last for many seasons to come (again, a quality label that will stand the test of time).

The  summer leather trend continues to be hot, as well as all  those bright colours - splashes of  yellow, pink, red, aqua blue and Read more: Shopbop Coupon: 20% off a terrific selection of the latest 2012 fashion trends

This is a neat twist on the geometric trend, as we have a fresh new batch of dots and spots to choose from! Polka dots come in all shapes and sizes this season.

We have profiled a number of popular fashion trends - blouses, bright colors, minimalist shapes, and interesting prints - and the polka dot trend fits any one of these quite nicely. Whether you're looking for a fun new accessory to brighten your look (a polka dot scarf in a bold colour will do just that), or an update on your office attire (polka dot blouse would be perfect), or want to completely change your  look with a polka dot dress, there is something to fit your Read more: Polka Dot Trend for 2012: Callula Lillibelle Lace & Polka Dot Dress & more shopping the trend!

Lace has been a trend that keeps on giving, and while we will continue to see all-over lace well into the Fall/Winter 2012 season, it's time to talk about mixing and matching your lace - mixed media, as it's called, a collage-type effect with more than one fabric.

The nice thing about lace is that it can be dressed up or down - to dress it up, all you need is a pretty dress with a lace yoke, or lace sleeves, accessorize with gold, and you're good to go. But a lace trim top can also be made more casual with your favourite  jeans (or denim shorts) and casual ballet flats. Not to mention there are Read more: Summer 2012 Lace Trend: Mixed media, lace inserts & more!

Summer 2012 Fashion trends include an assortment of prints - from bold and busy florals, tribal prints (including aztec), even geometric and cloud prints. And so far we have seen examples of all of these, but today the focus is on the multitude of color combinations that are now available! Whether you're a fan of blues, pinks, yellows, or even monochrome, you will find and or all of these colors in a new season print dress.

If you work in an office, you shoud keep wild combinations to a minimum, there are lots of pretty florals, and bold, but subtle multicolored prints that would be appropriate. You can always tone it down with a little summer cardigan, or light spring blazer. Now Read more: Multicolored Print Trend 2012 - floral, tribal, geometric & more!