Earlier this year I was having lunch with a friend who is a fashion buyer and trend forecaster. She arrived in a blue and burgundy striped, knitted long-sleeve minidress with a white button-down shirt tied around her waist. The look was finished with see-through sandals and a heavy choker made of clear, round beads. We were in Paris and, as we made our way down the street, it occurred to me how in a single outfit she had incorporated the biggest trends of this coming spring: colour, makeshift belts, oversized jewellery and no-shoe shoes.

Alongside the season’s other big looks – balloon pants, jaunty hats, the rogue use of scarves, knee-length skirts and underwear-as-outerwear – it’s clear the mood in fashion is messy-but-chic. Not quite the luxurious chaos of early 2000s boho, but similarly pretty and off kilter.

Thankfully, given the state of the economy and the environment, for the most part this style can be achieved by reaching into the dark corners of your wardrobe and looking at forgotten items with fresh eyes. Here, four fashion professionals explain how.

Take stock and spruceStylist Mikey Ayoubi demonstrates how raising the hem of wide-legged trousers can dramatically change their look, modelled by Krew Boylan. Photograph: Mikey Ayoubi

Figuring out exactly what is in your wardrobe is a worthwhile exercise at the change of seasons. Pull everything out and examine each item – this gives you the opportunity to rediscover pieces you’ve stopped wearing and to clean, mend or alter anything that could go back into rotation after a bit of love and care.

Stylist and author Sally Mackinnon suggests hanging anything that’s crumpled or been folded away on an external rack or hook for a few hours to get any musty smells out. “If you have access to an outdoor clothing line, that’s even better because you can get some nice fresh air through them,” she says. If you are short on sunshine, a steamer will also suffice.

“[An] inventory check allows me to get the most out of my existing clothes,” says fashion editor and podcaster Maggie Zhou. It’s also a good moment to scan what you own for similarities to trends you are keen to try. “Maybe it’s a colourway, silhouette, feeling or texture,” says Zhou.

Once you’ve identified promising pieces, separate them and see if there’s a way to “fill in the gap” between how they look now and how you’d like to dress next, says stylist Mikey Ayoubi.

For example, with the help of a tailor (unless you are particularly skilled with a needle, thread and scissors) you can “turn dresses into tops”. He says even small alterations – such as hemming a long, wide-leg trouser to “make it more cropped” can help “everything look new”.

Make your own balloon pantsStylist Mikey Ayoubi demonstrates how to turn wide-legged pants (L) into balloon-style pants (R), modelled by Krew Boylan. Photograph: Mikey Ayoubi

One of the most talked-about trends this year are balloon pants, which are voluminous through the leg but fitted at the ankle.

Ayoubi says the same look can be achieved with wide-leg pants you already own, as long as they’re made from material that’s either soft or thick. To try it, take the hem and create a cuff by folding the fabric up once; next, take the excess width and twist it in tightly towards the ankle, then secure it by tucking the twisted fabric up and in towards the leg, so “it becomes almost like a parachute or harem style”.

Another option, on lightweight pants, is to use a hair tie to gather the hem around the ankle.

A 2026 take on knee-length skirtsA knee-length skirt, a shirt tied around the waist and strappy sandals: Sally Mackinnon combines several spring looks in one outfit. Photograph: Sally Mackinnon

If, like me, knee-length skirts remind you of your indie sleaze era, you may need a fresh take to put distance between you and vodka Red Bull-fuelled dancefloors. “Traditionally when we’ve worn a knee-length skirt, be it an A-line or even a pencil skirt, we’ve tended to tuck in our tops,” says Mackinnon. “To make the skirt feel more ‘me today’ and not like I wore it 10, 15, 20 years ago, I’ve been playing around with wearing longer tops, jackets, shirts, untucked.” This diverts the eye from the waist to below the hip, “and almost turns it into a drop waist silhouette”, she says.

Footwear choice is important with this silhouette. “Either something that’s very strappy, like a barely-there shoe, so you get that elongation of the leg”, or a chunky loafer with a fun patterned ankle sock.

No-shoe shoes

In May, Matthieu Blazy, the creative director of Chanel, caused a stir when he sent models down the runway in shoes that were merely a piece of leather that wrapped under the heel and fastened at the ankle. But a fascination with feet can be explored more practically by wearing humble flip-flops – or thongs as we say in Australia.

Mackinnon says this really can just be the rubber thongs you usually only wear to the beach. “Try wearing them with your cuffed wide-leg jeans this summer, or with your pencil skirts, or a nice flowy dress or skirt.” If you simply can’t separate the thong from summer holidays, alternatives include leather versions or delicate, strappy sandals. Keep in mind that your foot is now basically an accessory – models at Chanel had their toenails painted with clear polish but when the actor Margaret Qualley wore them, her nails were painted black.

Cait Burke wears a vintage dress tucked into trousers, with a red rosette pinned to the collar. Photograph: Cait BurkeShow your straps

This is “a really easy one, because you already have what you need in your underwear drawer”, says producer and fashion writer Cait Emma Burke. In many ways it’s a less morbid version of last year’s haunted couture trend – still kind of sexy-dishevelled, but more colourful. “Wear a plain white singlet that’s a little sheer with a brighter-coloured bra underneath; I like pink straps peeking out this spring,” Burke says.

Also in this category: lingerie worn over regular clothes à la Carrie Bradshaw, boob tubes layered over T-shirts to create shape through the waist, and night gowns or lace slips worn as dresses.

Get weird with scarvesMaggie Zhou demonstrates two ways to wear a scarf: like a cape, and as a belt. Composite: Maggie Zhou

Whether they’re being worn as a bandana, fed through belt loops, tied in a bow at the neck or draped asymmetrically around the hips, scarves are integral to the vibe this spring. The key here is to “think beyond your wardrobe”, says Zhou: “Repurpose upholstery fabric, unused curtains or vintage tea towels.” (Or as my friend did in Paris, cinch in a dress by tying a shirt around your waist).

You can also try wearing a scarf like a cape – but not in “a superhero’s floor-length statement piece” way, says Zhou. “Drape silk scarves or light knitwear across your decolletage and allow the excess fabric to hang behind you.”

In the name of creativity, style and saving your bank balance and the planet, Burke says, you should “never underestimate the power of tying, layering, tucking or pinning an item in a different way”.