Fashion revivals

As young, attractive and independent women it scares us that we can so easily go from the happy-go-lucky fashion followers that we currently are, to the staid, often frumpy, tired women that our mothers appear to be. Part of it is the fear that by getting older, we will be forced to deny ourselves these sartorial pleasures. Our mothers certainly aren't wearing the latest fashion trends. Few would even consider the frivolity and expense.

But they must have at some point in their lives or they would not be producing these cringe-worthy statements. Platform wedge heels - we've seen them come in and out fashion every summer for the last three years, and occasionally they will hang around through autumn. These shoes were worn by our mothers when they were young women, but in actual fact they are far older than this. They first made fashion history when the ancient Romans wore them to keep their feet and the hems of their clothes clean.

Bell-bottom or flare-leg pants and jeans - these are great if you want to wear a pair of knee-high boots under your pants, and they have the advantage of balancing out wide hips. Think of bell-bottoms and you'll think of the 60's, when this style was worn by men and women, and the wider the flare the better. Every few seasons designers will launch their "new" collection with ridiculously flared pants included. By the time you are old enough to realise that these are not new fashion trends, you will no longer be wearing them.

Animal prints and faux fur - with winter comes a new range of thick jackets and coats to keep you warm. And at least one (if not many) will have a faux-fur trim either around the hood or the cuffs or the hem. This is made worse when the faux-fur has an animal-print design. Unless you are in the Arctic or hoping to enrage PETA, animal fur, faux or otherwise, fashion trend or not, should not be worn. Likewise, in summer a number of skimpy tops and dresses feature animal print. Being described as a pussy cat is one thing. Dressing like one is another.

While there are a number of different fashion trends that get recycled and revived, keep in mind that although a look made fashion history, it is sometimes better to leave it there.