Style counsel: Draw your own conclusions

Style counsel:

This Spring and Summer the ultimate fashion look will not be sharp, slick, and edgy, nor will it be frilly, girlie and high-heelie. Drawstrings are back, and with them a whole arena of casual-as-smart dressing opens up, which is not a slobbing-around-at-home look, but the same basic principles of dress apply: the fabric is simply upgraded to take away the slob factor.

There are three basic ingredients. A drawstring wide-leg trouser, long skirt, or dress in white, navy, khaki, or black; made from linen, cotton, muslin or fluid jersey. See Nicole Farhi - whose double-drawstring white linen dress, (above), is selling like hot-cakes - Betty Jackson, Gap and Jigsaw who all have drawstring trousers in stock.

Flat, slim shoes such as cream, colonial style lace-ups from Clarks, about pounds 35, Yohji Yamamoto kung-fu slippers, pounds 155, (or a cheaper version), flat sequined sandals with a one-inch thick sole, or the must-have D for DKNY slip-on aqua pumps, pounds 59, (there's already a waiting list). The third element is the top half - a classic shirt, a boy's style vest (cotton, tulle or organza, plain or sequined) or a simple colourful knit, which are easy to spot in the high street. As a look it is best summed up as laid-back, slightly androgynous chic, and it will please the legions of women who failed to cope with body-enhancing mini-skirts, tight tops and dresses.

This style is not about elongating the leg, accentuating the bust, or showing the curve of a derriere. Instead it is about the art of clever concealment, which can be very sexy. Drawstrings are versatile. Want to wear the skirt/trouser low on the hips? Expose a shoulder? Simply adjust the drawstring. Women with athletic shoulders will like this, as will women who don't want to emphasise their hips. But for those with a penchant for showing off, drawstrings have also been put into unlikely spots as decoration. Try Jigsaw's cotton vest with a drawstring neck, in black, white or pink, pounds 36, or their lace-edged cotton skirt, in lilac, yellow and pale blue, pounds 33, and pull to fit.