Style: On the street Top of the crops

Cropped trousers? Eek, I hear you cry, and I'd have to agree that they are not the easiest item of clothing to carry off. It helps if you're tall and have legs like the supermodel Gisele - so considering that the average height of British women is 5ft 5in, it's clear that this is not a trend for everyone. Then again, when did we let trifles such as ease and comfort stop us from looking good? To solve the problem, try wearing a super-high pair of boots - that way, you'll be so busy concentrating on trying to walk that you'll forget all about what your trousers look like.

The plus side is that cropped trousers look great worn with a chunky knit or, if smart is the way you play it, teamed with a fitted jacket for the office. Either way, it's a day off from having to wear a skirt, which will always get my vote.

Think Margaret Howell-style: straight-legged with a turn-up. And as summer shows approaches, wear them low-slung with rolled-up bottoms. A word of warning: avoid teaming them with a three-quarter-length coat. While we don't mind suffering a little for style, wearing one too many different hemlines will never do.