Who:
At heart, the Milan woman is an adventurous traditionalist. Unlike her other fashion week counterparts so far, she doesn’t want effortless glamour; she wants everyone to know exactly how much work she’s put into looking this good, whether that comes through in the technical excellence of her clothes or simply their high-octane, high-end feel. That’s isn’t to say she’s obvious – in fact, some of the Milan trends took spring 2014 in quite a new direction – more that she’s a connoisseur before she’s a consumer. And she likes her luxe to come with all the conspicuous heritage of the social status that it is.

What:
There were two very different aesthetics at play during the Italian shows, a sort of push-pull between romantic and rebellious. No two collections showed this to better effective than Dolce & Gabbana and Prada, one feminine and classic, the other jarringly modern, but each as wearable as the other. Avant gardists Jil Sander and Marni’s Consuelo Castiglioni blended the two in part, creating a structured sort of ethereal garb, while Versace went full-blown rock and roll (with a feminine twist) and Armani, in both his main and his Emporio lines, chose to soften tailoring, playing with fluidity and floral print.

Needless to say, each of these two tropes was played out in the finest materials, most sumptuous (if on the whole fairly neutral) shades, and everything – or seemingly everything – was topped off with a truckload of embellishment. Romantic or no, the vision of femininity created by the Milan designers is certainly not pastoral or modest.

Wear:
A bra, just like your mother told you too. But wear it as a statement, see? At Prada, beaded bra motifs decorated schoolgirlish coats, while Marni saw bra-like straps on camisoles. Meanwhile, bandeaus were on the catwalk at Jil Sander too; it’s just another version of a crop-top really. Think pf ot that way.

Another noticeable piece to have emerged is the high-waisted, wide-leg trouser. This is a piece reserved only for the tallest and thinnest, in its most pure form, but there was a smattering of cropped variants in the mix too, which are surprisingly flattering and easy-to-wear.

Finally, pleats (again) and flatforms (again), both of which reared their heads during New York and London. Pleated palazzos, plated paneling, pleated sleeves even. And the sandal of spring 2014 will have a bulky flatform sole to contrast with its restrained and minimal upper. As seen at Marni, Jil Sander and Emporio Armani among others.

Click the gallery to see our edits of the biggest trends from the shows in Milan