THE EDIT: block colour

Flick through pictures by the late American photographer Mr Slim Aarons, who spent an indecent amount of time photographing "attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places", as he put it, and you will instantly be struck by the colours: not just those adorning the palatial sitting rooms and carefully-manicured gardens, but those worn by the hosts and hostesses themselves. America in the Sixties and Seventies - Mr Aarons' pictorial heyday - was especially conducive to celebration and ornamentation, but the men in particular managed to mix things up by adding stylish splashes of colour here and there to their otherwise conservative attire. And it worked.

We think today there's a strong case for revisiting that approach: it adds a retro, upbeat vibe to what we guess will be a mostly blue and khaki-based wardrobe you've picked out for this spring. Obviously, we don't suggest you pile all the colours on at once (nobody wants to look like Coco the Clown); but when you're in the mood - even if it's just a Comme des Garçons wallet or a brightly-coloured polo - you'll be surprised how good a vibrant hue can make you feel.