With the arrival of spring, warm gentle breezes coming in off the water re-awaken the senses and inspire designers back to the traditional palette of blues, whites and reds. This season, middies and multi-pocket jackets are seamlessly styled alongside boat shoes and canvas bags.

A nod to the success of the American box office hit Black Swan, designers this season draw us into the world of ballet with misty silhouettes likened to the beautiful costumes most often only worthy of ballerinas. A wardrobe must-have.

This year, Chanel’s iconic fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld has championed the ballet flat as the ultimate in chic footwear. At his Paris haute couture show in January 2011 every model wore ballerina flats with transparent ankle straps, “I was sick of all those Eiffel Towers, sick of all those violent colors,” he told the Daily Mail. This was nothing less than genius as it allowed models to glide effortlessly down the runways without tottering precariously on towering heels and having to watching every step.

Interestingly, the UK fashion chain Peacocks has seen sales for flat shoes rise by 70% since the beginning of January 2011. This means that flats now outsell other styles by 3 to 1. Retailers such as Marks and Spencer and Topshop have also seen sales of flat shoes rise.

The feminine shoe par excellence, pumps are our best friends. All it takes is a pair of pumps to perk up a bland outfit. The jeans-pumps marriage still isn't over, so you can continue shopping without thinking for a second of a possibie infidelity. We still like wooden pumps with straps over the foot. We'll never tire of luxurious pumps with 4" heels. For comfort, choose a smaller 2 1/2" spike or square heel. Cast off your narrow pointed pumps - this year, they're softer and rounder. The materials are many: colorfully striped silk, leather, solid or polka-dotted fabric...

Wedges announced their comeback last year and they're hotter than ever this 2011 spring/summer season. Common designs are paired with platforms to look even more stylish. From light to dark, choose your style according to the look you're going for. For classic style, we like leopard print wedges. For trekking around, choose a cork heel. And for an ultra-feminine look, go with ribbons

The little bonus: if your feet tire, or you feel unsure on high heels, wedges give you height paired with comfort and security.

One reason we love spring-summer collections is that they let us be stylish with (almost) bare feet. Your feet breathe and are still elegant. Barefoot is still the favorite shoe look on fashion runways. We're not talking about beach flipflops, but beautiful leather shoes adorned with flowers or flounces in matching leather, stones, ribbons...

The gladiator look continues to be a very trendy shoe design. These come in high heel, wedge and flat versions. For fans of more delicate styles, strap sandals are also available.