Guardian fashion expert Melanie Wilkinson is here now to advise you on your wardrobe, replying to queries about clothes and footwear for both men and women.teaandchocolate asks: Are barrel leg, carrot leg and other trouser leg styles going to be looked back on as the cringe, 1980s curly perm trend of our time, or are they here to stay?Mel: Ha. There has definitely been an explosion of different trouser shapes in the past few years. At 43, I’m a fan of the classics. Straight leg, wide leg and the odd pair of cropped kick-flare trousers are the only styles I really wear, but I do welcome the range of shapes available. When I was a teenager all you could buy were boot cut trousers and nothing else … whether they suited you or not. The joy I would have felt at so many shapes!I think there’s something for everyone now and carrot legs are great on a curvier shape (they’re wider on the bum and thighs), whilst barrel legs give slimmer frames some volume. I definitely think they are all here to stay.Mel: I do celebrate the fact that I get so much more clothing choice than my partner, and although there are lots of men’s brands that are fun, you’re right, they’re not as obvious or easy to find. They are usually smaller boutique brands and don’t have massive shops on the high street.I’m not sure why big retailers think men don’t want to wear colour? YMC is good for knitwear (it’s a little bit pricey, but made to last) and Percival also puts a twist on a lot of classics. I’m a fan of this shirt. I like to check out shops like Goodhood and see what new, fun brands they are stocking and go from there. Continue reading...