Summer is officially upon us, although practically we have been having the blissful Egyptian sunshine for about a month now, when we weren’t having sand storms, that is.

Get ready for the SPF season and prep yourself up for a season of lazy times on the beach, partying the night away in the city or casual late night dinners with the gals.

It is now time for you to start your season’s shopping; but not before we fill you in on what designers had to offer for the Spring/Summer 2013 fashion weeks.

Four strong trends are clear at most of designers: Black and white contrasts, patchwork, peplum and the boyfriend blazer.

Other trends to look out for:

The bomber jacket

Oversized white shirts

Oriental prints

Cropped pants

Frills and ruffles

Metallic fabrics

Neon colors

Opposites attract

Although summer is always about bright colors, this season black and white reign the runways. Don’t ditch your bights and pastels, they’re still pretty  much in, but add a little chess-chic to your wardrobe through combining contrasting black and white.

Go for monochromes, solid colors or opt for any of the several black and white patterns this season, including pied de poule, polka dots or the classic stripes — and, of course, vertical stripes will make you look slender.

Patchwork

Spring and summer of 2013 pay strong homage to the art of patchwork, using various styles, designs, and colors. Multilayered patchwork was also pretty much prevalent, so go ahead and master the art of messing.

Designers used mixed patterns, prints and fabrics through daringly messy techniques.

More peplum, please

The peplum is one of the continuing trends of the fall/winter 2012 season. We have to thank the Greeks for this timeless trend, and although the look and silhouette of peplum has changed throughout the ages this modern silhouette is not far from the 1860’s one. Peplum adds a little curve to even the most boyish of shapes, achieving a seemingly hourglass figure.

This season, however, designers used peplum creatively, incorporating the motif into several avant-garde designs that are bound to make you look like a true fashionista, all the while giving the outfit that feminine kick.

Boyfriend chic

You never had a better excuse to rummage through your boyfriend’s closet. This season you might not need to hit the malls to be style-savvy; you might just find your outfit’s piece de resistance in your own bedroom.

This spring’s fashion has seen designers styling boyfriend’s blazers in the most feminine of ways, using bright colors, pairing the blazer with the ever-feminine lace blouses or throwing it on a short dress for that feminine twist.

Editor’s note: Check out the Spring/Summer 2013 make up trends here.