Simon Lock, managing director of IMG Fashion and Models Asia-Pacific, weighs in on the beauty trends for 2008: 'Skin care for men is really becoming the norm. Extra heavy eyeliner for girls ... think Gwyneth Paltrow in The Royal Tenenbaums.'

Tarlan Amigh, founder of the Pokfulam Market, said the green movement would catch on more in Hong Kong, and would affect all areas of our lives. 'Natural skin-care products will continue down the path that Aveda cleared 20 years ago. Billie Goat Soap, for example, is chemical-free and they give you a check-list of ingredients to avoid.'

Makeup artist Pasley said we could expect to see smoky eyes with coloured metallic highlights in gold, silver or vivid candy colours. Liquid eyeliners in both matte and metallic shades are back, along with clean, matte skin. (So say bye-bye to the shimmery face powders of 2007.)

Summing it up: 2008's makeup trend is '70s punk rock meets '30s glam.

Fashion

The skinny from Lane Crawford fashion director Sarah Rutson does not include skinny jeans. 'Wide-leg pants will replace 2007's skinny leg.' She also saw subtle '70s references running through many collections. 'We are not talking hippy,' Rutson said. 'Think of Bianca Jagger's chic way of wearing clothes.'

Simon Lock of IMG Fashion and Models Asia-Pacific disagreed: 'Converse and skinny jeans [are] on the street ... again [for 2008].' The two agree on one major trend though, and that is florals. 'It's floral prints for summer 2008, and purple will be a highlight colour,' Lock said. Both also agreed that dresses needed some contrast to stay hot. Lock suggested tights under short dresses, 'especially with dramatic monochromic colour contrasts such as black with emerald green'.

Rutson said: 'When wearing one of the year's floral, diaphanous dresses, opt for a gladiator shoe, which replaces the oxford. This shoe is still about strength. However, it is the perfect way to help balance the femininity of these dresses without being too sickly sweet. 'I also love the 'replacements' to the staple black and white. And that is the new nudes: pale beiges, blushes and pale greys.'

For men's accessories, Lock said big framed glasses replace the rectangular graphic-designer staples, and shoes should either be 'very chunky, or have very pointy toes a-la Dolce & Gabbana'. Summing it up: New nudes replace bold colours, and dreamy florals need butching up.

Jewellery

'Women are buying jewellery for themselves in a way that we haven't seen before,' said Jonathan Jason Abram of Ronald Abram at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. And we're not talking about a Tiffany charm necklace or even a diamond bracelet. 'We have women spending in excess of US$100,000 on items for themselves, with money they've earned.' Sometimes it was a reward for a promotion, or sealing a great deal, but it could also be 'simply because they want to', Abram said. Coloured stones are hot picks for the sophisticated Hong Kong market. Summing it up: Sisters are doing it for themselves.