For fashion trends, look to movies, TV.

For fashion trends, look to movies, TV. Shopaholic movie likely to inspire spring's big fashion trend.

Don't be surprised to find yourself pining for a canary yellow jacket or an orange plaid cape this spring. Or mixing clashing prints, patterns or colours with big, bold accessories.

You can blame it on Patricia Field, the brains behind the fabulous fashions of The Devil Wears Prada and Sex and the City, and her latest Hollywood effort.

Field is the stylist behind the looks of the new film Confessions of a Shopaholic, based on the bestselling books by Sophie Kinsella.

"I create fashion as art, and I do that by means of collage," says Field, in a media release for the film. "I mix old pieces, new pieces, dressy pieces with jeans, all kinds of mixes."

This is evident in the creative styling of the main character, played by actress Isla Fisher.

Photos from Confessions of a Shopaholic show Fisher in some eyebrow-raising attires - so bold, so bright, some might say they tiptoe towards tacky.

But that doesn't mean we won't copy them.

The cheerful styles depicted in Shopaholic are coming at the right time, says Lisa Tant, editor-in-chief of Flare magazine.

"It's optimistic. And that's what I really love, and especially right now," says Tant, adding that the clothing provides a happy contrast to the bad news happening in the world.

Shopaholic, as the title suggests, is a movie about a young woman who shops too much. The fashions depicted in the movie are vibrant and upbeat, Tant notes.

"When there's a movie or a TV show that really captures the zeitgeist at the moment ... when people are feeling maybe a little more down and insecure, a bright colour makes you feel better," Tant says. "So I think the timing of this is really strong. And if it taps into how people are feeling, it will impact what people wear."

This doesn't mean they have to toss out their budget, or good sense, she says.

"I don't think people are going to go out and copy a look from head to toe," says Tant. "It's the idea of buying a pop of colour or a great pattern scarf."

"It comes down to aspirational characters and how we frame ourselves," adds University of B.C. professor Tim Silk, of the Sauder School of Business.

He says some people might watch a film like Shopaholic, and if they like a character, they may want to dress like her or him - even if the styles depicted don't work for them.

Others will take a pass.

Silk recommends bringing an honest friend along when you shop to avoid fashion pitfalls such as buying something better suited to a movie than your real life.

While Field uses designer clothing and accessories in the film -- bank account-busting labels like Balenciaga, Marc Jacobs, Christian Louboutin, Zac Posen, Miu Miu, Salvatore Ferragamo, Prada, Todd Oldham and Alexander McQueen feature prominently - there are plenty of cheap alternatives to be found.

"They may have actual designer pieces in the movie, but you can get them at all different prices," says Tant, "whether it's Le Chateau or H & M, or putting them together from your own wardrobe and just adding accessories."

This won't be the first time a movie, or a television show, has had an impact on real-world trends.

Ever pinned an oversized flower on a cardigan or had a nameplate necklace or fantasized about buying a purse that cost more than your rent?

Sex and the City, the TV show, sparked trends, and designer-inspired drooling, from episode to episode with the help of Field's creative touches - like those crazy floral pins. (They're back again, by the way.) The show even made shoe designers like Jimmy Choo and Manolo Blahnik household names.

Remember The Rachel?

Women in the 1990s learned all about the power of layers when Rachel on the sitcom Friends got a haircut that became a salon must. A seemingly endless fascination with Rachel actress Jennifer Aniston's locks continues even today. There's also the Oprah effect. Daytime diva Oprah Winfrey's "favourite things" shows can turn anything from socks to pyjamas into a sensation.

"People look to pop culture for ideas and inspiration for their own image, whether it's consciously or unconsciously," says Amy Lu, a Vancouver fashion stylist.

This relationship between celebrities and trends is simple.

"Television characters generally look good. They are good-looking, glorified and seen as successful to start with - and then work with some of the world's top makeup, hair, and wardrobe stylists," she says. "Who wouldn't want to emulate them?"

Lu says characters on TV aren't just trendy, they're shaping trends looks too.

"I think Chloe Sevigny in Big Love rocks whatever she wears and is a huge part of the "prairie chic" movement in fashion," says Lu, speaking about the HBO show about a polygamist family.

Lu also likes the stylish attire of the characters on the show Mad Men, which is set in the 1960s.

The show also inspired designer Michael Kors, who gave away copies of the show's first season to customers who spent more than $350.

"The Michael Kors 2008 Runway Collection signalled a return to stylized '60s glamour, with its sleek silhouettes, cinched waists, and dapper suits," the designer's website stated. "One of his sources of inspiration - AMC's award- winning drama, Mad Men."

Beyond the runway, Mad Men's characters are getting credit for helping to make men's hats cool again, and for inspiring ladylike looks, including the so- called hostess skirt.

Then there's the teen drama, Gossip Girl, featuring an impeccably dressed group of teenagers who all attend the same school in Manhattan's Upper East Side. The fashion-conscious crew includes a bow-tie wearing playboy, a leggy blond with loads of mini dresses and a bratty brunette who loves headbands. Gossip Girl's diverse brand of preppy-meet-posh stylings can be pieced together from many sources, from vintage stores and brands like Fred Perry, to retailers like the Gap and Urban Outfitters.

Whether or not Confessions of a Shopaholic's looks will inspire moviegoers to choose vivid hues over neutrals remains to be seen.

But don't be too hard on yourself if you find yourself standing in a dressing room somewhere, looking somewhat clownish.

You probably won't be alone.

Remove one or two of the items, take a deep breath, and don't be afraid to ask a level-headed stranger for a second opinion.

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