This year Paris was all about the wide leg trouser in lady-like shades of camel, fawn and slate grey. London re-ignited our current passion for all things utility – but at this year's Milan Fashion Week there were one two surprises on the runway that saw designers, journalists and celebrities removing their shades and picking up their pencils.

Traditionally the autumn/winter season colour story is all about a darker base palette. Think black, grey and chocolate brown and you can be pretty confident that you're on the money in the fashion stakes. Think again. This year at Milan we saw the most vivid colours ever witnessed on the runway at any time of year. Hot pink, vibrant teal and rich purple all put in a loud and proud appearance as models strutted their stuff for Prada, Dolce & Gabbana and Jil Sander to name just a few.

Now we're not suggesting you rush out and buy a head to toe canary yellow two piece suit or a therapist uniform in fluorescent orange, but when a trend this big starts it's impossible to ignore and we'd stake our reputation on the fact that brights are going to be one of this winter's big hitters. And of course, as a beauty professional you need to consider what's happening on the runway when you choose your new therapist uniform.

Bright colour is a surprisingly easy trend to wear and a lot less scary than it looks. There's only really one golden rule to follow; when your colour palette is this bright keep the cut of your therapist uniform classic and simple. Think about the asymmetrical tunic – slimming at the waist with a strong, structured neckline. It creates a sleek silhouette that's the perfect base for a bold shade. Wear it with slim fitting trousers or a smart skirt for a look that's classic and bang on trend at the same time.

Wearing bright colours is about confidence. If you feel sure that the shade and style of your therapist tunic suits you perfectly you'll be able to carry off the most vibrant shades. And don't feel you have to follow any trend like a slave, (after all what looks wonderful on a model can be a very different thing when a mere mortal tries to carry it off!) So think about accent colours for your therapist uniform; a black beauty tunic with a hot pink trim is on-trend and very wearable. You could even try wearing a strong colour on top with black trousers or a skirt - although after the mouth watering shades we saw at Milan Fashion Week we don't think we'll ever wear black again.