WHAT is the new look for the summer season? What are the hottest accessories and the latest hair trends that will be shining in the summer heat?

Worry not, Sowetan brings you hair, fashion and make-up experts to ensure that you survive the summer in the hottest trends and in style.

Plus, we fill you in on what trends will not make it past this summer's check-in gate.

HAIR

When it comes to the hottest looks for summer, go big or go home. This is according to celebrity hairstylist Molamudi Motsamai.

"Big hair is definitely the hottest trend for summer. Whether it's big afros, or very long, exaggerated weaves.

"Clip-ons are also big for achieving that waist-long weave look. Clip-ons are also great because if you have damaged hair, you can still get that weaved look, without wearing an actual weave, allowing your hair to recuperate," he says.

"Stars like Kim Kardashian and Amanda DuPont are rocking the long weave look. Totally in for summer."

Motsamai says hair colour is also big for summer.

"We are seeing a lot of blondes and reds and extreme colours like pink. Be bold. This is where clip-ons also play a role because you can experiment with colour, but still manage to take it off," he says.

Chuck it

Motsamai says the following hair trends are outdated and should stay off your head:

• Razor cut short weaves: "They are the home of the scratching pin hlokoloza, which is not attractive."
• Short, unkempt natural hair: "I'm all for going natural, but people don't realise how much work it takes to care for natural hair. If you can't maintain it, don't do it."
• Front lace wigs: "No one does those anymore."

MAKE-UP

Sowetan spoke to renowned make-up artist Vuyo Vuroyi, who says going natural is the big trend for summer.

"A clean face is a big trend right now. Gone are the days of a foundation-caked face. Now it's all about having that clean, naked, glowing look, and celebrating what you have," he says.

"Khloe Kardashian and Bonang Matheba are being spotted rocking the nude, natural look," says Varoyi.

To achieve this look, Varoyi acknowledges that some women might find it hard to bare a naked face, so he recommends dabbing a bit of foundation in vital areas, the T-zone, and a bit under the eyes.

Varoyi also shares the following trends with us:

• Lips: Hot pinks, oranges, corals.
• Eyeshadow: Not too much, bronze, golds.
• Eyes: Black liquid liner is big.

"Again, it's about maintaining that soft, natural look," he says.

Chuck it

Varoyi says to be in style for summer, please make sure you ditch these:

• Filling in eyebrows with liner:

"I'd rather have people grow their lashes, then go to a professional to have them tweaked. Shaving eyebrows yourself then filling them in is not hot."

• Fake eyelashes: "In keeping with the natural-look trend, heavy, long fake eyelashes are out.

"Now it's about getting mascara that will accentuate your own eyelashes for that full, long effect."

FASHION

We spoke to fashion designer and stylist Paledi Segapo, who gave us the lowdown on what fashion trends to expect this summer.

"The hot colours for this summer are nude colours. Those will be huge. Also metallics; your golds and bronzes, and silvers, and black and white, which never goes out of style," he says.

African print on African print is also huge. Rihanna recently rocked the ethnic look during a visit to the white house. The trick is not to look too ethnic, though. Break it down with accessories that are not ethnic, and avoid wearing a doek with African print for example," he says.

Segapo says another hot trend that is still coming is what he calls a hot mess look, of pairing sportswear with formal wear, like trainers with formal pants.

"This was recently showcased on the Chanel runway. I'm not sure if we'll get it right, but it's all about looking a hot mess. That is big overseas for summer," he says.

For men, crop tops are trending, as well as see-through, mesh tops, which are making a comeback, and he says R&B singer Donald has been rocking the mesh look lately.

Chuck it

Paledi says these are passé:

• Colour blocking;
• Floral print.

ACCESSORIES

Edgars fashion stylist Vusi Sediane and fashion blogger Malusi Garishe from Notedfashion agree there are a lot of accessories heading here for summer.

"Women's wedges are the trend for summer, as well as chokers and chunky jewellery," says Sediane.

"The big sleepover bag trend is out; bags are going smaller, like a small clutch," says Garishe. "We are also seeing a lot of happy socks, and bucket hats."

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