Bored of normal? The Independent Runway has the cure. On the closing night of the L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival, the best was saved for last with the enfant terribles of Australian design coming out to play. On a balmy Sunday night in Melbourne, the young and edgy received the answers to all the sartorial questions for the coming season. Need help? All your questions answered below…

What colour should I wear this season?
Baby, it’s always black. The colder months call for Melbourne’s most beloved shade, layered up and with contrasting textures. Mix it in with splashes of white and grey, and make your accessories pop in bright, jewel-tone colours or shiny metallics. THE CASSETTE SOCIETY showcased opaque stockings in crimson, while Limedrop went all space age with their silver leggings and Gary Bigeni accessorised with yummy red leather gloves.

What about prints?
The 90s are making a comeback, so embrace grungey plaid or tartan if you dare. Limedrop presented a muted plaid shirt, worn oversized and buttoned up for the boys, while a black and white version at Manning Cartel was worn cinched in at the waist with a statement belt and satin jodhpurs for the girls. For a subtler look, throw on a tartan scarf. If plaid isn’t your thing, you can look to the stars for inspiration - Limedrop’s galaxy print Lycra shone as both leggings and as a hooded leotard for the especially daring.

Okay, so it’s cold outside. Tell me how to look edgy, but warm.
Invest in a leather jacket. Be it oversized and boxy (Manning Cartel), sculptural (THE CASSETTE SOCIETY), cropped (Maus Cat Berlin, trimapee) or bomber (trimapee), whichever option you chose, you’ll be fashionable and cosy. Don’t forget the power of layering - just pay attention to contrasting fabrics and lengths, and don’t forget to add a splash of colour. Trimapee’s ensembles featuring multiple hoods, leather gloves and super long scarves are a good point of inspiration.

And on the bottom half…?
If you only buy one pair of pants this season, make sure you buy jodhpurs. Ever since Balenciaga sent them down the catwalk they’ve been covering the legs of the über-fashionable, and now you can have them too. Manning Cartel did some great satin jodhpurs in mocha and black, but if you want to really stand out from the crowd, go with Melanie Bower’s PVC version. If jodhpurs aren’t your thing, you can still get away with ultra-skinny leg pants (wear them with a tuxedo jacket), or follow the lead of silence is golden and channel the 1970s with a pair of high-waisted bellbottom flares.

But I want to wear a dress!
Go for it. Just make sure it’s not too girly. Menswear is huge for women this winter, so stay clear of anything too pretty or delicate. Choose a dress that’s short and figure hugging, and layer it up with stockings, over-the-knee socks or leg warmers. And make sure it’s in a statement fabric like lamé, PVC or leather.

You seem to like leather a lot…
And so should you. Release your inner biker, dominatrix or rebel without a cause. You can wear it as an accent (like the leather gloves at Gary Bigeni), or go all out with a leather dress (like the one from silence is golden). Maus Cat Berlin did a great sleeveless leather top with an asymmetrical zip, which was worn with leopard print leggings. Have a moral problem with leather? Go for something with a similar look - PVC is a great alternative, and has similarly naughty and rebellious connotations. Melanie Bower’s PVC leggings are a case in point.

So what about the boys?
It’s all about the suit with a twist. Sharp tailoring is a must, with skinny ties, slim waistcoats and suit jackets in unexpected fabric being some of the essentials. Black is once again the staple colour, but white and grey are acceptable alternatives. Saint Augustine Academy showcased a superb range of razor sharp styles, accessorised with fedora hats and dark sunglasses, for a modern noir look. If you want to stand out from the crowd, go straight to Jack London for a black sequinned suit jacket or a satin version in Barbie pink. Buy a pair of winklepickers or Doc Marten boots.

What are my inspirations for dressing?
Imagine you’re a lone crime fighter in Tim Burton’s version of Gotham City. Your sartorial heroes are Batman and Catwoman, the girls of Frank Millar’s Sin City, old noir movies and science fiction films from the 1950s. Don’t be afraid to don a Zorro mask and dole out punishment for crimes against fashion.