Take a deep breath, ladies--that’s the smell of 2013 in your nostrils. You’d do well to savor it, because it signals a fresh, new start—style-wise, especially!

We’ll never know a year’s true “look” until we’re at least halfway through it, and sometimes, the best trends slide in right at the eleventh hour (case in point: all the leather-love on NYE!). But if the runways are worth their designer predictions, they’re telling us that 2013 is going to be a whirlwind of color, cheek, and believe it or not, comfort. Low heels, Bermuda shorts, and longer skirts (with a twist) are all coming back for a piece of the action. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, be prepared!

As for me, I take quite a practical approach to the start of a fashion annum. After I skim through the trend reports, I bookmark the looks I love and shave off the ones I can live without (or simply do not understand). After all, a smart girl cannot live on trends alone! She’ll pick up one or two new tricks, work them into her personal style, and come out looking like herself, but more fabulous than ever.

The New Year seems to be shrouded in apocalyptic murmurs from the get-go, so I’ve picked a lucky number to counteract the “dreaded 13.” Hit the ground running with these seven savvy trends—they’re clever, unexpected, and not too crazy for the real world. Who’s excited now?

(All fashion sets created by Stephanie Castillo via Polyvore.)