While Europe may be behind in pop music (a bar cranked Like a Virgin while I was there, and it wasn’t even '80s night,) the continent is a trend setter when it comes to fashion.

Anytime I visit, I’m amazed at the clothing styles that follow me home. If my feet weren’t so danged wide I would have amassed huge quantities of pointy toed shoes after a summer studying in Greece several years ago.

Earlier this month, I visited Lisbon, Portugal -- the land of Vasco Da Gama and ridiculously cheap red wine -- and I had my eyes open for trends that may soon pop on American streets. Not an easy task considering it was 40 degrees outside and everyone was up to their ears in coats, hats and scarves.

Most of the Portuguese divas had cast aside their basic brown and black winter garb in favor of colorful and patterned pea coats. At the Belem Cultural Center outside of Lisbon, young woman clad in subtle plaid coats sipped espressos. On the streets, I saw pink and bright blue houndstooth and subdued florals. (Note: I am a Florida girl, so this coat insight may be common sense to anyone used to a climate where temps dip below 50 degrees.)

Some divas dared to travel Lisbon’s cobblestone sidewalks wearing stilettos, but most preferred practical and stylish flat boots. These too were anything but basic. Red boots were everywhere. Your basic dark colors were jazzed up with zig-zagging straps and large buckles. I even saw cowboy fringe.

Tights were also big in Lisbon. While this trend has already hit America, I noticed some of the European ladies rocking their leg wear under cargo short shorts. That particular style was as foreign to me as the cone bra, but who am I to judge Madonna or the Portuguese?

-- Guest Diva Helen Anne

(Photos: Dress like a European in this plaid coat from Overstock or these Wet Seal fringe boots, on sale for $14.75!)