The winter of love: radical chic dressing

The peace sign used to be associated with the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, which attracted more than 100,000 members and drew 250,000 demonstrators to Hyde Park in the Eighties, but many of those who wear it today are too young to recall the sign's origins. It was designed by Royal College of Art graduate Gerald Holtom in a letter to the editor of Peace News in 1958. It is a combination of the semaphore alphabet sign for the letter "n" (two arms pointing down at 45 degrees) and the letter "d" (one arm raised straight above the head), standing for nuclear disarmament.

However, the sign was never copyrighted and has since become a universal symbol for peace and love. Even brands such as Gucci and Tiffany's have put their gold-plated spin on it.

It's not the first time fashion has flirted with retro Ban the Bomb inspired designs, but this season the symbol is less hippy chick and more hippy chic. (There is no tie dye and most definitely no cheese cloth). This time around, peace is darker. Think nouveau Nineties grunge in loose T-shirts and leggings. Or you could go the way of the Occupy Wall Street protesters who have been spotted in mismatched vintage and peace signs. Round glasses, big boots and outfits that look like they are fresh out of a flea market are perfectly enhanced with big shiny peace signs, hanging from anywhere you can think of. If it's good enough for New York, then it's certainly good enough for London.

You can find the peace signs, printed on clothing or used in jewellery, all over the high street. Among Topshop's key jerseywear this season is a pair of high shine leggings printed with the peace sign. Meanwhile, Urban Outfitters is selling big woolly sweaters printed with the motif.

So give peace (signs) a chance. Protest not included.