From its delicious food to its timeless artists, Italy has influenced countless aspects of the American lifestyle. After sifting through Elle.com's top list of trends from Milan's spring 2008 fashion week, here are what appear to be four overarching themes that can give you a taste of fine Italian fashion.

However, you don't need to break the bank for great Milanese style. The splurge versions haven't hit shelves yet, but you can steal inexpensive examples of the runway styles for a fraction of the cost.

Belted Beauty
One of the biggest trends on Milan's runways was the cinched waist. The cinched waist utilizes one of the most flattering portions of the female body and instantly improves any silhouette.

Splurge: Emilio Pucci's line included various pieces with a cinched waist, one of which was a brown belted trench coat dress with a wide belt at the waist.
Save: Forever 21's Safari Trench Jacket ($29.80) and Tri-Buckle Belt ($9.80) mimic Pucci's look at a much more affordable price.

Color Me Happy
Color is making a big impact this season -- the brighter, the better. Various designers use color as a way to create a bold statement.

Splurge: Versace made the runways pop with a silk cerulean blue dress that was anything but bland.
Save: Target's Puff Sleeve Boatneck Dress by Xhilaration ($19.99) maintains the same blue hue as the Versace dress, and its versatility makes it great for any occasion.

Far Out Style
Hippie fashions are coming back with a vengeance. Milan's spring runways were saturated with wistful fabrics in '60s inspired patterns and designs.

Splurge: Designers like Dolce & Gabbana used splashes of color on chiffon fabrics to create an updated hippie look.
Save: Forever 21's Retro Chiffon Top ($19.80) keeps the retro 1960s style with its choice of colors while emulating Dolce & Gabbana's sheer take of the trend.

Geometric Girly
Another great spring trend is the presence of strong geometric shapes as the designs and embellishments of many of the runway looks. These structured designs help add interesting flair to otherwise very feminine pieces.

Splurge: Sportmax squared up the competition with geometry-inspired pieces like a boxy short-sleeve summer dress.
Save: Forever 21's Abstract Halter Dress ($22.80) has the same structured design of Sportmax's runway looks while adding some feminine flair as a halter dress.