Q I am going to a wedding in Italy in early May. I need to wear something that covers my legs, as they are pale and don’t take well to fake tan. I thought about wearing a long dress, but it can’t be an evening dress, as it is an afternoon ceremony. What would you recommend?

A Have a look at the revived Biba collection. The famous 1960s and 1970s label has been brought back from the dead and is now designed by Bella Freud. She draws on its heritage and has put lots of great maxidresses in the summer collection. This one, right, in buttercup-yellow jersey (£650; www.bibaexperience.com), is dressy but suitable for wearing to a daytime wedding. There are other long styles in the collection, including a poppy-print dress, which is £425.

The high street has picked up on the maxidress look, too. Wallis has a long magenta jersey dress with short sleeves and a sweetheart neckline for £40, and Warehouse has an elegant green halterneck maxidress, which also costs £40. If you want something with a pattern, then Miss Selfridge has a pretty floor-length floral-print frock at £45. These dresses would look great worn with a wide-brimmed hat and platform sandals or wedges.

Q Help! I need styling — not by a shop assistant-cum-personal shopper, but a stylist. With spring around the corner, I’m desperate for a new wardrobe that includes all those lovely printed tunics, high-waisted trousers, platform wedges... I could go on. I know what the trends are, but I need help with coordinating the look — using accessories, colours, textures and so on. My budget is £500. Are there any shops on the high street that provide this service?

A Topshop is your best bet. Its free style-adviser service, available in 24 stores nationwide, is very slick. The staff are not just jumped-up shop assistants. They know the range inside out and will work to your brief. You could even get them to come to your home for a private session if you wish, by using the Topshop to Go service. Booking details for both services are at www.topshop.com.

John Lewis offers a free personal-shopping service at most of its stores (020 7629 7711); Debenhams, too, has free personal shopping in 60 branches (0844 561 6161). Miss Selfridge has a free style-adviser service, but only at its Trafford Centre and Oxford Circus stores (www.missselfridge.co.uk).

Q I really like the American label Proenza Schouler. I’ve fallen in love with its little bustier tops and dresses. There’s no way I can afford to buy the real thing — has anyone on the high street ripped them off?

A Proenza Schouler’s clothes appeal to fashion insiders, and the brand’s sleek, sporty style has not yet become a target for high-street rip-offs. That said, Mango has a Proenza-style dress. It is white with a halterneck and a pleated-bustier bodice (a Proenza signature), which flares into an Aline skirt (£45; www.mangoshop.com).

E-mail your questions to wardrobe.mistress@sunday-times.co.uk

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