Sports Calendar

BLAZERS

Nicolas Ghesquière, the creative director at Balenciaga, was on to something when he sent out a series of single-breasted, cinched blazers in tweeds, hot pinks and one heck of a lot of attitude. After years of cardigans, baggy knits and trench-coats, blazers seem to have lost their prim connotations and suddenly look right. Thick enough to be warm while providing a streamlined finish to a summer dress, they work equally well with skirts, shorts or trousers. Find them at YSL, updated this summer in boxy, boyish styles in petrol blue or with cropped sleeves. And, one hopes, in myriad variations at a high street near you.

How to make this work

— Fit (and cut) is paramount here. While this is the one thing you have a hope of finding in the sales, make sure it isn’t too tight across the chest. You’ll only look uncomfortable as well as feeling it.

— Avoid shoulder pads

— Look out for contrast trims, which add an interesting detail.

BOLD COLOUR

Eye-popping shades of sapphire, emerald, tomato red or canary yellow may be big news right now, but resist the urge to wear all the colours of the rainbow on cutesy, kidult-style clothes. Choose sleek tops or dresses with little or no detailing and accessorise with a few standout pieces. A statement necklace, perhaps, or jewelled sandals? Your outfit should suggest a confident dresser not someone who is trying to “get away with” a particularly lurid strain of bubble-gum pink. Better still, layer colour on tonally, a dirtier shade of tangerine with a burnt orange, for example. And don’t forget to choose different textures to break things up further.

How to make this work

— There’s a shade of colour to complement most skin tones, so experiment to find the one that best suits you. A head-to-toe ensemble may work to dramatic effect on the

catwalk, but it rarely translates to everyday life – unless you’re still in your teens, or trying to be ironic.

RUFFLES

Ruffles are romantic, but try to avoid looking like a multicoloured rosebush. Moschino – and its sister range, Cheap’n’Chic – showed rosettes, and tiers on tops and dresses. Mixed with a smattering of punkish T-shirts, jeans or even sporty, sequined jackets, they managed to look fresh, with minimum referencing of Dynasty-style excess.

How to make this work

— Ruffles draw attention to the part of your body they are placed over, so they are not great for those with well-rounded stomachs or biggish hips – but possibly advantageous for someone with a smallish chest.

SPORTY

This isn’t a dispensation to turn up to work in tracksuit bottoms; rather, it’s a look at how sporty/high-tech fabrics have infiltrated the catwalk. Dresses made of parachute silk or jackets with sporty tie fastenings are a refreshing alternative to florals, ruffles and flounce.

How to make this work

— Choose the material carefully: some shiny fabrics have an unflattering sheen or can look cheap in certain light.

— Unless you’re a beanpole, you’ll be lost without a belt to bring in the waistline, so bear this in mind when deciding to wear oversized, slouchy clothing.

— If you are going to go big on top, you will need a slimmer bottom half to balance things out.

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