Readers, let me introduce you to another mildly preposterous name for a fashion trend: The Curve. It sounds like a Britpop success story, but this is actually a lesson in moulded lines that delicately engulf the body. If you think that bendy shapes equal a starring role in Teletubbies, you can breathe a sigh of relief: these convex shapes (they all have silly names: cocoon, bubble, lantern) will actually enhance your hourglass.

It is all very well theorising about bubbles, but how does The Curve actually translate to The Wardrobe? A good starting point is to identify where you feel most comfortable carrying the volume. If you are blessed with linguine legs, try a trouser that is wider on the thighs and nips neatly in at the ankle. As long as you accentuate your waist (Banana Republic has the best patent leather belts around) and wear a pair of stonking heels, these peg-leg trousers can look surprisingly flattering.

If you don’t fancy puffed-up trousers, how about a bulbous skirt? A distant relative of the tea cosy, this skirt sits up and away from the body, providing you with a modern silhouette that also allows space for lunch. Again, as long as you remember to emphasis the waist and wear something relatively sleek on top, then Michelin Man references will be rendered obsolete. A good way to keep The Curve in check is through rigorous tailoring: a slim-fi tting blazer will assist your quest to look slim.

Sometimes the bulk doesn’t need to be screamingly obvious. Subtlety is a fashion buzzword this season, so feel free to fi nd volume in unexpected places. This Whistles coat (above right), for example, possesses a soft, moulded bend in the back that is beautiful but not glaringly obvious.

Feel free to focus on the smaller details — this Calvin Klein dress (above right) is a case in point. At first, you might not be able to indentify where The Curve is, but look closer and you’ll notice a pair of bowed seams down the front. It isn’t often that fashion whispers so quietly and we kind of like it.

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