Phillip Lim

I love this look because it’s moody and romantic, but if you take it apart, you have some really relevant pieces: the ruffle shirt, the tapered trousers, a cocoon jacket. It is perfect for the working professional who goes through the day, then takes on the night, without looking back (or needing to change her outfit). Remove the blouse and belt and team it with your favourite T-shirt to make it more casual. Wear it with booties, as shown, or jazz flats for a more relaxed look. Remember to accessorise it with attitude.

Coat £530, shirt, £385, and trousers, £275; from Selfridges. Studded cuff, £70, and gem cuff, £350, by Felder and Felder, from Browns. Purple T-shirt, £48, by American Vintage. 3 Jazz lace-up shoes, £45, from Topshop

The A-Z of winter style rules

The Times fashion team lays down the law on the season’s latest trends, from bare legs to hair colour and coat lengths

BACKGROUND

• How to buy a winter coat

• Sex on legs: the best new tights

• Heels are dead — long live flats

• How to wear winter trends

BACKGROUND

• 14 hot high street heels

• Clothing solutions to give summer looks winter life

• Designers' autumn fashion picks

• The ten anti-trends for winter

Antonio Berardi

This dress was the first piece I designed for the collection. I love the fact that it shows your décolleté; it’s very womanly and sexy. I think it should be worn with a thick pair of fisherman’s socks, a sturdy pair of strappy sandals and a Burberry trench. Then it can be daywear, or it can be cocktail or eveningwear. When you’re showing lots of décolleté, it’s important to accessorise in a way that’s not too trashy. Hence the socks and sturdy sandals. They make it real and not too obvious. They also make it a bit more British. Think Felicity Kendal in The Good Life, getting a bit glammed up.

Dress, £954, from Matches, Browns and Liberty. Double Wear Stay-in-Place lipstick in Stay Scarlet, £16, by Estée Lauder. Classic trench, £695, by Burberry. Platform sandals, £440, by Marni.

Nicole Farhi

This is the look I have been wearing all my life — jacket, T-shirt and trousers. I believe every woman can pull it off, looking chic and feminine, yet with a masculine edge. I would wear it exactly as shown here, dressed down with a matt black crepe de chine vest. Or you could go for an oversized white or black T-shirt and jeans — I love my Japanese 45rpm jeans. For night, wear it over a cocktail dress or evening trousers.

Jacket, £990, and trousers, £250, by Nicole Farhi. Sequined jacket, £150, from Miss Selfridge. Silk vest, £30, from Banana Republic. Jeans, £75, from Edwin; 020 7033 4098.

Christopher Kane

My favourite look from my AW09 collection would have to be this crazy ribbon dress. For the show, I paired it with black brogues to give a modern take on eveningwear, but the dress also looks amazing with heels. Yasmin Le Bon wore it with beautiful, pink-satin sandals — it looked really chic. I love the idea of pairing it with diamond drop earrings. Pop a plain cashmere sweater on to make it instantly casual for day, then whip it off when you go out in the evening.

Stripy dress, £2,660; www.net-a-porter.com. Cashmere sweater, £60, from Uniqlo. Diamond earrings, £8,500, by Kojis, from the Wonder Room at Selfridges. Brogues, £155, from Russell & Bromley

Times recommends

• The Boxing Day tsunami: five years on
• What took place in 2010...
• Can you really cure a hangover?