The inbetweeners

The British ought be masters of trans-season dressing, given the ever-changing weather conditions in which we play out much of out lives.

Even in August, it can be blisteringly balmy one day, wet and windy the next. You’d think we might have evolved a degree of expertise in being ready for whatever is thrown at us weather-wise, but the skill does appear to elude a remarkable number of us.

At the first weak rays of the sun, there we go, stripping off topless (admittedly that’s usually the men), or down to improbably brief bikinis and strappy tops, emerging at the end of the day with red shoulders and ensuing tell-tale peeling for weeks after.

Some people remain oblivious to the chill factor, no matter what the weather – witness the girls able to set forth clubbing in December wearing little more than a small piece of polyester silk dangling from a halter-neck.

Stern stuff we may well be made of, but that’s no reason not to put thought into the best way to dress appropriately, stylishly and in keeping with the time of year.

Layering is key, but there is little point in layering if it’s done in a way that conflicts with your body shape, rather than works with it.

The trick is to establish your best bits – you might have slim legs, for example, or at least slim ankles and calves. You might have neat wrists, or a tidy bust, or a small waist, or an elegantly long neck.

Establish which are your less-good bits too – large hips, a matronly bust (although the correct support can banish the problem here), legs that don’t have any part that might be called slim (if you have slimmish thighs but sturdy calves or even cankles – when calves flow without tapering into ankles – do bear in mind that bootleg trousers and even leggings will look better than knee-length and below-the-knee skirts, shorts and cut-off trousers.

if you have large hips, don’t layer with a top that finishes at your hips. Instead go for a longer cardigan that finishes knee-length or even below, or perhaps a coat, which means you can get away with skinny jeans and leggings underneath. The waistcoat cardi, right, is perfect for pears.

Try not to layer to add bulk, but to balance out your own bulk, if you have it, or to create volume and curves where you do not.

A great look to create the illusion of a waist and hips is a long-sleeve shirt or blouse with cropped T-shirt or jumper or waistcoat over it.

Be careful with cascading layers to the floor, which can work if you go for waterfall or uneven hemline effects and keep layers very fine.

Finally, tunics come in all lengths and sizes – pick the right one and you can layer it with both longer and shorter cardigans, coats and jackets, for an easy casual look to take you right through to winter.

STYLE EXPERT FOR MEADOWHALL

Meadowhall Shopping Centre has appointed Bethanie Lunn as its resident fashion and beauty expert, on hand to offer customers personal shopping experiences and host regular fashion-focused events. Bethanie, blogger and author of The Modern Girl’s Guide to Fabulousness, will play a key role in Meadowhall’s upcoming annual October Fashion Month events.