Aside from ‘who will be my plus1?’ the most second most important question

you should ask yourself before a major (fashion) event should be –

does one go super-short or full-on-long? Once upon at time it was only ever

the old or the pregnant (or the boring) that went in for for long gowns. But then vintage

became as hot as the latest label to be seen in and re-creating old-school Hollywood

was all the rage. (See stalwarts Julia Roberts, Cate Blanchett, Angelina Jolie etc etc.)

Then bright young thing Marion Cotillard rocked up to accept her Oscar in a stunning

full-length Jean-Paul Gaultier gown of mermaid-like delicate scales – and

it signalled the tide beginning to change. Fast forward to 2010 and with awards

season is upon us, it was interesting to see the ratio of hem-line lengths across the

board was way more 50/50 than ever before. And I’m all for it.

Very short has become VERY tacky. Synomous with a tabloid style of dressing

that’s all about making the front-page and not the style section. Teeny tiny dresses

scream ‘star of Hollyoaks’ or ‘appeared on last year’s Strictly come Dancing’

- ie low-brow and way down the alphabet list. Now I love Cheryl as much

as the next person but in my opinion Danni beat her hands down on last year’s

X-Factor with a selection of sleek old-school gowns fit for a screen-goddess.

Way cooler than the totally obvious boy-friendly dress formula of:

strapless+tulip-hem+mini=sexy. However, shorter can be the ultimate in

cocktail chic if the silhouette is knee-length and a shape that drapes rather than clings.

If you don’t believe ME, then at least listen to those knowledgeable types at Vogue:

“If it’s drama you are after go for a floor-length  dress to give a classic

look with minimum effort,  Emilio Pucci’s are just the fashionable ticket.

Take the modern approach and wear your hair undone and your eyes smoky;

it’s sexier, cooler and means no attention will be taken away from the dress.

Knee-length dresses are the young approach and this season come in

brilliant colours like emerald green, orchid and deep red, see Lanvin’s

for the ultimate in cocktail chic. Accessorise your dress with a matching

coloured head band, or look for a flirty mini dress as at Moschino and

then dress it down with ballet flats or quirky shoe-boots like our

cover girl Alexa Chung.”

And if you can’t afford Lanvin, Pucci or Moschino – Hoss Intropia, Milly and

Twenty8Twelve have done some very pretty shorter dresses this season.

Or if your intention is to create a dramatic entrance and some va va voom –

nothing beats a sweeping floor-length number for a classic look with minimum

effort. Again, try Hoss Intropia for on-trend print maxi-dresses to take

you glamorously into Spring. Take your pic from these long (and short) lovlies.