I’m going with yay: everyone can look good in sleeveless items of clothing. I don’t think you need to have slim, toned arms, or young firm skin to pull off a sleeveless garment. Plus sized actresses like Queen Latifah and Jennifer Hudson look stunning in sleeveless garments, as do woman over the age of 60 like Helen Mirren, Catherine Deneuve and Vera Wang.

Sleeveless items come in many styles so it’s a question of choosing wisely. The style you choose need not be strappy, sloppy or overly revealing. If you’re shy about showing the top parts of your arms, opt for silhouettes in sturdy, better-end fabrics with good underarm coverage, a fuller shoulder line and a modest neckline. Paying attention to these details makes all the difference.

I’m not saying that you must wear sleeveless garments. If you’re more comfortable covering your arms then that’s fine too. But on the off chance that you had your doubts, I hope you feel encouraged. Baring your arms is an ideal way to beat the heat.

It’s another blast from the past. Remember the calf-length zippered jeans that we wore 20 years ago? I’ll admit I wore the leg-shortening style back then until my Mum said one day : “Those jeans make your legs look short. It’s not very elegant. Your Levis look much better”. I never wore those zippered jeans again.

But my fondness for zipper detailing continues, so I was thrilled to see zippered skinnies back on the fashion scene. They are more sleek and streamlined this time round, and thankfully at a much better length, WITH stretch. I adore the way the open zipper looks like a vent cascading over the top part of the foot, especially when worn with a heel. Subtle and alluring, yet interesting and edgy. Very fab.

Zippered skinnies look nice zipped up at the hems too (picture on the far right). They’ll scrunch voluminously around the ankle when the length is longer (I prefer skinny jeans to scrunch). I’m all over this trend and hope to add a pair of zippered skinnies to my denim collection this year. I wonder if Mum would have liked this version better.

I thoroughly enjoy all four seasons, but there are some I prefer to others because of the wardrobe choices the weather dictates at different times of the year. Here’s my ranking:

1. Autumn wins hands down because I get to haul out my extensive boot, jacket and scarf collection. Boots in all styles and colours are my favourite form of footwear and I adore wearing them with jeans, dresses and skirts. Scarves are fun and there’s nothing like an assortment of fabulous jackets to make you look and feel urban and sophisticated.
2. Summer is in second place because I love wearing a short, sleeveless sheath or sack dress with a pair of flats or low heeled wedge sandals. Not having to fuss with layers makes a welcome change.
3. Winter is next because I enjoy wearing coats and hose.
4. Spring comes in stone last because our Spring is cold and you usually end up wearing Winter clothes, which you’re SICK of wearing by the time Springtime rolls around.

Although I have favourite seasons, what I enjoy most is dressing for four different seasons. The change in weather keeps my wardrobe choices interesting. I wouldn’t like to wear sleeveless dresses or boots and jackets all year long because that would get boring.

Over to you. Do you have a favourite dressing season?

I never thought this would happen, but stylish knitted pants are back and I’m loving the look. The tables have turned after years of having it drummed into us that woven pants were the only way to go unless we were working out or lounging at home. But once again it is fashionable to wear a fab pair of Ponte de Roma knit pants as a chic alternative.

I can’t remember exactly when stretch Ponte de Roma fabrication was the height of its fashion, but it was huge in the 60’s, 70’s and 90’s. Now it’s back in the 00’s and has never looked better. The fabric is thicker, softer, more drapy, and extra luxurious. Once they’re on, you won’t want to take them off.

They are jodhpur-like and remind me of a very substantial pair of leggings. Only this time you can wear them as pants and not just as an accessory. They’re perfect for tucking into sleek or slouchy boots, and will work equally well with pumps, booties or ballet flats.

I’m excited about Ponte pants as a denim alternative on days when I’m sick of my jeans, but still want to wear pants. So the hunt for the perfect pair has began. Bet they’ll be fab as travel-wear too. Super svelte and so, so, comfortable.

Do you share my enthusiasm for the new knit pant?

These examples are skinnies, but Ponte knit pants are also available in boot cuts and wide legs. Somehow, a wider silhouette in this fabrication spells frumpy, so I’ve stuck to suggesting the look in a tapered leg.