The dropped waist coat is not a mainstream item, but it’s certainly making a fashion statement. It was particularly popular in London stores a few months ago and I’m seeing more of this silhouette here in the US. The style is sweet but hard to wear. You’ll need to be slender, tall and small hipped to pull this one off. It’s instantly widening and leg-shortening on most body types, especially if there is gathering on the hip seam. I say no to this style if you’re not a gazelle-like rectangle or an inverted triangle.

I get asked this question regularly, but it is a difficult one to answer because it depends on your profession and industry. It’s perfectly acceptable to sport bare legs in the fashion, arts and advertising world. It might be less appropriate to do so if you’re a lawyer, business consultant, accountant or bank manager. Throw in the uniqueness of a country’s culture and we’ll struggle to find an answer that is considered universally acceptable.

In general though, I believe that modesty is the best policy in a professional setting. In particular, ultra-fashionable sweater dresses and shifts that stop somewhere between the top of the knee and lower thigh require hose and tights irrespective of the industry. These dresses ride up when you sit down and it’s inappropriate to show large areas of your bare thigh at the office.

Remember that you can make exciting hose choices in traditional settings. You needn’t stick to boring bare beige. A mock skin colored micro fish net stocking is an updated and safe way to go. The fishnet pattern is backed by ultra fine, subtle, normal hose. The texture adds an interesting dimension to your outfit while the skin tone keeps the look demure.

How do you feel about wearing hose to the office in your profession and industry?

Just over four years ago I moved to America and this is when I first saw holiday knitwear in the ladies area of a department store. And when I say “holiday knitwear”, I mean that quite literally: Bright red, green, blue and gold pullovers and cardigans with snowmen, reindeer, Christmas trees and candy canes appliquéd all over.

I started my buying career in the infants and toddlers department of a chain store, where playful holiday knitwear is adorable. But the thought of adults wearing these items is quite foreign to me. Is this a holiday tradition here in the United States? I’d love to know the story behind this unique fashion statement.

Cate Blanchett is one of my favourite actresses and in my book sports the best celebrity style. She pulls off her daring, edgy and dramatic haute couture taste with the greatest of ease and always manages to look elegant, statuesque and ultra-glam. But her outfit at the premiere of “Elizabeth – The Golden Age” gets my thumbs down. It’s such a shame that her dress looked like a neon road traffic beacon instead of a tasteful, voluminous designer piece. Cate is pregnant with her third child and perhaps she wasn’t feeling quite her best this time around, hence the fashion faux pas. But we’re all allowed our off days so we won’t hold it against you Cate. You still rank at the top of my celebrity style list because your record of impeccable style and your fabulous face go a long way.