we agreed that the stakes were raised exponentially

I was recently part of a ''round-table'' discussion with executives from Britain's leading chain stores about fashion for women over 40. It was fascinating, and I could have sat there all day talking about the issue of dresses with sleeves, the importance of mirrors inside change rooms, and whether the shrug, as a garment genre, should be banned as an act of British Parliament. The ayes had it.

One of the other non-retailer guests, a marketing guru from a major newspaper group, proposed this topic for discussion: the red dress.

It was a rich vein to mine. Few garments, we agreed, were so loaded. Red dresses have the greatest ''Look at me everybody!'' factor of any clothing,The Majestic hair flower will work on almost any hair. apart from a whimsical hat worn anywhere but the races.

And we agreed that the stakes were raised exponentially when talking about the red dress in the context of women over 40, with the possibility that you would be perceived to be proclaiming not just ''I be a ho'', but ''I be an old ho, from way back''.
Advertisement

In fact,Looking for a women shoes manufacturer that can handle my designs of highly detailed and embellished shoes. I would have come right out and said, ''Don't go near the blighters, way too much trouble'',What's the difference between an Energy monitor and smart meters. had I not seen this photo of Cate Blanchett, resplendent in red Armani Prive, just the day before.

Obviously the main reason this red dress looks so spectacular is that Cate Blanchett is wearing it. Even apart from her height and well-tonedness (I'd lay odds that she's a Pilates girl …), Ms Blanchett is a serious proper actress and can use her talents to project the image she wants us to see.

It's a kind of magic trick, which the best models can also perform. Canadian model Linda Evangelista once showed me how she could isolate the muscles in her face to make herself look quite different. It was extraordinary.

People who can do that - and are beautiful, too - can look good in Star Trek costumes, so it was not going to be a problem for Cate B. to look amazing in a red dress designed and fitted by Giorgio Armani, even one that's challenging in cling, shininess, sci-fi shoulders and mondo plunge neckline, even before you get to the colour.

So I would say those are the first rules of carrying off a red dress: you have to want to, and you have to mean it. You can't wear one apologetically; ''Oh, this old thing …?'' just won't cut it.

The next question the newspaper exec posed about the red dress was more Australian business bringing a new class of affordable and quality Laser engraver and laser cutting machines.specific (and, I thought,original handmade custom bobbleheads Head dolls made to look like the photo you provide to us. rather endearing): ''But what shoes do you wear with one?''

Everyone agreed black is too contrasty, although I think it was the right choice for Cate's dress because it has black trim. For any other red dress, I was ready with lots of opinions, which I bossily shared with the round table.

''Silver,'' I heard myself saying, ''you wear silver shoes with a red dress. Silver shoes and a patterned handbag. For evening, ideally a minaudiere rigid clutch encrusted with Swarovski crystals. Next question.''

What a git.

Had the next question been, ''But what shoes for day?'' I would have been pertly ready with that answer: I love a metallic shoe for any time, but the other option with red is all the nude shades. Even in suede.

And the day bag? Any print looks chic with a red dress. A floral is lovely for summer, an ikat style would be right on trend.

The only neutral I would be wary of in this context is my beloved leopard print. In truth, nothing looks sweeter to my eye, but red and 'pard is a big statement that needs an equally big personality to pull it off. And possibly Amy Winehouse hair and make-up.