Spring Must Have: Pleated skirt

If there is one look that appears over and over again this season it's the pleated skirt. The most flattering length is knee-length (calf-length pleated skirts are for the bold or willowy limbed). I love this Whistles job that converges the pleated trend with that of blocking bright colours. It's £95 and a suitably flirty length.

Mine (below) is this season's daredevil colour: tangerine. I bought it in Australia a few years ago when she was an extraordinary 70s dress that only large-specticalled women called Zelda would have pulled off in the 70s. I had fallen in love with the pointed concertina pattern of the skirt so I cut off the top of the dress, hemmed the top, put a zip in it and the pleated skirt was mine.

Also find pleated skirts in more wearble colours at Topshop (they do navy, maroon, or black at £38)...

...and Zara (who do a caramel one for £39.99). Only attempt this look if you are prepared to take the Zooey Descahnel geek-chic look by the horns and win.