. . . BACK TO REALITY

At last (as this is written, at least) it's hot. Just as in winter when the snow catches us out and Britain grinds to a halt, so too, every summer, we greet a few rays of sun as if we had never seen any before. We dress inappropriately: wearing clothes that are too tight and therefore make us too hot, and we complain constantly about the heat. Last week we featured a slinky, one-shoulder dress for those of you shaped like spaghetti. This week we present a dress for those of you who are shaped like a bag of gnocchi: it's all encompassing and all flattering but still splendid. Buy a size bigger if you can - it will keep you cooler and because it's crinkled already, you can stuff it in your holiday suitcase without fear of it creasing. AB

Crinkle viscose dress, pounds 39.99, Dorothy Perkins, selected branches nationwide (tel: 0171 291 2604). Available in sizes 10-16 and in cobalt blue, white, yellow and lime green.