You're never alone with a boa

Get the look and get it right: Where would we be without the feather boa? You can wear practically anything, a pounds 1,000 dress, an old rag from What She Wants, but coil a feather boa around your neck and the world is your friend and you take on the coquettish qualities of a young Barbara Windsor. Accessories are fabulous things: for not that much you can play away to your heart's content and dress up a rather tired old outfit. I'm not even going to give you my usual 'Don't over do it on the accessories'

Clockwise from top left: Multi-coloured sequin bag, pounds 135, and burgundy velvet bag, pounds 69, both by Whistles, 12 St Christopher's Place, London W1. Enquiries: 0171 487 4484. Burgundy velvet shoes (sizes 3-8), pounds 249, LK Bennett, 31 Brook Street, London W1. Enquiries: 0171 491 3005. Burgundy velvet mule (sizes 3-8), pounds 39.99, Ravel, 184-188 Oxford Street, London. W1. Enquiries: 0171 436 3126

Black marabou mules (sizes 4-8), pounds 25, (ref BU4733QY), black velvet bag with fur trim, pounds 22, (NOO818QY) both by Freemans catalogue, 0800 900 200. Grey brocade mules (sizes 3-8), pounds 45, Cable & Co, 48 South Molton Street, London W1, and 15A New Street, Birmingham. Enquiries: 0800 192192

Gunmetal chainmail bag, pounds 39, Fenwick, as before. Black satin purse bag, pounds 14, Warehouse, as before. Silver ankle-strap sandals (sizes 3-8), pounds 75, Charles David, Bertie, 36 South Molton Street, London, W1, and House of Fraser, Glasgow. Enquiries: 0171 391 9933. Silver sandals (sizes 3-8), pounds 35, (BK2372QY) Freemans catalogue, as before

Grey sequin band top (sizes S-L), pounds 25, French Connection, 249 Regent Street, London W1. Enquiries: 0171 399 7200. Red feather boa, pounds 85, Basia Zarzycka, 135 Kings Road, London SW3. Enquiries: 0171 351 7276

Red/black lacy top (sizes 8-16), pounds 25, Warehouse, 19-21 Argyll Street, London W1. Enquiries: 0171 278 3491. Red/black ostrich boa, pounds 69, by Jackson from Fenwick, 63 New Bond Street, London W1. Enquiries: 0171 629 9161

Denim encrusted boob tube (size 8-16), pounds 30, Warehouse, as before. Pearl/crystal drop necklace, pounds 198, Butler & Wilson, 20 South Molton Street, London W1. Enquiries: 0171 409 2955