Distract the eye with a print

Dress, £39.96, Ruth Langsford at qvcuk.com There are certain basics that I think are important in a dress. Most women over 40 aren’t keen on showing their knees, so this is cut to hide them, and it also has a V-neck that isn’t too low.

The material has stretch, too (you want to be able to eat and dance!).

Meanwhile, it has design details that draw the eye from areas you’d rather not show off, such as a zip down the back, a bold, slimming print and pretty detail on the sleeves (which aren’t so long that they’ll dip in your soup).