For pleats sake,

LET’S GET the bad news out of the way first. Pleats, one of the hottest trends off the catwalks for spring and summer, are not easy to wear. I would go so far as to say that trying on the wrong type of pleated skirt or dress could actually damage you for life. You don’t believe me? Clearly you have never seen your reflection in a dressing room mirror while clad in some hideously-cut pleated garment.

If you are 5’ 11” or taller and a size 8 or smaller, you can skip over the next few paragraphs because, if you are that tall and that slender, pleats are positively made for you. And with all the pleats aroundthisseason,youcanwaftthrough the spring and summer in a froth of diaphanous, possibly pastel (though do beware looking a bit Miss Havisham) plissé, knowing you are both totally directional and pulling off an extremely hard-to-wear trend. (Though forgive me for asking, but if you fit that description, what are you doing reading the JC?)

Nowforthegoodnews:evenif youare a more average height and dress-size, you can almost certainly make pleats work for you, providing you choose the right kind. There are four main types of pleating on offer this season — straight flat pleats, flared flat pleats, accordion pleats and sunray pleats. You may also occasionally spot straight or flared box pleats and crystal pleats.

Basically, if you are what the image consultants call a “straight” (i.e. not curvy or pear-shaped), the “straight” versions of flat and box pleats, and also accordion pleats will work for you.

If you are curvy or pear-shaped, choose the flared variety of flat and box pleats or, if you are tall enough, sunray pleats. But treat pleats with caution: they are not simple, like a pencil skirt, so do not think of buying without trying