Sometimes simple really is best. This one shoulder pencil dress from Karen Millen is certainly simple enough to mean you’ll get plenty of wear out of it (this type of dress will see you through many, many formal occasions), but with just enough detail to make it stand out.

The one-shoulder design and contrast fabric on the figure-hugging bodice give this something of a designer look, but at £160 it’s expensive, but not so much that you’ll have to mortgage the house to pay for it – always a good thing, we find.

Wear with the highest of heels and a swept-up hairdo for a polished look that never goes wrong.

Buy it online from the Karen Millen website.