This article includes a mixed range of tips for selection suitable dress for a variety of age groups.

If you are younger then you can wear short evening party dresses that are totally feminine and show legs and plenty of bare shoulder.

The time to get away with the skimpier look is when you are young and much lovelier than you will ever realise. One day it dawns on you that if only you had known how good you looked at 21, you would have had more confidence to wear clothes that really are difficult to wear wisely when you advance in years!

V necks are popular and are taking on more of a wide-set V shape rather than being the pure narrow plunge necklines of other years. Plunge necklines are still around, yet because of the more refined elements of the rest of a dress, seem to have left that old fashioned raunchy look behind.

Note how skirts in all four styles have become fuller and each skim the knee line. Soft chiffons and luxury silks are ultra feminine and ladylike.

Lots of women hate showing their arms, especially if they have poor tone. A sleeveless dress can often be matched in the store with a cover up garment such as a shrug or other bolero jacket. Make friends with the assistant and ask what variety of cover-up items they have that match the dress you have selected.

When buying lace dresses look for quality lace, which is not over flimsy. Cheaper flimsy ultra fine lace, which is primarily net, catches easily and tears. It can get crumpled rapidly too. High quality lace is more resilient to creasing and you will be glad that you opted for a better quality fabric when, in wear, you realise how much more expensive the dress will look. Keep your eyes open for lace garments where the dress, dress top or sleeve ends, utilize the scallop of the lace in an imaginative way. Lace is a memorable fabric for a prom dress too.

Other factors in choice of clothing, include time of day, weather conditions, the level of formality (don't forget about dress code) and of course, what others wear. To make a sensible choice, study any diktats on the invite or memo. This is one occasion where it is better to be over-dressed than under dressed as over-dressing shows respect, whereas under dressed is inclined to look slapdash and sloppy. If in doubt, the classic Little Black Dress always works.

Finally if you are hunting for an affordable basic black dress you can wear to the office all day with perhaps a covering jacket and go straight out wearing it at 6pm, consider the short sleeved magic slimming dress in black from Marks and Spencer.