The Baroque How-To Guide

Your fashion inspiration for the evening this season? Baroque - ornate, gilded, embroidered, gold-against-black splendour.

The kick-starters were Dolce & Gabbana, the kings of excess, who sent delicious Russian-Hermitage gowns down the runway with ornately threaded bodices and complex, classical beading.

And now the mood has spread - sass & bide's show in London put immaculate tuxedo tailoring alongside dresses that could have come straight out of a French salon, covered in elaborate silver thread.

The mood is excessive, the palette dark - so how to get it into your wardrobe?

The key here is to pick a piece and work with it, without being afraid of excessive embellishment.

Pick a stand-out piece in brocade or gold-and-silver embroidery, and work it back to something more muted.

The dress is the major piece - Dolce & Gabbana showed theirs stripped of all accessories save for black boots, an insanely jewelled evening bag and some statement drop earrings.

If you're more casual in feel, work the contrasts - pair some elaborate velvet-and-gold shorts with a T-shirt, or a baroque skirt with a crisp white shirt and a strong lip.

Brocade is best with a bit of structure - buy tailored pieces, like jackets or trousers, rather than looser fits, which will swamp.

If you're really feeling the mood, go all-out, with several baroque pieces at once and a heavy-duty collar covered in jewels. But be prepared to be treated with awe - and make sure it's light enough to sustain Aussie heat.

Image: Baroque on the Dolce & Gabbana catwalk.