As you know, I try to take a scientific approach to dressing, employing the Design Principles when combining elements to create an outfit.  This festive season I am putting the spotlight on the principle of HIERARCHY.

The rule of HIERARCHY says that the parts of an outfit should vary in dominance; the ‘hero’ (most important) item should be differentiated from the subservient (secondary and supporting) pieces.

The supporting pieces help your hero item to stand out and shine more brightly in contrast.  And the result is DRAMA.

Here’s the Net-a-Porter image that inspired this thought.  So inspired me, I have to confess, that this quite incredible skirt by Malene Birger is already hanging in my wardrobe.

My ankles aren’t my strongest feature (the Editor says I’m only perfect from the knees up) so I’ll be combining the skirt with last season’s Zanotti suede boots

as well as a v-neck cashmere sweater (not unlike the one pictured).

Net-a-Porter’s stylist has left their model (in the picture above) otherwise unadorned.  Nothing else is permitted to compete with that glorious skirt.  I’ll allow myself a little bit of Elsa Peretti for Tiffany,

or some Georg Jensen.  White metal, obviously, to sit quietly with the cool grey hues.

The star in this production is the skirt; the best supporting award is shared by the jumper and the boots.  They both have soft matt surfaces that provide the perfect background texture for the glitter of the sparkly sequins.