Hot House Jewels for a Christmas Ball

Q: Hi Juliet, I am going to a Christmas Ball at the Dorchester and am wearing a long black dress similar to this one I found on the internet. I would like to accessorise with something fabulous and somehow inject some colour into the black. I am not a lover of anything too fussy but would still like to make a statement; please could you offer some of your expert advice?

Sarah, Suffolk

A: Sarah, I have just the thing. I am busy working on Spring/Summer 2011 and am feeling very influenced by Marc Jacobs and Studio 54. I love the pungent, exotic colours that he has used in his Spring/Summer 2011 collection – they ooze decadence and party style. The flower corsage will be a summer ‘must-have’, so with all this in mind, I am placing you a bit ahead of the curve and going out on a limb by saying to you: wear hoops and big corsages. I found these magnificent multi-coloured silk hoops and two jewel-tone corsages. I would cluster the corsages together on one side and then complete the look wth the hoops! I bet  someone will say something about Marc Jacobs to you! Do tell us how it goes…