Nixi boater with veil, £450, Jane Taylor
When certain occasionwear styles have become perennials, subtly updating the look is essential, according to Vallance.
“There’s no need to follow perceived trends when it comes to occasionwear,” she says, “these styles are timeless for a reason. But I do like to move things on a little – whether it’s colours, or embellishments, to give a sense of newness. A modern viewpoint on lace is particularly important to me; the wrong lace can quickly make someone look very mature even when they’re young. Look for interesting effects with transparency, or unexpected textures to make it feel unusual.”
Other tips to update the classics without scaring the horses include picking saturated colours over pastels, trialling crisper shirt-dress shapes, and incorporating natural straw or raffia hats and structured clutch bags for a summery touch. Also, don’t count out your black accessories – if your patterned dress has a dark background, teaming it with a black hat, sandals and bag can often look chicer than picking a colour out of the print.
Above all, Taylor says, it’s important to “feel comfortable and like yourself”.
“Have fun,” she adds, “but don’t go novelty.”