It may be a smidgen early for most of us to be thinking about our spring/summer wardrobe, but if you’re super-organised, then sussing out summery dresses is probably high on your list of things to do.

Personally, I’m planning a summer of wearing maxi dresses, floaty kaftans and other loose-fitting apparel to hide the after-effects of a crapulent winter involving food, wine, TV and… well, not much else.

To that end, I already have great plans for this Forever New rose-printed maxi dress, which not only has the maxi dress silhoutte working in its favour, but also a large print (believe it or not, a large print makes you look smaller by comparison. It’s the small prints you should avoid if you’re trying to appear slimmer.)

It sells for $199.99, which isn’t cheap but it’s something you could get a fair bit of wear out of.

By Caroline Warnes

I think I might have mentioned previously how much I absolutely adore the whole concept of the kaftan.

Kaftans - also known as the mumu’s more stylish cousin - are great news if you’re packing a bit of a beer gut or if you’re having a fat day. Also great for pregnant ladies (which seems to be everyone in my life at the moment) or if you’re simply at the top end of your healthy weight range.

Kaftans are also very Talitha Getty in Marrakech - one of the greatest fashion muses of the 20th century - and all without the inclusion of a button or a zip.

I found this embellished tie-front kaftan from Forever New online this morning and I’m sold. For $149.99, I reckon you could get away with this baby for both beachwear and casual evening wear in the approaching warmer weather.

By Caroline Warnes