Trend alert: Spaghetti strap dresses

Zac Posen autumn/winter 2013 collection Photo: Sean Cunningham

As well as dictating bare legs as an evening trend du jour, the cruel mistress of fashion has prescribed the spaghetti strap as the second tricky trend of the season.

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Stunning on model clothes horses with lithe frames and moderately flat chests, the spaghetti strap dress is somewhat taxing on a mere mortal. Why, may you ask?

1. Spaghetti straps are so skinny that a standard bra cannot be worn under the dress.

2. The clingy material of a negligee style dress does not allow for even a strapless bra. To keep in tone with the body contouring look, it means going au naturel.

SEE: Spaghetti strap dresses on and off the catwalk

3. As your entire shoulder area and arms are on display, it is imperative you achieve a healthy winter tan before wearing a strappy gown. If your bronzed glow is uneven it will be incredibly obvious.

4. The silk or satin finish on many of the current spaghetti strap dresses means nylon tights will cling to the material. Sorry ladies, it's bare legs all the way.

SHOP: Spaghetti strap dresses

While you might scoff away the spaghetti strap after this list of negatives, think of the final picture. When executed well a barely-there strappy gown is at once wholly romantic, a little bit sassy and highly seductive.

Those sitting on the fence should look to Marc Jacobs for encouragement. Not only did the Louis Vuitton autumn/winter 2013 collection present entry-level spaghetti strap dresses for those unwilling to embrace silky negligees (the one Victoria Beckham wore to Wimbledon this summer), the designer paired the more seductive, floor-length numbers with oversized mannish coats.

We'll be copying Uncle Marc and throwing coats over our strappy numbers until we've perfected our winter tans.

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