Jess Cartner-Morley: ladylike fashion is back, but it’s been given a modern twist

The key to bringing this look up to date is adding a sturdy element. Think a lace-trim skirt paired with a blazer or a kitten heel with a ribbed sock.

This is what ladylike looks like now. Feminine pastels to catch the eye and set a certain tone? Tick. A tailored jacket to win over the maitre d’? On it. A brooch? Present and correct. A neat handbag, a demure silhouette, a lick of lace to dress things up? Check, check, check.

Ladylike is about looking as though you mean business, but prefer that business to be done over a dover sole, a good glass of white and a side order of spicy gossip. Ladylike clothes have a fashion revival every few years because the attitude they represent – charming, but steely – has an evergreen appeal. Ladylike is not be underestimated, and has never looked better than in the latest fashion iteration. When it feels this modern, what’s not to love?