Jess Cartner-Morley on fashion:mini, maxi or knee-length? With my hemline rules, you’ll always hit the right spot

Whether you prefer miniskirts or floor-skimming dresses, here’s the long and short of looking good

Bye bye summer. Time to switch up the mood music and get back to business. Keeping the holiday spirit alive by sitting at your desk in sandals feeling sorry for yourself will only prolong the agony. It is much better to rip the plaster off quickly and start dressing properly again.

In the spirit of which, I would like to run you through a few hemline rules. I love a fashion rule – anything that helps pull an outfit together is fine by me. But if you don’t, then think of them as prompts to guide you by walking you through the best combinations of print, fabric and length. They don’t curtail what you can wear. In fact, they might expand it. By giving you a formula for how to wear each different length of skirt or dress, they might help you find a way of wearing whatever hemline it is that you think doesn’t suit you. We all have one of those, right?