Try me: PVC SKIRT

Being a PVC trouser wearer, my shiny bin-liner of a knee-length pencil skirt was not entirely alien to me. In all honesty, it felt quite good. There I was, in the comfort of my own home, trying to dress it down with the sweetest of tops, or slink around to use it to its full sex-kitten potential. I could not quite foresee the occasion where I would require this type of garment; or should I rephrase, I couldn't quite imagine the right social situation that would demand this look. The sexual connotations were undoubtedly there, but I can't say I felt as if I could carry it off.

When the key turned in the door, my face went very red. My boyfriend walked in and commented: "Is that from Ann Summers?" He humoured, rather than accused. I scoffed, trying to pretend that I really was wearing the most convertible of high-fashion garments, but basically I knew I looked as though I should be in some dodgy sketch in a King's Cross phone booth declaring promises that a nice girl like me should never keep. He also had the look of a man who was actually quite enjoying the view, and would probably enjoy it a lot more if I wasn't his girlfriend. But, my relationship aside, this really is one of the hottest trends for summer 1995. Quite literally, steer clear of radiators and heatwaves. If it isn't PVC, it will undoubtedly be rubber. The comfort factor is not a problem, this is genuinely quite easy to wear, and the fabric does seem to breathe, due to its elasticity.

The alternative is, of course, the futuristic white version, which may not be as slimming, but somehow seems softer than the dominatrix black Miss Whiplash variety. In retrospect, I think I should have abandoned the safety of black tights, avoided trying to play it safe and gone bare- legged and space-aged.

Hi-gloss PVC skirt, £30, from Pink Soda. Available in black or white at Top Shop, Oxford Circus. W1. Inquiries on 0171- 636 9001.