READY TO WEAR . . . BACK TO REALITY

Corsages were popular until the 1950s, those good old days when your date still came to your door to pick you up; with his floral tribute to your bosom clutched in one hand, the keys to his dad's Ford Prefect in the other. Oh, the films I remember where the silly girl had double-booked herself, and she'd pick the suitor with the biggest bouquet. Thank goodness, then, that this great leveller of men is making a comeback.

At his autumn / winter 95 show, Dries Van Noten showed silk floral corsages, beautiful big sprawling flowers. But they cost from pounds 175 to a coma-inducing pounds 495 from Browns. So, BTR steps in to help you interpret this hot new look more cheaply. Pictured right are floral hair decorations by Johnny Loves Rosie. They cost pounds 17.50, come in white, peach, deep red, and pale blue, and you can easily adapt them to pin on to your bodice. John Lewis also have splendid fake flowers from pounds 1.10-pounds 15; all you need is a bit of savvy and a safety-pin and you can do as Dries does. AB

! Johnnie Loves Rosie from Space NK, 41 Earlham St, London WC2, mail order on 0171-379 7030. Browns, 23/27 South Molton St, London W1, 0171- 493 1716