Vested interest

Forget trying to wear a strapless bra with vest tops that have shoe string straps, it will just make you look like you have a cleavage shaped like an old sausage. Either go without or show off your normal bra unashamedly, which looks damn sexy. Little vest tops like those shown here are the things to wear with your dainty cardigans (a round-up of which will be shown next week). Watch out for ones with very low armholes, as this can show off rather more than you intended - if necessary and possible, shorten the straps by a couple of inches with a bit of home stitching.

Silk mix vest, from a selection at Strenesse, 6F Sloane Street, London, SW1, 0171 259 5920

Black & white stripe vest, pounds 18, Warehouse, 96 Kings Road, London SW3 and branches nationwide. Enquiries: 0171 278 3491

White vest with pink roses, pounds 12, Top Shop branches nationwide. Enquiries: 0171 291 2351

Black floral vest, pounds 29.99, Kookai, 123 Kensington High Street, W8; 66 King Street, Manchester. Enquiries: 0171 937 4411

Mint silk jersey vest, pounds 99, Nicole Farhi, 158 New Bond Street, London W1. Enquiries: 0171 499 8368

Blue cotton knit vest, pounds 20, Dorothy Perkins, West One Shopping Centre, London W1 and branches nationwide. Enquiries: 0171 291 2604

Pink cotton vest, pounds 15, John Smedley Second Skin. Mail Order: 01629 534331