Secrets of a Stylist: Vamp it up Victorian Style

This month I'm going to guide you through one of the most popular trends on the High Street this season: Victoriana.

As usual, I've been devouring all of the details from New York, London and Milan fashion weeks, whether it's via TV, over the Internet, in the glossies and even on my mobile, although I'm not too sure how I did that! And what have I noticed? Black lace, black velvet, black jersey, black satin. Black is officially back.

Many fashion editors have said that the Gothic, Victoriana look is so easy to wear as it's only a matter of layering up your old black favourites with some new finds. Well I don't think it's as easy as that. For example, does a puff-ball skirt, sheer blouse, black military jacket, bare legs and ankle boots sounds like an outfit which is easy to pull off? Not unless you're the publicly disgraced Kate Moss. And at the moment, would you want to look like her? Enough said. However,the Victoriana trend doesn't have to be all about black. This look can be very pretty and feminine if worn in the correct way.

On the catwalk, the look was darkly elegant. It's all about intricate detailing and muted palettes, so think pure black with ivory, washed-out grey and dusky purple. Alberta Ferretti had a prim take on the Victorian trend, with Alice-bands, polished knee-high boots and embroidered black princess coats (find a very similar one at Karen Millen for £250). Anna Molinari, on the other hand, went for a younger, funkier style with checked cropped trousers, long, leather gloves and a hint of Victoriana with a white lace blouse.

For elegant evening wear, Valentino showed us how to drape some black lace round our bodies tied up with a bow and still look effortlessly glamorous. Phoebe Philio at Chloe paired her lace blouses with fitted leather jackets to prevent it looking too girlie, while Sportmax kept the look very fresh with a white jacket, white tailored shorts, black opaque tights and a black and white lace shirt. Just the look to take you from late summer to autumn.

Finally, Rocha designs have never looked sexier, with the soft frill of lace around the neck, and the subtle transparency of the chiffon. Bellissimo!

Well that's enough about the catwalk. On to something more affordable - the High Street. You may or may not be aware that most of our favourite stores focus on a number of key trends each season. If the stores are really on the ball, it should be apparent what these trends are by walking into your local branch but visiting their website will usually give you an idea about the different collections they are offering. These websites often give hints on how to wear the clothes and put the looks together and are worth checking out.

One of my favourite websites is www.topshop.co.uk. This season Topshop have designed a trend called 'Gothic Fairytale' which has played with the Victoriana influence from Chloe and Rocha. It's a darkly romantic collection offering deconstructed shapes with raw edging, draped and twisted jersey and restrained tones. It all sounds very 'art studenty', but they have some beautiful pieces: check out their boned corset tops, for example.

Now we're not going for the Sharon from Eastenders look with these corsets so leave the false tan and dodgy hair extensions at home. Think more Gwen Stefani and go for quirky cool. Try the corset over a black and white striped tee or a demure lace blouse. Topshop are also offering some fantastic skinny black trousers which should be a staple for your winter wardrobe. If you want to experiment with this look but don't want the full ensemble, then go for accessories and try Topshop's Gothic shopper with tassels in soft black leather for £70 or their black suede, pointed lace-up shoes for £45. Mark Jacobs did a similar pair in blue leather but these would set you back a further £300.

River Island has also jumped on the bandwagon and gone for the full Victorian look but have adapted it for the more glamorous and fun-loving girl. Their very flattering full-length black velvet and lace godet skirt is a steal at £44.99 compared with the more dreary versions on the catwalk. They also have black suede slouch boots for £69.99 which look fabulous with the long skirts and this pair have a heel which glams up the whole look. They have a whole range of Victorian inspired blouses in satin, lace and chiffon, ranging from the oversized off-white frill shirt for £24.99 to the gorgeous fuchsia chiffon Edwardian frill shirt for £34.99.

Just a word of warning: beware of the cap-sleeve! Many of these high-neck shirts are either sleeveless or cap-sleeved. However, these cuts can be very unflattering if your arms aren't toned. High necks look best with slim shoulders and arms. If your arms aren't 'Jennifer Aniston' perfect, then try either an elbow-length version, or a transparent long sleeve. Alternatively, go for a cami instead of a blouse to feel sexy, or a vest top with some interesting black embroidery or jet detailing.

For younger girls, River Island have a cute and sexy velvet mini skirt at a very affordable £24.99. And for those who want a little colour in their autumn/winter wardrobe, try their cropped rust velvet 'wench jacket' with roll collar and brass buttons for £44.99. A truly beautiful colour and cut. What more could you ask for?

New Look's designs are going from strength to strength and their Victorian trend has some fantastic options. Hunt down their coveted white lace, high-neck top for £25 and their velvet skirt in midnight blue for £22, but wear this with a heel as it is calf length. They also have a beautiful cap-sleeved white silk blouse with a high neck, lace and black embroidery. This would look great with skinny jeans or trousers.

If the thought of jostling with 13-year-olds in New Look on a Saturday afternoon puts the fear of God into you, then step into the tranquil surroundings of Monsoon. They have adapted the Victoriana trend into something very wearable and very pretty. Their Betsy boucle long cardigan/coat for £75 is screaming out for a wide-belt to be tied round the waist to cinch it in. Wear this over their Sian slip-dress in black chiffon for £160 from their 'Enchantment: Victorian Drama Collection'. If you want to steer clear of plain black, try their Loretta purple column dress in chiffon for £160. Throw a cape over your dress and add a skinny scarf for an elegant Victoriana twist.

Wallis have added a touch of Victoriana to their collections this season. They have a stunning black and white jacquard jacket for £90 which has an Edwardian silhouette and a high collar. Add simple black trousers and a belt or a full-length ruffle skirt. This look is very chic and simple and would be perfect for those ladies who lunch. They also have a long, black gathered dress for £50 if you're looking for evening wear.

Black can be a little harsh on older complexions, so if you want to wear black, try softer materials such as velvet or silk or try a dark blue or brown tone to lighten your skin. Wallis has a wonderful chocolate, tiered crushed-velvet skirt for £50 which is a perfect example of subtle Victoriana.

Try mixing materials and textures with this trend. Experiment with lace and leather; velvet and denim; and chiffon with cord. This will keep the trend looking fresh. Mixing modern with vintage can give you a unique outfit, so hunt down a vintage full-length velvet skirt, with an over-sized man's work shirt in white. Or try a pretty fuchsia pink frill blouse, with black velvet shorts from Miss Selfridge for £22.

One fashion danger-field which you will no doubt encounter this season is what to wear under your transparent, chiffon shirt. For evening, you can get away with a bra under your Victoriana shirt if you're body confident. However, go for a structured, simple t-shirt bra. Anything with frills, lace or diamante cartoon characters (God forbid!) will look too fussy. And I would say this only works in black, with a black blouse. White can look tacky. If your blouse isn't black or you're not brave enough to wear just a bra, stick to either a satin cami for night or a fitted vest top, but the straps must be very fine. Thick straps in heavy cotton are a big no-no. Try and match your cami or vest to the colour of your bra. Don't pull a Jodie Marsh and wear a neon green bra with an orange chiffon blouse. It just won't wash down at your local.

If you want to look chic and fashionable, try mixing a few different trends with this Victoriana look. Wear your Victoriana blouse with a pair of shorts, boots and tights and add a sexy shrug for a subtle daytime look. Or alternatively, team a military waistcoat, skinny jeans and a prim blouse for boyish charm.

Kookai have a great pair of high-waisted trousers which look great with their washed-out pink corset with black chiffon. If you can't face buying high-waisted trousers, add a wide belt to your hipster trousers in the same colour to give the illusion of a higher waistband.

For accessories, intricate and detailed are the best. Choose items with lace, cameos on jewellery and filigree detailing. Tapestry handbags are fantastic for this look too. Pick a beautiful gold and purple bag up from Benetton for £30, or alternatively, hunt around vintage stores for an original, one of a kind.