Never has black been more beautiful or more bewitching.

This is the season of the Goth, but she's an enchanting, uber-glamorous dame (so banish from your head images of purple hair, swathes of faded black cotton stuff and tatty, painful-looking, pointy suede boots – not to mention all that badly applied black make-up).

The new look is being called Soft Goth or Glam Goth, and it combines drama with sophistication, creating a trend that women of all ages and sizes can buy into. The key to the look is combining black textures – chiefly matt black, transparent black and black lace, and sheeny black and patent.

For a sophisticated, pared-down feel, try teaming a matt black wool skirt (YSL has flared, below-the-knee versions), with a high neck sheeny or chiffony black top, opaque black tights and glossy patent platform boots. Add chunky gold jewellery if you feel you need a flash of something.

For a romantic look, look for ruffles and off-the-shoulder tops and dresses in chiffon and satin.

Then there's lace – oodles of the stuff this season (Prada has gone mad with it, inspiring the many double-layer, thick lace dresses, jackets and tops we see on the High Street right now). Layer lace pieces for double impact. If you're feeling too much like your gran dressed up for a 1980s dinner-dance, try teaming with chunky platform shoes and leather belts, but generally with lace, don't over-accessorise – lace is decorative enough in itself.

Patent is key to a number of trends for this autumn, but none more so than black Soft Goth looks. Remember that patent black accessories – boots, bags and shoes – can add a polished modern sheen to black looks, a quick and effective way to give your wardrobe an instant update for autumn/winter 2008-9.


Give your little black dress a revamp


Don't forget the little black dress, which this season takes on a number of bold new guises, from mini and strapless to slashed and sculpted.

It needs killer heels and diamonds for maximum impact.

If you're out and about in Sheffield tonight, there will be a celebration of the Little Black Dress at the Winter Garden from 6 – 9pm in aid of the Wednesday Night Live late-night shopping initiative, which runs until September 17.

Alice Takes a Trip, Exile, Gothic Rose and Gash from The Forum will be explaining how to make the most of your LBD, John Lewis will be presenting the new Ted Baker collection and stylists will carry out individual fashion consultations and showcase autumn/winter collections with Little Black Dress-inspired cocktail and coffee tasters, live music, manicures, massage and spray tanning. No tickets required – it's a free event open to everyone.

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