Instant Outfit: The Pencil Dress

1. Miu Miu matelassé leather clutch, £680, mytheresa.com 2. Stella Jean Astrid car-print dress, £398, Matchesfashion.com 3. Celine Audrey round frame sunglasses, £210, Liberty 4. Isabel Marant zigzag wooden bangle, £90, Matchesfashion.com 5. Valentino Rockstud pumps, £581.45, Farfetch.com

The pencil dress - or the fail-safe go-to in every working woman’s wardrobe, as we commonly know it. No wonder that often when we think of this sophisticated, narrow-fitting style, one of the very first things that come to mind is ‘office attire’. But as Stella Jean has proved with this tropical car-print version, that doesn’t always have to be the case.

Not only do the nifty little Peter Pan collars and matching white cuffs give this classic closet staple a more modern and playful spin, we also love how the Milan-based designer has utilised her lively signature print to elevate this conservative silhouette to a whole new level of cool.

In fact, this statement shift makes for the perfect party piece. The trick is to pick out the bright colours in the print by teaming it with a pair of fierce pumps and a cool colour blocked clutch in a complementing palette: we love Valentino’s Rockstud pumps in orange – which are a brilliant mix of tough and elegant – and Miu Miu’s moto-inspired clutch featuring the brand’s trademark matelasse leather.

Finally, finish your look with stacked bangles – we love the tribal feel of these black and white Isabel Marant ones – then opt for cateye shades in a clashing hue that’ll add a touch of retro glamour to this head-turning ensemble.

Who says a pencil shift was strictly reserved for nine to five?

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