His eponymous label is renowned for its opulent, elegant take on women’s fashion and has a legion of famous fans

Valentino Garavani, the designer central to pioneering Italian glamour with his eponymous fashion house, has died aged 93.

“Valentino Garavani passed away today at his Roman residence, surrounded by his loved ones,” his foundation said on Instagram on Monday. “Valentino Garavani was not only a constant guide and inspiration for all of us, but a true source of light, creativity and vision,” it added.

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Our styling editor shares her favourite looks for getting dressed up to the nines

• The best flat shoes for party season

It’s party season, a time of year that either fills you with sartorial dread or has you screaming with excitement as you get to wear yet another embellished dress to the pub on Friday night (‘tis the season after all).

I spend most of the year wearing navy trousers and oversized shirts, but there’s something about a party dress that speaks to my inner J-Lo. Give me applique flowers, cowl necks, asymmetric hemlines and lace edging, perhaps with an oversized blazer or knee-high boots. The options are endless and, in my opinion, during the silly season, the usual rules don’t apply. Here are the best party dress picks for December and beyond.

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“The Look” should be studied by generations to come because of what it reveals not about fashion, but about politics.

Six Guardian readers share why they chose to forgo the classic look and wear something different on their big day

The traditional white dress may no longer be the dream of the many with some brides choosing to wear something different on their big day. In April, searches on Pinterest searches were up 240% for “unique wedding dresses” , with those looking for blush pink wedding dresses up 60% and black dresses up 50%.

With some brides opting to forego the classic look, six women tell us about their colorful dresses and what inspired them to go against the grain.

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Whether you prefer miniskirts or floor-skimming dresses, here’s the long and short of looking good

Bye bye summer. Time to switch up the mood music and get back to business. Keeping the holiday spirit alive by sitting at your desk in sandals feeling sorry for yourself will only prolong the agony. It is much better to rip the plaster off quickly and start dressing properly again.

In the spirit of which, I would like to run you through a few hemline rules. I love a fashion rule – anything that helps pull an outfit together is fine by me. But if you don’t, then think of them as prompts to guide you by walking you through the best combinations of print, fabric and length. They don’t curtail what you can wear. In fact, they might expand it. By giving you a formula for how to wear each different length of skirt or dress, they might help you find a way of wearing whatever hemline it is that you think doesn’t suit you. We all have one of those, right?

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It’s time for a reset! Our fashion guru reveals how you can shake up your wardrobe for the new season

• The best Chanel-style jackets to rival the real thing

In the winter months, I crave the comfort of repetition. I want to make a vat of soup to keep in the fridge and have a bowl for lunch every day. I long to discover a TV drama that I have somehow missed and have seasons to catch up on so that I can watch an episode every night. Hibernation, essentially.

Then, after months of that, the clocks go forward and – like clockwork – I get an itch for novelty. Yesterday I went to refresh the water in a vase of flowers on the mantelpiece; 15 minutes later all the stems were piled up around me on the floor and I was curating a whole new arrangement. Change is good! In the mood to shake something up? Out with the old. In with the newness! Read on for some hot-off-the-press thoughts.

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Celebrate the new season with sunglasses, coloured tights and dresses with boots

There may be blossom on the trees, or at least tulips in the supermarket. There is daylight during hours that are your own. Gift shops are a sea of Mother’s Day pink and Easter yellow. You have only the vaguest recollection of what your new year ins-and-outs were, possibly something to do with a lapsed gym membership, but have acquired a new favourite bench in the park. You remember how much you like mini eggs. The first iced coffee of the season is not far off.

All of which means one thing: spring is here. What is less certain, however, is how spring-like the weather will be. Some years spring comes all at once, the weather shifting gear in rhythm with the vibe shift. Other years, spring is a state of mind for weeks before it becomes tangible in the air. Most often, we get a bit of both: a few false dawns when it is warm enough to venture out without a coat, and then chilly spells that catch you out before better weather starts in earnest. At the time of writing, it is not yet clear which we are in for.

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