Head-to-toe can be too much, but a lace trim on a skirt, a camisole under a blazer, lace tights? Now you're talking.
Sometimes a little goes a long way. This is true for Tabasco on eggs, for fragrance in an elevator, for confidence in the karaoke booth, and it is also, I have belatedly realised, the secret of how to wear lace.
All these years, I've been getting lace wrong by wearing too much of it. Killing it with overenthusiasm. Lace is beautiful stuff: delicate and romantic. Look closely at it and you will see tiny motifs and patterns, flowers and symbols, crafted in miniature like secret messages. Lace has drama: it is the fabric of marriages, funerals and christenings, after all. And it can switch vibes: white is chaste, red is raunchy, black is sophisticated. Lace has it all going on.
But here's the thing: when you overdo it, lace loses its lustre. Too much lace is slightly exhausting to look at. Unless you are walking up the aisle, head-to-toe lace can be overbearing. And because it looks a little old-fashioned, it can add years to your vibe. Nothing wrong with looking older, obviously. But, well, perhaps worth flagging.
But a little bit of lace? Now you're talking. A lace trim on a skirt. A lace camisole under a blazer. Lace tights or socks. The kind of lace that winks at you, like white fairy lights nestled in a tree. Which is much better than lace that blinds you with full-beam glamour.
With restraint in mind, I have a few formulas to try. Top of my list is a lace edged skirt. Lace hits different if you place it at a less obvious place on the body. The black lace edging elevates this River Island skirt, adding drama and contrast. You won't have to look far to partake of this outfit, because the lace-trim midi skirt is everywhere this season. My top recommendation is the double satin applique lace skirt from The White Company (£140) in chocolate with a generous froth of black at the hem. I'm keen on it because the dark colour and heavy satin make it useful, not just as a party piece, but also in the daytime, over tights and boots.
Arket have a very pretty champagne-on-champagne lace-detail satin skirt (£85), with a flattering bias cut. The best partner for a lace-trim skirt is a top half that is matte, not shiny, and loose rather than tight, but it still needs to have a bit of oomph. A fluffy sweater or an oversized blazer both work well.
Lace looks hot when it peeks out from underneath something else, and it doesn't take a genius to figure out the psychology of this. The association between lingerie and sex is deeply ingrained in visual culture, a trigger that has an undeniable force - on women and men, and even on those who think they are too sophisticated for such things. It has an effect on the wearer, as well as the observer. Just by slipping a lace-edged camisole under a V-neck sweater, you feel a little friskier. If this feels a little too blatant for your taste, you can dial down the vamp by wearing lace where it doesn't highlight your body. Sheer lace socks between jeans and a loafer look great.
But my top tip is to add lace sleeves as an under-layer. A couple of years ago, I bought a long-sleeved, black lace bodysuit and it's turned out to be one of the most useful pieces in my eveningwear wardrobe. I wear it under sleeveless dresses to make them work in winter - I hate being cold, but this is also handy if you don't love your arms - or with a black tux and jeans. I have no idea where it was from as I cut the label out ages ago because it showed through the lace; but the Mila Body from John Lewis (£46) is similar.
It isn't just kids who get overexcited at this time of year. It happens to lots of us. But lace works best when it feels like a secret, so resist the urge to overshare. It can make people want to lean in a little closer, to get a better look. Think of it as sartorial flirtation. And always leave them wanting more.