Hot or not - Coast

There's a two-tone tiered strapless dress with sweetheart neckline (£150), a scarlet below-the-knee number (£135) and a taffeta bandeau dress in baby blue or baby pink (£115).

Weddings, christenings and black tie dinners: these are Coast territory.

"Occasion-wear" is the frumpy name that the fashion industry gives these clothes, outfits you'll usually wear only a few times a year. And that's exactly why Coast is never a slave to trends.

Sure, it has noticed that embellishment is big this season (a sequin mini is a standout for £85), but it doesn't sell you something that will soon look dated.

That applies to party frocks, too, the best of which is a simple black dress with a silk upper half and a tailored skirt (£125). Something has gone wrong with the jewellery, though, which leans toward the garish.

Buried towards the back of the store is some smart workwear, and the outerwear is strong - a stunning, well-cut, white pea coat (£160) in particular.

But Coast's real purpose is to give us something to wear when jeans and a sparkly top just won't cut it.

Changing rooms: a decent size, with flattering lighting and somewhere to sit

Staff: friendly but distracted by other customers

Quality: good, although a badly stained white dress was still on the racks

Our pick: metallic puff-skirt, £70