Touch as soft as night

Take a simple shoulder-revealing shape cut from velvet — a seasonal fave — and you’ve got the blueprint for a timeless dress that oozes feminine charm year after year.

Oh, and a pair of towering red satin heels won’t hurt either.

Silk blend velvet sheath dress, $525, Ports 1961, ports1961.com.

Rose gold ring and gold chain link bracelet, (prices upon request), both from Richard Booth Fine Jewellery, richardbooth.ca.

Satin heels, $50, Winners, winners.ca.

Black beauty

The statement necklace can be any LBD’s BF, especially when it gets to play centre stage against a backdrop of bare, luscious skin.

Anything with sparkle is a natural choice to light up your face and complement décolletage, but more avant-garde styles, such as wood, stone or this rubber-bead necklace, can be equally attention-grabbing.

Rubber and satin cord necklace, $275, Ports 1961, ports1961.com.

Strapless bandage style dress, $80, Winners, winners.ca.

Beauty note: Sparkling mandarin and vibrant lily mingle with the richness of vanilla and oak moss for a fragrance that’s as unexpected as you are. Try a spritz of Vera Wang LOOK eau de parfum spray, 1.7 fl oz., $70, available exclusively at The Bay, before you head into the night.

Plunging necklines and in-your-face cleavage are so last year.

With a modest high-neck front, this dress brings sexy back with an unanticipated rearview they won’t see coming.

Y-back jersey dress, $2,300, Greta Constantine, gretaconstantine.com.

Gold and green garnet earrings and cocktail ring (prices upon request), both from Richard Booth Fine Jewellery, richardbooth.ca.

Tall, dark and drop dead gorgerous

Who says the “L”, in LBD, can’t also stand for “long”? With a dress this seemingly understated, you can go all out with a dark, dramatic lip colour, an armful of bangles, fabulous heels and a clutch to complete the look.

All while still looking effortlessly elegant.

Ruched jersey floor-length column dress, price upon request, Andy Thê-Anh, andytheanh.com.

Rubber bracelets, $220, and wool covered bangles, $195, all from Ports 1961, ports1961.com.

Sequined clutch, $495, Rafe from Browns, brownsshoes.com.

Black satin peep-toe heels, $50, Winners, winners.ca.

Modern black tie is all about mix ’n’ matching your tuxedo separates. Start with an always-chic black satin blazer, add a white shirt with pleats for oomph and finish with a killer pair of pants.

For the final word in cool, sport your bow tie undone.

Satin blazer (part of a suit), $1,150, Sand, 416-636-9190.

White pleat- front tuxedo shirt, $170, GotStyle, gsmen.com.

Wool pant with acetate pinstripe finish and piping stripe, $330, and silk/wool bow tie, $125, both from Bustle, bustleclothing.com

Stainless steel cufflinks, $45, Plan B, from GotStyle, gotstyle.com. Patent square toe loafer, $398, Debut from Browns, brownssshoes.com.