Catching a few minutes of a Moonlighting re-run on daytime TV recently had me reflecting on the joys of grown-up fashion.

In her slouchy cream overcoat, silk blouse and pencil skirt, with a giant alligator clutch tucked under one arm and a felt hat perched on her frosted blow-wave (ok, ignore the hat, at least it was covering most of her hair), Cybill Shepherd looked deliciously womanly – simmering with sensuality and confidence.

Backless cocktail dresses, spike-heeled pumps and waist-refining belts were the other stars of her wardrobe and you could do worse than to take inspiration directly from these items to weather winter 2007 in style.

Grown-up glamour is having another moment, and frankly, it’s a flattering alternative to the shapeless smocks and shifts flooding chainstores. If you’ve got curves it sets them off to full advantage and if you don’t, well, you will by the time you’re dressed.

Part sexy secretary part femme fatale, this look is elegantly appropriate for a day at the desk or a dinner date. Best of all, it’s foxy enough to turn heads – men love it and other women appreciate it – but it’s so far from trashy as to be ageless – as fitting for a 25-year-old as a 50-something.

What’s more, the building blocks of a womanly wardrobe are classics that you probably already own. It’s simply having the courage to put those pencil skirts, silky long-sleeve blouses, cigarette pants and slinky dresses together in a rarefied way. In other words, tuck in your blouse, wear a satin cami under a cashmere cardigan with a narrow skirt, try a tuxedo after dark, put a belt (thick or thin) with everything and bust your jewels out of the safe (diamonds, coloured gems and pearls the size of cherries, please). Finish the look with high-heeled pumps or ankle boots, leather gloves, lipstick and a little of that attitude womanly super-starlets Dita Von Teese and Scarlett Johansson ooze.

After all, why dress like a girl when you can vamp it up? This winter at least, in the words of Wolfmother, “You got to be a woman”.

Image Credits from left: Scarlett Johansson courtesy of Princess Pink Rocks, Cybil Shepard courtesy of Virtual Moonlighting, Linda Evans courtesy of IMBD, Dita Von Teese courtesy of Courant.