Blue and green should never be seen, don’t wear white shoes after Labor Day and always take off one thing before leaving the house – those and other old-school fashion commandments need a serious make-over if you ask me.

After all, Coco Chanel’s decades-old diktat to remove an item of apparel to avoid looking overdone has taken on a whole new meaning at a time when so many of the Hollywood tribe have been snapped without knickers. Here then are the fashionable new rules of engagement just in time for party season…

· When attending a fashion show, do not answer your phone after the lights have gone down. Just like at the movies, silence is golden.

· When complimented on a particular garment or accessory avoid instantly rattling off its brand. Chances are your admirer is either well aware of its pedigree or couldn’t care less if it’s Armani or Adidas. Accept their kind words graciously and move on.

· Resist dumping unwanted clothes on the change room floor. It’s disrespectful to staff and other customers not to mention the clothes. Besides, it breeds bad fashion karma. Ever wonder how clothes end up with dirty marks and caught threads before they’ve left the store?

· If you imagine yourself channelling a particular celebrity in your new dress/shoes/diamonds then keep that information to yourself. Do you really want people wondering on what planet you ever imagined yourself as Kate Hudson in that yellow gown from How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days?

· Wear underwear. Enough said.

· If you must change from flats to heels in public be discrete. Slipping your heels on in the back of a cab or during a trip to the loo is preferable to arriving at a restaurant and subjecting other diners to the sight of you balancing on one foot as you trade Havaianas for Sergio Rossis.

· When attending a costume party, be brave enough to wear a costume. Check with the hosts what other guests will be wearing and select a look that makes you feel as chic as it does cheeky. Being the only one in jeans at an Alice in Wonderland party marks you as a spoil-sport.

· If asked to pose for a photograph at a party, do so quickly without fuss. The trick is to look like it happens every time you leave the house so strike a pose and smile (or not) when asked. And always thank the photographer.

What other fashionable rules do you follow?

Image Credits: Kate Hudson from Baron Boutique, Bonds, Armani Jeans, Adidas, Sergio Rossi, Coco Chanel