Summer’s flirtiest skirts…These featherweight tiers will help you breeze through the heatwave 

Nothing spells glamour quite like a flamenco skirt. Ballerina skirts are pretty, but they just don’t have the same edge. And a full-length maxi skirt is nice, but it lacks a certain punch.

A ruffled, tiered flamenco skirt, on the other hand, cannot be beaten. My fixation started in a resort on the Costa Brava in the mid-1980s.

I was on my first holiday abroad, and the excitement was overwhelming. All-you-can-eat buffets! Swimming pools outside your door!

But what sealed the deal was the flamenco dancer who was the entertainment that accompanied our al fresco paella (the height of exoticism).

I was transfixed by her scarlet, lace-trimmed skirt which swirled around her. At the airport, I forced my parents to buy me a child’s version and wore it day in, day out. 

Like a mini, flammable version of Carmen Miranda, I’d pull it on and dance to Madonna’s La Isla Bonita.

As an adult, I have every variation. There’s my prized skirt by Stella Jean, each tier made from a different African-print cotton.

Or my more subdued camel cotton wrap skirt from J. Crew, with one tier at the bottom. I pair it with a silk T-shirt for work, when I want to look feminine but as if I (sort of) mean business.

The High Street options are perfect for this weekend’s heatwave, and more versatile than shorts.

I wear mine with a vintage rock tee and flat sandals for casual drinks, or dial them up with a frou-frou blouse.

They are also chic with a masculine shirt in mid-blue or white. If you’re curvy, don’t be afraid of all-over tiers.

Pick one made of light fabric, such as this Whistles style (second from left). A peplum version that fits snugly over your stomach before flaring into a tier, like this spotted one from H&M (third from left), is surprisingly flattering, too.

If it’s got a high waist that sits well, it will hold in curves. For hot days, a looser, boho take is great — I love this cobalt version by H&M (second from right).

But my heart belongs to Essentiel Antwerp’s red ruffled style (centre), which has more than a hint of 1980s Dynasty glamour. I’ve vowed to not add to my collection, but it takes me back to my Costa Brava holiday. How can I resist?