Standing in front of the changing-room mirror, stomach sucked in and legs elegantly crossed, I thought my new designer trousers were a perfect fit.

Until I had to run for the bus and found I could hardly lift my knees.

If only, I thought, I had jogged around the shop instead of posing, I’d have gone for a larger size. I’ve made the same mistake with dresses: flattering in front of a mirror, yet they rode up with indecent haste the minute I sat down.

But no more: I now follow the Great Wardrobe Workout, designed to strain the seams of any outfit. Here are the five moves you need to know…

PENCIL SKIRT KNEE LIFT

We’ve all done it – bought a fashionable, figure-hugging pencil skirt only to realise, too late, that it’s so tight you can’t actually put one foot in front of the other without hoisting the hem up to embarrassing heights in a most unladylike manner.


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To avoid this expensive error, try jogging on the spot in your skirt, lifting your knees as high as you can.

HIGH HEELS TIPTOE TEST

When buying a pair of shoes, of course I walk around the shop to try them out. Even so, several times I’ve gone home wearing shoes that felt comfortable in the shop but within days are falling off my feet.

To avoid this problem, put on the new shoes and then stand on your tiptoes.

CLINGY FROCK SQUAT

Not a flattering exercise, but essential for buying a fitted dress.

If, like me, you spend most of your life sitting at a desk, there’s no point staying vertical to try one on. Instead, squat down with your bottom sticking out and notice the effect.

SLIT SKIRT DIP

If you’ve got a dress or skirt with a fashionable side split, here’s how to ensure you show enough leg to keep it sexy but never indecent.

With feet slightly apart, try to touch your toes on the side without the split, while paying close attention to what’s happening on the other side.

BUTTON-POPPING SHIRT STRETCH

lA core exercise, designed to make sure you’re never going to burst any buttons or expose any flashes of flesh. Do up the shirt, then flex your arm muscles as if you’re lifting weights, at the same time pulling your shoulders apart.

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