Why is silver the hottest hue right now? Designer AMANDA WAKELEY reveals why

There is a certain irony that just two months after the world lost visionary designer Paco Rabanne, king of glittering space-age chain mail dresses, his passion – silver – is the most popular color right now.

It appears in every form imaginable, from the oversized catwalk bags at McQueen to the block-heeled slingbacks at Chanel; and last week Jennifer Aniston, 54, stole the red carpet spotlight in Los Angeles in one of her signature silver minis. In fact, it’s a surprisingly wearable, flattering and fun metallic color.

You can use it to update your wardrobe – it’s not as scary as you might think. Here I show you how I style the trend, hoping it inspires you to give it a try too.

I’ll start gently. If head-to-toe silver feels a little too Jane Fonda Barbarella, start with a great pair of silver boots.

I paired Free People’s fabulous cowboy-inspired pieces with a silk slip dress. Talk about impact!

Sticking to accessories, a pair of chunky silver chains are equally transformative. Silver close to the face is like wearing a light reflector. (Very nice.)

The little sparkling Reiss number has the same flattering effect. It’s basically a mini dress, but I didn’t want to go super short, so I tucked it into a pair of high-waisted black jeans and you’d never know it’s not a top.

Jigsaw has some surprisingly special pieces this season. Take these soft sequin pants, which I paired with a gorgeous gray cashmere Karen Millen hoodie and a pair of Stan Smith sneakers for a laid-back yet luxe dinner-at-home look.

Finally, the ombre sequin flares, also by Karen Millen, have “let’s party” written all over them. Paired with a silk shirt and an oversized tuxedo jacket, they’re sassy without breaking the bank.

And if you’re looking for an even cheaper option, I happen to know that a vintage pair of my own Amanda Wakeley silver sequin pants are available for rent at My Wardrobe HQ (mywardrobehq.com).

Shirt, £55, reiss.com; trousers, £215, donnaida. com; shoes, £15.99, schuh.co.uk

Sweater, £49, sosandar.com; cargo pants, £49.99, tkmaxx. com; shoes, £660, gianvitorossi. com; chains, Amanda’s own

Jumper, £150, avg. com; skirt £69, ghost.co.uk; boots £108, freepeople. com

Knitted, £220, karenmillen. com; skirt, £103, third class. com.au; shoes, £250, avg. com

Blazer and shirt, from Amanda herself; trousers, £83, karen millen.com