From an early age, I have been interested in style – in fashion and accessories and looks. I’ve read Vogue. I’ve attended fashion shows. I’ve shopped-until-I-dropped in all manner of stores, from little boutiques right through to the heavenly Selfridge’s, Oxford Street, all the while with the iconic words of Coco Chanel echoing in my mind: ‘A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.’

It is little wonder, then, that the heroines of my novels are style conscious. Anything less just does not fit with my stories: beautiful, passionate, exuberant.

Of all my novels so far, Masquerade was the most interesting to write in terms of style, because of the era: 1970s Spain. The country was newly liberated from the dictatorial rule of General Franco, and its people were excitedly discovering a whole new way of living. That meant all manner of experimentation and flamboyance in all walks of life, and this spirit was exemplified in style. Whereas Alexandra, heroine of Indiscretion (Book 1 of the Andalusian Nights trilogy), had to dress somewhat conservatively, her daughter Luz, heroine of Masquerade, is free to express herself in dress as she likes. For example, Luz dresses as follows for an evening at the theatre:

She wore a midnight-blue silk-chiffon full-length dress, which skimmed her body and moulded her form to perfection. Its deep colour reflected in her large eyes, giving her irises a violet tint and setting off the radiant nature of her skin, which glowed even more warmly under her newly-caught tan from the beach. The dress had a plunging neckline and a knotted bodice from which the skirt fell into a profusion of soft folds. A fabulous necklace cascading with different-sized gold beads hung down to her cleavage, ending in a cluster of small gems fashioned as grapes. She had teamed it with a matching pair of earrings and stiletto sandals. Her long raven-black hair was tonight worn loose to the hips and acted as a cloak around her naked shoulders. The whole effect was striking.

The plunging neckline, the loose hair, the naked shoulders… this style is confident with an edge of bohemian about it.

What struck me most when I researched 1976 fashion in Spain was how sexy some of the styles were. I have written before that Luz is a heroine of the sexual revolution. Before her time sexuality – for women in particular – was tightly controlled: no sex outside of marriage, no contraception, no nudity in public. Now, women like Luz can do as they like when it comes to relationships and, of course, fashion.

I was very aware when writing Luz that not only does she have a great sense of style, but she must consider carefully how she wishes her look to affect the men, Leandro and Andrès, in the story. Put simply, she knows that her style has power.

Sometimes, Luz quite deliberately dresses simply, leaving only a slight suggestion of that latent power she wields:

The afternoon sun had given her skin a natural apricot hue so she needed no extra make-up on her cheekbones. Her eyes were shining more than usual, courtesy of the havoc the man waiting downstairs had created within her. A little kohl and a soupçon of mascara made them look even wider and deeper. To finish off she applied a tinge of transparent gloss to her sun-kissed lips.

She had changed into a white silk kaftan edged with narrow gold braid and delicate gold flat sandals. Oversized matching hoop earrings were her only other accessory.

This is how Luz dresses for dinner with Andrès. She looks beautiful, but not overtly sensual. On another occasion, however, she dresses to impress – and captivate:

The pair of silk ivory shorts she wore showed off her long shapely legs and perfect slim figure. She teamed them with a close-fitting shirt of the same colour and fabric. The curve of her small breasts and their taut little peaks could just be made out under the thin cloth, an arresting touch that, though she may not have admitted it to herself, she knew Andrés’s keen eyes would not miss. The oversized collarless camel linen-piquet jacket she had picked up in a boutique in Cádiz and the nude stiletto heeled sandals adorning her delicate, perfectly groomed feet achieved the easy glamour she was looking for.

Do you like the subtlety to her style here? Andrès, bless him, may think she’s dressed simply and that his attraction to her is entirely down to his own interpretation; little does he know the deliberate thought that Luz has put in to showing off her legs and offering a suggestion of her breasts.

Sometimes, a woman wants to step beyond subtlety, and I knew that Luz would have the confidence to do so. When she is in the mood to be noticed, her style choices can ensure that is so. For example:

Luz had spent hours in her bath, washing her hair and buffing her body, rubbing deliciously scented oils and creams into it to make her skin even silkier than it already was. Andrés had once commented that she had such pretty feet, so she had gone out and bought a new pair of gold lame sandals, which she was wearing tonight. She wore a soft, lightweight summer mini-dress with an all-over multicoloured vibrant abstract swirl design, a heavy ruffle hem and low-scooped bodice and back.

Poor Andrès: he won’t know what has hit him!

As you can see, I have a lot of fun dreaming up outfits for my heroines, and I hope you have fun reading about them.