Strictly sparkle takes over the High St! KATE GARRAWAY shows off the latest fashions inspired by the ballroom craze By Kate Garraway As I slipped on the silver flapper dress, I felt a tingle of excitement run down my spine. The fringes swung around my knees and, instinctively, I lifted my arms and shimmied. Suddenly, I felt fun, flirty and fabulous. Not content with dominating our Saturday nights, it seems that Strictly Come Dancing has also infected the High Street with dance fever. I may not have learned much about dancing during my own Strictly stint in 2007 - I'll never forget Arlene Phillips saying I was "as sexy as a coconut" - but the show taught me about the transforming power of a glamorous dress. I used to be chaotic and unkempt. I had the biggest dry-cleaning bill on Daybreak because I was always on the run and spilling coffee on myself. When my professional partner Anton du Beke arrived for our first rehearsal in a suit and tie, I couldn't understand why he was frowning on my sloppy clothes and ancient trainers. "Why don't you wear something that makes you feel good?" he asked. Nobody's watching us! I protested. I'll smarten up when I'm on telly! When I took to the studio floor in one brightly-coloured, low-cut, sequin-encrusted number after another, I realised he was right. Now, as the days are getting darker and colder, the nation's women are about to get just the blast of glitz and glamour they need. I decided to try the best of the High Street's Strictly fashion. Rumba razzle-dazzle £99 Marks & Spencer This has me itching to try out my rumba steps. I was sure this was from an expensive designer boutique and couldn't believe it when I discovered it came from M&S. Like most 40-something women (I'm 46) I'm a huge Marks fan but I think of it as a place to get jumpers - and knickers - rather than elegant evening wear. Clearly, I'm going to have to re-think. For me, this dress epitomises the best of Strictly style. It is very glamorous but so loose and comfortable, I could almost imagine myself doing the splits in it. The clever thing about the designs on Strictly is that the razzle-dazzle comes from the materials used in making the dresses rather than because the cut or style is plunging or revealing. This dress is a great take-off of that technique. The shimmery fringes dazzle but the cut slides over your curves rather than clinging to them, so you don't feel you have to hold yourself in. It would be perfect to wear to any party and you could even take it out to lunch with the girls if you wore a long black jacket over the top. "I wish you owned this dress," sighs my seven-year-old daughter Darcey. Because you look like a proper dancer in it. And I could have it when I grow up. Hot for a foxtrot £160 Coast Coast is my go-to store for any awards do - it's brilliant for occasion wear. I love this cobalt blue dress with its beautiful frothiness, and could even imagine wearing it for a romantic foxtrot if it were a foot or so longer. It's flattering, too - the wide bottom makes my own bottom and waist look tiny, and because it's cut under the bust, it hides a multitude of stomach sins. I put it on and immediately feel like a million dollars. And the colour is fabulous. In this autumnal period, it can feel like we're stuck in black and grey until February, but since doing Strictly, I've learned that bright colours are nothing to be afraid of - they can make you feel happier and look younger, too. Funky in Feathers £195 John Lewis I don't feel confident about wearing this feathered dress, as I'm worried I'll end up looking like Sesame Street's Big Bird. But once I wiggle into it, I'm relieved to find I look elegant rather than eccentric. The modern, understated colour tones down the flamboyance of the feathers and makes the dress look funky, not fussy. And the simple halterneck top shows off my arms and contrasts beautifully with the skirt. Gazing at myself in the mirror, I feel chic and well-turned out; I can see myself wearing this dress if I have to interview an A-lister on the red carpet and it would be perfect for formal work dinners. Tango Temptress £495 LK Bennett The other dresses have a subtle sexiness about them but this one screams seduction. It looks like it was made for an Argentine tango and is so tight, I have no choice but to walk with a wiggle. I feel like such a minx! And yet it is not too revealing, showing no cleavage and not too much leg, either. Although this isn't cheap, it's a great investment buy. I could imagine wearing it in 20 years time and still knocking my husband dead. I show it to my friend, TV presenter Clare Nasir. "I can imagine you funking it up with a pair of crazy boots," she says. Close your ears, Anton. Fabulous flapper £325 Jigsaw I've always been a bit wary of 1920s styles - I've got big hips and a small waist so assumed they wouldn't suit me. But I think this actually looks great. There's something incredibly elegant about this period and this dress feels beautifully-made, with the tiny beads and all the detail. It's the opposite of grunge. This one is definitely my mum's favourite. "You look so elegant in this," she says."It's nice to see you in a skirt of a proper length for a change." Hmm. I can't say I feel overtly sexy, but I feel free, comfortable and smart. And again, it's a dress that I could imagine hanging on to for a long time - long after my Charleston days are behind me.