Beauty booking: the pedicure
First things first: treat your toes to some TLC before the big reveal. Ladies who have been sensible enough to book in for regular pedicures throughout winter can plump for a quick file and paint. Those with neglected feet needn't panic - help is at hand, and foot, at the Margaret Dabbs clinics. Her medi-pedi (£80 for 45 minutes) will literally transform feet, whatever their starting point.
Sock it to 'em
If a pedicure is absent from your schedule put a preppy spin on your spring look by teaming it with socks and brogues. Ankle boots, meanwhile, up the grunge factor when wearing ditsy print dresses and acknowledge the fact that a glimpse of sunshine doesn't equate to tropical temperatures in Britain.
Take your time tanning
The clue is in the name; gradual tan - the hydration and bronzing hybrid cream - will warm up winter skin that has been hidden away for months. Try Clarins' new Radiance-Plus Golden Glow Booster, which prescribes three drops of 'concentrated sunshine' mixed in with your normal body moisturiser for a healthy skin boost. King of self-tan, James Read, also offers a subtle formula promising to recreate the sun-kissed holiday look using just two applications of cream per week, while Xen-Tan's sunless tan remains a Telegraph team favourite for its fuss-free, failsafe results.
Go somewhere in the midi
A full midi skirt emphasises slimline calves and makes for a ladylike silhouette akin to French Riviera chic. Heeled footwear - whether a sandal or shoe - will also add definition and lengthen calves, so no one need know how many aerobics classes you haven't been to this spring.
Get buffing
Don't underestimate a good body scrub to change the quality of your skin - something that supermodel Elle Macpherson swears by. Telegraph beauty editor Katy Young recommends using Origins Modern Friction and Garnier Body Tonic thrice weekly before applying a richer than usual body cream. If you've been summer smart and already made the moisturiser-to-gradual tan switch, buffing will also make any tan that goes over the top far more even too.
Pick a pattern
Busy prints steal attention away from legs that might not look as tanned and toned as we might like. Some patterned panache, whether on a dress or full skirt, also means you can simplify the rest of your outfit too. Perfect when you're busy worrying about baring your legs for the first time.
Backstage beauty secret
Try smoothing on a little sheen down the fronts of your shins (where the light hits skin) to lengthen, gloss and sculpt your leg. It might sound like a lot of effort, but a lick of St.Tropez's Illuminator not only compliments your new subtle leg tan, but adds a glow to collarbones and cheekbones when pressed lightly on. A multi-functional spring beauty buy with change from £13.
Crop it
Ease your way in to bare leg territory by wearing a culotte or cropped trouser. A flash of ankle means the eye is drawn to one of the narrowest parts of the body.
Blur blemishes
Stay with us; spray-on-tights really do exist and they work wonders at smoothing out skin tone. The tiny particles of silk within the tan-in-a-can also means your legs will feel super-soft too.
Forget nude coloured plasters
No one wants to see a four-day old plaster peeling off your ankle. If your sandals are painful, pick another shoe
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