Tops are the low risk entry. The Allude cashmere cardigan and Loewe's plush trimmed wool sweater keep it soft and matte, while Heirlome's silk satin blouse and the Self-Portrait taffeta top take the same shade glossy. Valentino Garavani's lace trimmed sweater is the deepest of the group.

The Self-Portrait gathered taffeta holds its own volume, which makes it the evening piece. The Heirlome Sybil drapes instead, so the purple moves and shifts tone as it does.

The Pauline Dujancourt Alyona uses openings in the silk to break up a strong colour. The Loewe ribbed wool sweater keeps the purple solid and adds texture at the trim.

The Loewe ribbed T-shirt is the easiest purple here and works under everything above. The Valentino Garavani sweater adds lace at the edges, which softens a heavy wool.

Bigger pieces need more conviction. Alaia's balloon woven dress and the Solace London Seri gown are full saturation, while Reformation's Carla satin skirt and the Loewe corduroy trousers bring it down to daily wear. Christopher Esber's Loophole corduroy mini and the Alessandra Rich silk crepe de chine sit in between.

The Christopher Esber Loophole is short and structured, with corduroy giving the purple depth. The Solace London Seri is the full length version of the same colour story.

The Loewe corduroy trouser is the wearable purple, and it tones down beside grey. The Alessandra Rich midi is the loud one, ruffled in silk crepe de chine.

The Alaia Balloon dress builds its shape into the knit itself. The Gucci crepe midi is flat and plain, which lets the colour do all the work.

Grey and green are what stop purple looking like costume. Reformation's silk midi skirt and Nili Lotan's twill barrel leg are the neutral half, while SEA's wool coat and the Jacquemus knitted midi bring in the green. Khaite's mohair cardigan and the MM6 shell jacket will do this job all season.

The Vivienne Westwood midi brings grey into a stripe, which is the easiest way to calm purple down. The Sea Lona coat is the solid neutral you put over all of it.

The Jacquemus La Robe Maille Pina is a soft knitted midi that sits quietly under colour. The MM6 shell jacket is the technical grey and gives an outfit a harder edge.

The Dolce and Gabbana pleated trouser brings grey in as a pattern rather than a block. The Khaite Meadow cardigan in mohair and silk is the green toned layer to finish with.

If you take one thing away, it is that purple needs a neutral with some depth to it. White and black both fight it, cream washes it out, and grey and olive are the two that let it sit. Warm purples want green next to them and cool purples want grey, which is the only rule here worth remembering. Keep the fabric plain, since purple in a print reads dated almost immediately. Start with a knit rather than a dress, because a sweater in this colour goes with trousers you already own and a full length gown does not. And if none of it feels right, a purple accessory against a grey outfit gets most of the effect with none of the risk.