THIS HOLIDAY SEASON?S UNIFORM is the day-to-night dress, specifically the tank dress, shift dress and shirt dress.

In this spread of the Best Dressed are young A-Listers, fashion celebs and recessionistas who turned up at Samsung?s Movement 8 at Serendra last month; Breitling launch at Greenbelt 5; and Ben Chan?s opening of CC-OO, Chaps and Lyn Shoes at White Space last week. Dresses were worn as cocktail frocks or day-to-evening numbers with a quick change of shoes and accessories.

The shift dress first designed in the ?50s by Cristobal Balenciaga, is a one-piece wonder has entered the new century for its formal comfort and architectural simplicity.

The tank dress was designed by Coco Chanel in the ?30s, and the American design great Claire McCardell designed the shirt dress patterned after a man?s button-down shirt in the ?40s. All these afford streamlined comfort and no-fuss maintenance.

The sleeveless, jewel-necked number suits our climate well. You put it on then zip it up and forget about it?our country?s official wardrobe staple to beat the heat and humidity. Ready to be wrapped for cooler evenings.

Here worn by ladies of all sectors of society, the beloved sack dress mutated into every imaginable form. The standouts were in graphic black and white, either banded or with big prints, even striped with contrasting borders. Other versions had minute beadwork or metallic applications.

There were other guises of the dress. Some were wraparounds, like the garment with which Diane Von Furstenberg created a business empire upon.

Speaking of empires, there were the baby-doll versions, but grown up with plunging necklines and in bold and bright colors. Some dresses were worn as tunic with pants, while others resembled biblical frocks worn away from the body.

Gaze at these beautiful dames in their darndest best. Giving each dress, their own intrinsic stamp of identity and good taste. And yes, that is the final frontier in fashion. First, trend then style and finally taste. You are born with it.