EVEN the most self-respecting fashionista will have at least one style crime lurking among her designer gear at the back of her walk-in wardrobe.

It might be a pair of fluorescent pink leg-warmers or a jacket in stone-washed denim, but nearly all of us have, or will have had at some stage, an item of clothing that belongs in the fashion hall of shame.

In a survey of people's biggest wardrobe no-nos, leggings took the lead closely followed by shoulder pads, shell suits and dungarees.

And just because they have access to the world's best designers and a team of stylists and make-up artists, doesn't make celebrities immune to some serious fashion disasters either.

Who can forget wacky Icelandic star Bjork's swan dress at the Oscars in 2001 or singer Joss Stone's psychedelic print mini-dress at The Brits?

Sarah Morgan, the new general manager at Poole Pottery, used to work in the fashion industry.

She still shudders when she thinks back to some of her fashion faux pas.

"I used to wear short black skirts with black tights and loafers teamed with bright jackets - I had one in fuchsia pink, one in emerald green and one in turquoise with big padded shoulders - I thought I looked the business!" she says.

"There was also a time when I was working in a big department store in London and we were forced to wear those awful frilly Lady Di-style blouses teamed with velvet peddle pushers to try and increase sales. I still cringe about it now!"

And local PR consultant Darren Northeast, based in Poole, admits to having committed his fair share of style crimes in the past too.

"I'm ashamed to say that I used to wear a shell suit in the style of the England football team. I thought I looked the bee's knees at the time.

"Then there was my favourite blazer in bright tomato red which I used to wear with the sleeves pushed up like Don Johnson in Miami Vice!

"I'm blushing the same colour as that blazer just thinking about it now - but it was the '80s after all!"