It’s almost time to get glammed up and head out to your Christmas party/parties. If you’ve done your Party Outfit Planning, (check out my process in the blog here) you’ll know exactly what’s happening when and what your outfit needs to do for you at each event, in terms of comfort and glam factor.
Today, I thought I’d share some festive outfit ideas for you. Now, in following my outfit planning process you may have realised that you don’t actually need anything new. If that’s the case, you can still take some of these ideas as inspiration for using what you have in a different way.
If you have identified that you need something new, check out what I’ve found!
Divine Dresses:
1. Sumptuous Velvet
This elegant dress would be divine in a plain black fabric but the velvet texture gives is a sumptuous and luxurious feel. This is a new brand to John Lewis and is a great one for sizes 12-28 (although it is selling out fast on the John Lewis site – check out the brand website directly where there seems to be more availability). This fab dress is also available in green and blue. It’s worth noting that the model is 5ft 10 so this is for you taller ladies who often struggle to find longer length styles.
Scarlett & Jo Velvet Maxi Dress, Black
£120
2. Lovely Lace
Lace is a great texture for a party dress if you suit a gorgeous feminine style. Again, this texture elevates a little black dress to something eye-catching and gorgeous. And if you love a sleeve for warmth and coverage, this dress is a winner.
Yumi Lace Skater Dress, Black,
£50
3. Plum Fun
As the title of this blog suggests, your party dress doesn’t have to be black. Plum is a great alternative. And another dress with sleeves – finally brands are catching on to what so many of us want to wear! The swing shape of this one is great for ‘straighter’ figure types if you don’t want to draw attention to your middle (and great if you are prone to bloating and plan on eating your body weight in party food). It’s a fab texture too. That’s often the key at this time of year – wearing texture can truly elevate an outfit, even when it’s a classic piece.
Phase Eight Everly Textured Swing Dress
£119
Sassy separates:
If separates are your thing (great for mixing and matching a few different outfits), have a look at these top and bottom ideas.
1. SEquin Shimmer
Gone are the days when colour worn with black is the only option. Try using metallics with your black trousers to give a modern feel to your party outfits. I love this effortlessly glam way of dressing. This top would work just as well with a coloured skirt, leather trousers or even denim jeans. Also available in pink and black.
Ro&Zo Sequin Cami Top, Silver
£49
2. Foxy Feathers
Nothing screams ‘GLAM’ more than a feather trim. And how fabulous is this Karen Millen jacket? Super sophisticated and easy to glam up a simple dress, jumpsuit or top and trouser combination.
Feather Cuff Detail Single Breasted Blazer£169.00 £135.20
3. CoMfortable and glamOrous trousers
How about some festive animal print? These comfortable yet glam trousers tick all the boxes for elegant festive dressing but will also work for the rest of the season. Team these with a simple vest top, a diamante collar jumper blouse or a simple silky blouse. There is even a gorgeous-looking longline kaftan to match, if you’d like to take this look from top to toe.
Mango Leopard Print Wide Leg Trousers, Green
£49.99
TOP to toe colour:
1. High low dressing
I LOVE this outfit combination. Pairing a glam piece with something very casual can be a very cool way of rocking up to your Christmas party. The jumper being the same colour is what makes it particularly stylish. (Click through to see the super-glam pairing with a matching cardigan, if the jumper look doesn’t appeal to you.) I also love the unexpected flat knee high boots. This would obviously also work with fancy party shoes too. A surprisingly versatile skirt!
Whistles Sequin Column Midi Skirt, Dark Green,
£129
2. Ravishing red
This is a very clever cut to disguise a tummy, with full-on glam factor. This is red-carpet worthy and is enough on it’s own without fancy jewellery or shoes.
Adrianna Papell Satin Crepe One-Shoulder Jumpsuit, Matador Red,
£199
3. pretty in pink
More velvet – you just can’t beat it at this time of year. And colour with colour. Don’t automatically wear your colour with black. Colour with colour is much more fun. Click through to the John Lewis website (link below) to see this outfit teamed with a pink t-shirt. Tonal dressing works brilliantly and each piece of this outfit could be worn in so many different ways. Personally I think silver shoes would work better with this cool tone of pink that the gold.
And that’s it for this week! I hope you found this useful, and that at least some of these outfits gave you a spark of inspiration, whether it’s to buy something new or to go shopping in your own wardrobe (as I like to call it) and put together a fabulous outfit using something you already own.
I’d love to hear how you get on – do share with me in the comments below.
