PERSONAL STYLING TIPS: PARTY OUTFIT IDEAS

It’s party season, and many of you may be wondering what to wear for the Christmas party and any other events coming up for the festive season. While the colder months means you need to be conscious of warmth, you still want to feel dressed up – but what are some on-trend party outfit ideas that you can wear?

In this article, I share some of my favourite party outfit ideas for you to try (that can also be worn throughout the year).

What to consider before you get your party outfit

Before we dive into the options, you’ll want to consider a few key points:

• Where is the event going to be held?

• What is the dress code?

• Will there be dancing/walking (this will help you decide on comfort levels and shoes)

• Do you already have the outfit in your wardrobe?

When you know these points, this will help inform you on the best styling to accommodate your needs.

Now let’s dive into my top picks for the party season!

Play with suiting

A suit is always a solid choice for an event. You can dress it up or down alongside the dress code with the accessories and pieces you add to it.

Here are a few ways to style your suit:

1. Play with sparkles – Adding a sequinned skirt, sparkly shoes, or a glittery cami can take your suit from office to party in a flash.

2. Add this season’s top trend metallic leather – I shared my top trends for autumn in my newsletter which you can find here. One of these being metallic leather. Whether you invest in a pair of gold leather trousers, or even a metallic pink skirt, you can really shine with this on-trend addition to your suit.

3. Add party heels – one of the easiest change ups for your suit is the switch to party heels. This is the perfect solution if you’re heading to your party after work in the office. Whether you opt for vibrant stilettos or a pair of metallic block heeled boots, these can be the perfect solution for a festive party look that works with your suit.

River Island Silver Glitter Skirt

Work your Little Black Dress

A classic every person needs in their wardrobe is the Little Black Dress. With so many options to suit all styles, dress codes and body shapes, I highly recommend having one or two in your wardrobe that you can gravitate to when you need to dress up in a flash.

The dress can be styled up or down depending on your outer wear and accessories, such as with a bejewelled blazer, unique tights, or a fun festive handbag.

Depending on the dress code, your LBD can be anything from a velvet mini dress, to a full length gown, with the right accessories you will be ready to party with the knowledge that this wardrobe essential can be worn over and over again, too.

Goggles De La Vali Agua Crepon Maxi Dress

 Festive Co-ords

If you’re looking for a simple and effective outfit, but prefer two pieces, why not try a co-ord? They are much like a suit but can be a little more informal. You can swap out the top or the bottoms to create other outfits too, so they are much more economical and sustainable within your wardrobe.

Some can be on the more casual side too, so as with your LBD, you’ll want to work with your accessories to make them suit the dress code, or look for more luxe fabrics such as silks and velvets. For example, you can try out a silk sequinned gold co-ord that is almost suit-like, or this elegant trouser and top set available in green, black or even rose.

Phase Eight Florentine Co-Ord

An Elegant Festive Jumper

For a more casual event, you can go more tongue-in-cheek with a fun and unique festive jumper. Lots of designer and high street stores have their own creations, but these can be a one-use affair. I prefer to recommend jumpers that feel festive but aren’t the classic “in your face” Christmas style.

A few festive options can include:

• A pearl embellished jumper – almost bringing the snow to your outfit, pearls are an elegant yet somehow festive look. This jumper by GUESS does all the statement work for you. Pair with a midi skirt or wide leg trousers and you’re ready to go.

• Crystal notes – another embellishment that I love is crystals. Depending on your personal style, you may want to look for a lightly embellished look, whereas you can go all out with the beautifully designed Karen Millen top that looks almost like armour!

• Softly sequinned – if sequins are a bit too much for you, you can look for pieces that still have the metallic effect, without using the smaller sized sequins. This cardigan by Ted Baker London is elegant yet still has the festive-feeling thanks to the gold large sequins.

GUESS Pearl Embellished Top

Sequinned dresses

For an elegant, fun and glittery feminine look, you can try out a sequinned dress. Sequins are always on-trend at this time of year, so you will find plenty of options out there to suit your personal style.

Anything from an almost 70’s vibe floral sequinned dress, to a full length 20’s inspired black gown adorned in silver sequins can be found on the high street right now. Depending on the occasion, you may want to consider this longer hemline, but if the event calls for a party look, you could go all out with a mini dress with ostrich feathers and sequins!

Styling a sequin dress can feel a little daunting as the sequins do all the work! Let the dress do all the talking and let your accessories complement it. For example, dark tights and a black pair of heels if you are wearing a shorter dress (and to keep your legs warm) or a pair of simple strappy heels – and you are ready to rock the dance floor!

River Island Dress

Try a Jumpsuit

For those of us who fell in love with the range of jumpsuits Gillian Anderson wore in Sex Education, this time of year couldn’t be better to try out the on-trend look. Jumpsuits, just like dresses, can be the full outfit, so you don’t have to worry about what to wear. Pair with heels, boots, or even platform sneakers, and you can head to the party in a flash.

Play with the metallic trend and try out a bronze jumpsuit with statement shoulders, or a black sequinned style can be a fun and comfortable look. For a statement, this one shoulder, belted jumpsuit is affordable and fun, and available in both black and orange, while this gold boned jumpsuit will definitely turn heads at any event.

As with all looks, the styling can make a jumpsuit look more or less formal. Consider make-up, hair style and jewellery to finish the look.

NADINE MERABI - Lucinda Gold Jumpsuit

With the party season coming soon, I hope these ideas will inspire you to play with something fun for the festive events in your calendar.

PERSONAL STYLING TIPS: 7 PERFECT PARTY OUTFIT IDEAS

Parties – let’s face it, dressing up can be a big headache if you are unsure on what to wear. Whether you already have a fabulous wardrobe or not, the dressing up side of parties, particularly during the festive season, can become tricky.

In this article, I wanted to share 7 of my favourite party outfit ideas that are headache-free and some that may already be in your wardrobe!

Try out a suit

Something I think will always be “on trend” is wearing a suit! If you have a colourful, well proportioned suit, you can transform it for each and every occasion as you see fit.

When it comes to dressing for a party with your suit, over and above the office-look, here are a few ways to play with it:

1.       Add some sparkle – whether it’s with a sequined cami top under your blazer, or with a sparkly pair of earrings, add a little sparkle to make your suit more festive.

2.       Add colour – if your suit is in a more formal, classic colour such as black, brown, or navy, adding some colour will make it more party-appropriate. If you can, I’d recommend finding a colourful blazer to go with your suit trousers, but you can also find colourful luxurious trousers in a velvet or satin, which can be a great switch-up.

3.       Add party heels! Finally, the quickest way to change up your suit for a party is adding a pair of beautiful heels. Think stilettos that peek out from your trousers for a perfect look, or for more comfortable option a pair of sequined block heeled boots.

If you want to try out a blazer that is particularly fun, festive, and party ready, as well as feeling totally personality filled, then now is a great time to get one. Perhaps invest in a colourful suit, or one in a fabric like velvet – go all out, it is the season for fun!

A classic Little Black Dress

A go-to on anyone’s essentials list for easy to throw on looks is the Little Black Dress. I shared some insights into how to style a little black dress for any body shape here, and if you want to have something simplistic and easy to put on that you’ll feel great in, then the LBD is a great option.

However, if you want to add a little fun and festivity to the look, you may want to play with your outer wear and your accessories.

Transforming your little black dress can be as simple as adding the right jewellery for your festive party look, to adding fabulously quirky disco boots, or even a cape! If you want to turn up feeling warm as well as festive and have that moment when you slide off your coat to show off your outfit, then a warm fluffy coat can be a good option.

Co-ord sets for Christmas

Co-ords, much like the suit, are very on-trend and will be a really easy way to make your outfit work for you in a flash. Think a skirt and top combination in the same colours or patterns, but that can be worn separately, too. The reason I love co-ord outfits is that they are so easy to put together in a rush. However, they can sometimes feel a little more “trendy” depending on where you get them, so perhaps less appropriate for a sustainable wardrobe. My top tip for finding a co-ord that would work for your Christmas parties but also for future wears, is to make sure it is in a colour that is within your palette and fits your personal style.

They can also feel a little casual, so make sure you look closely at the fabric options, if you want your look to work for a more formal occasion. For example, this recycled polyester deep purple crop top and midi skirt co-ord can be a good option for parties and separately for future events.

Festive Jumper – but styled up!

For a less formal event, or one with a little fun, you can go for a fun festive jumper that’s elevated and can be reused for future. The one thing that can happen when you are getting fun Christmas jumpers is you only wear them once – which isn’t incredibly sustainable. However, if you find a festive yet sophisticated jumper or cardigan, then you can still have that fun, without wasting money or harming the environment.

A few festive tops that I found are:

• Pearl embellished jumper – a great option for fun, quirky, yet sophisticated looks.

• Sequinned blouse – now, this is very sequined and glittery, but it can work really well for a festive event, as well as a party throughout the year as it isn’t “Christmas” themed.

• Black and silver v-neck jumper – this is more casual in terms of the look, but paired under your favourite blazer and with a satin skirt, you can dress this up very easily.

• Short sleeved navy glitter polo neck – and if you’re indoors so don’t need too many layers, this short sleeved glitter polo neck in a lovely warm fabric, can work well.

Cocktail dress

This style of dress is an elevated version of the Little Black Dress. Think different colours, fun elements such as ruffles, and will fall above the knee. When you go looking for a cocktail look, you can be a little more formal and consider that this outfit may only be worn for parties or dates, due to the length it may not be suited to black tie or formal events.

The great thing about cocktail dresses is they can come in a huge variety of colours, fabrics, and designs so finding one that suits your personal style is the most important part of this process. You may already have a cocktail dress in your wardrobe, so throwing it on with some jewellery, a clutch bag, and your heels will be one of the simplest but most effective looks.

For an elegant and easy look that is just below the knee and in a demure style, try this lilac cocktail dress with faux wrap top and pleated skirt – it has a gentle shimmer so can be easier to approach than a more festive option.

If sparkle isn’t something you gravitate towards, then this black almost grunge styled dress with ribbon detail and autumnal flower design is right up your “rock chick” cocktail look.

Sequined Dresses

For a sparkly, festive, glitter-fest of an outfit then you really can’t go wrong with a sequined dress. Becoming even more popular this year, I have seen plenty of beautiful sequined dresses that will work for any occasion. The great thing about sequins is they will sparkle and light up your day – however, they can sometimes look a little cheap, so if you are going full sequin and need to buy a new dress to treat yourself to this fun style then invest in a good quality dress.

Whether it’s a silver sequined mini dress with voluminous sleeves & a pencil skirt,  a colourful rainbow-like sequined dress with a higher neck, or an almost 20’s inspired sequin fringe midi dress, you will find a great selection of options.

Styling a sequin dress can be a little more tricky, so let the dress do all the talking and let your accessories complement it. For example, dark tights and a black pair of heels if you are wearing a shorter dress (and to keep your legs warm) or a pair of simple strappy heels – and you are ready to rock the dance floor!

Try out a jumpsuit

If a dress just isn’t your style, or you want to be able to throw on a full outfit that is ready to party all night in then you can’t go wrong with a jumpsuit! We are lucky enough to have a whole host of options for jumpsuits at our fingertips, so if you are opposed to the classic dress style, this is your year to try out the jumpsuit!

A few jumpsuits I have found online that would be great for any party, are:

·       For the smart/casual party – Try out this fun wide-legged gold-polka-dot jumpsuit. It’s fun, sparkly, and comfortable too! 

• For the unique black-tie event – this incredible white (also available in yellow and black) cross-halter jumpsuit is beautiful. No need to add a necklace, as the neckline is doing all of the work. Add some bangles and rings and you’re ready to drink cocktails and eat canapes.

• For the festive party – if you want to feel festive, but don’t want to wear a Christmas jumper, then I have found this velvet deep burgundy jumpsuit!

• For the girl’s night out –for a fun, flirty option for any type of party with the girls or over brunch, this elegant one-shoulder cape-detailed jumpsuit in salmon is beautiful.

• For the theatrical event – I can’t say how incredible this art-deco inspired bronze jumpsuit is (it is a big investment, however) and you will definitely make all the eyes in the room turn. It has long pleated sleeves that go all the way to the floor, so perfect for a theatrical event, particularly if your company is hosting a themed Christmas do this year – or just to feel fabulous.

I hope this 6 Christmas party outfit ideas have inspired you to get all dressed up! If you are looking for the perfect gift for under the tree for that loved one or friend that deserves confidence in all that they wear, I’d love to help – I am offering Christmas vouchers this year that can cover a particular service, or go towards a service so they can treat themselves to wardrobe happiness in 2022.