The party season doesn’t have to be all sequins and glitter
My wardrobe has its fair share of fancy: I love Lurex, am a sucker for sequins and have enough silk shirts to rival the Grand National. But when it comes to Christmas, I tend to shy away from too much sparkle and shine. As a fan of Casual Glamour – an easy, everyday combination of day and eveningwear – I tend to temper the shimmery stuff with sleek separates. Pairing flat metallic pumps or cocktail trainers (check out Dune’s take on the Dior sparkly sneakers at a seventh of the price or Whistles’ velvet trainers) with my Once in a Lifetime tuxedo jacket, silk shirt and black trousers (or jeans). This is how I dress for an evening event, business meeting and the party season. I may be from Blackpool but I don’t want to go out looking like I’m part of this year’s panto (Aladdin at the Grand Theatre by the way). My ideal outfit is good for running around in; morning, noon and night. All. Year. Round. No faffing, no changing no nonsense. This more relaxed approach to the festivities means the comfort zone remains firmly intact and it’s unlikely I’ll ever be mistaken for Widow Twankey.
As much as I love a bit of glitz, last year I noticed that I preferred to be pared-down for the party season. To keep the sparkle around the periphery – a silk shirt and black trousers can go a long way. It’s the Chic Not Shouty approach, again. I’ve written about this for GH online HERE; though I’m not a complete party pooper, there are a few sequins (top from Hush, available HERE) and some velvet and faux fur.
Keep it chic with sleek separates and a small amount of shimmery stuff:
Fabulous pix, Alyson – and I do agree about the once in a lifetime jacket. Mine’s Italian, by Cinzia Rocca, in pure cashmere. It has the most luxe, subtle sheen and when I wear it, people stroke me as if I were a sleek, black cat. I bought it on a weekend trip to Helsinki FIFTEEN years ago had to spend a bit getting it tailored to a perfect fit but have worn it endlessly since. My big fear is moths – I have a cedarwood ring on the hanger and in the pockets while it’s hanging, and it’s so far unscathed.
PS – Style Forever has become one of those ‘comfort’ books that’s always by my bedside for a quick dip to spark me up when I need it!