The Christmas Party Dress

With Halloween and Guy Fawkes recently passed, now is the time we all start feeling the Christmas spirit, yes the much anticipated season full of festivities! You can be sure that there will be plenty of party invitations; Christmas-time is most everybody’s excuse to kick back and enjoy themselves after a long year of work or study!

Don’t be left wondering what to wear! Whether you are after a newer LBD or something a completely different, now is the time to start hunting around for that perfect party dress (or more if you don’t want to be seen in the same outfit twice!... don’t worry you can always sell them on Fabricjam after you’ve worn them!).

If they haven’t already, many retailers will have their party dresses hitting the stores this week and it’s up to you to find that gem amongst the rubble.

I’ve spent some time browsing around and have managed to track down some great dresses to offer you some style tips and inspiration. If you’re sitting at an office desk – it’s the next best thing to being in a fashion show! (I’ve included the weblinks should you wish to buy any).

So these are my favourite little finds…

Oasis is always one of my first stops when I’m looking for something a little special and yet again they haven’t disappointed. My favourite from the collection is this beautiful art deco dress.£110
(Link to buy)

It tackles one of the biggest trends this season, sequins, which on paper could be a disaster but in reality it is truly gorgeous.

If you just can’t live without your Little Black Dress then why not take a look at the range devoted to them at Oasis. My favourite from the LBD range is this foil lace creation. The classic shift shape makes the dress timeless while the lace design feature is bang on trend for this season. Just team with thick black tights and sky-high heels, keep accessories to a minimum and let the dress do the talking! £75 (Link to buy)

Kate Moss launched her Christmas range for Topshop last week, which included some great party ideas. This aptly named ‘flirty dress’ is gorgeous and is available in two colours. (Link to buy )



This dress would work perfectly for a work Christmas party as it can be worn from day to night. And when the summer months come back around it can be worn without tights and your favourite pair of Havaianas!

And again, Topshop wouldn’t be complete without its own version of the LBD. (Link to buy)

This dress is gorgeous and adds a little fun to the normally plain LBD…it’s also quite reasonable at just £40!

My final High Street best buys come from a different source than usual, Debenhams! Perhaps not one of your normal stops on the High Street for party wear, but their more recent collections are definitely worth taking a look.

If your are lucky enough to be attending a truly glamorous Christmas party then you will be set to turn some heads in this classic red dress (also a massive colour for this season!) Think Katherine Heigl at the Oscars this year...

Link to buy

(Image courtesy of JustJared)

If you are after something a little shorter but still want to add a some colour into your outfit you really cant go wrong with this deep purple baby doll dress, from their ‘Sirens’ collection. (Link to buy )

It can be worn with or without opaque black tights, depending on how brave you are, and the weather of course!

Lastly, a few of my favourite designer pieces this season if you want to splash out or go full glamour!

Lover

Floral mini dress

£385 / $770

Philosophy Di Alberta Ferretti

Stretch satin dress

£280 / $560

Oscar de la Renta

Silk faille embroidered dress

£3180 / $6360

Missoni

Clarissa strapless dress

£1515 / $3030

Marni

Ruffle neck dress

£775 / £1550

Marchesa

Asymmetric pleat dress

£2,660 / $5320

(My personal FAVOURITE!)

Celia Kritharioti

Ruffle front dress
£535.00 / $1070

Antik Batik

Kika Tunique mini dress
£180 / $360

Fendi

Bow belt dress
£960 / $1920

Christian Dior

Strapless dress with rose detail

£3,815.00 / $7630

Whatever style you are going for this Christmas the High Street will have something special to offer you…with classic LBD’s and jewel coloured shifts you are sure to sparkle at this years Christmas party!

Remember if the colour is brighter than your usual, or if the detail is interesting then it’s wise to play it down with classic jewellery and thick black tights. Here Sienna does doesn’t let anything detract from the intricate detail on her Balenciaga dress.

...And lastly, don’t worry if you play it safe with a LBD, they’re called a classic for a reason... They are slimming, flattering, can be adapted to any style and quite simply never go out of Fashion!

Post by Alexa Gilbert, contributions from Claire Webb

The clutch bag

So, we're seeing the clutch everywhere this season, but are you hesitant to try them? My first thoughts on the clutch bag trend were: 'extremely stylish, but totally impractical!' I mean, what if I need to use my hands? Having a bag over my shoulder, or in the crook of my arm is what I'm used to and definitely seems a much more sensible and practical option. That was until I spotted a beautiful cream croc skin oversized clutch a few months ago and tried it out... I fell head over heels in love! Seriously, it was so comfortable in the palm of my hand. I bought it and wore it out that weekend, kind of expecting to get irritated with it halfway through the night, but I took the chance anyway because it looked so good.

From my own experience, I would highly recommend a clutch bag now, I love this style. The clutch really fits super comfortably in the palm of your hand. When you sit down it looks pretty on your lap too, and if you need to use your hands - it clutches neatly underneath your arm. The clutch is feminine, stylish arm candy. For those who really can't imagine a bag without a strap, thankfully - you'll find many clutches come with a detachable strap too.

Clutches are extremely versatile and adaptable, they can be worn casually as Kate Moss does in this pic, or on a night out with a stylish dress.

Victoria Beckham looks amazing here with her Special order Hermes Baccara Crocodile Clutch at the Oscar de la Renta Spring 2008 Fashion Show. (http://www.hermes.com/). To me, the clutch is the best and most striking piece of Victoria's well thought out outfit. As I said earlier, they sit perfectly on your lap too when you're sitting! In fact, I think the clutch looks a lot neater than a bulky arm handbag.

I particularly love the style of Mary-kate and Ashley Olsen, they make the clutch look effortlessly stylish here in 2007.

I'm loving Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. 'Signature - Carlisle' Convertible Clutch Tote - $425.00 at http://www.nordstrom.com/ and http://www.bloomingdales.com/

This Topshop Navy Leather oversize clutch is also beautiful, it's currently selling at £30.00 (http://www.topshop.com/). This bag is perfect for day and night and has a bit of a hippy, bohemian feel to it.

I found this little funky Retro "Yellow Submarine" Beatles clutch bag at http://www.thefest.com/ selling at $29.50. It would brighten up any daytime outfit. Would look fab with a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. I could imagine Agyness Deyn or Peaches Geldof pulling this little clutch off perfectly.




New Look make plenty of really cute and inexpensive clutches, such as this Limited Edition Over Sized Snake Print Clutch (http://www.newlook.co.uk/) which is selling at £20, you can buy it in Gold or Black. Personally, I love any kind of animal influenced items, be it skin or prints, it can add a real edge to Accessories.

I also found this gorgeous little woven clutch for only £5, which you can buy in Brown, Red or Silver.

Though at $795, this is probably over many of our budgets, I love this MCM Women's Pop Croco Medium Clutch (http://www.bloomingdales.com/). Click to buy: http://www1.bloomingdales.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=125794&CategoryID=10009&PageID=10007*1*24*-1*-1*6