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Yes, it does seem blasphemous to mention the ‘C’ word given that we’re still weeks out from Halloween. The key to transitioning smoothly to this particular festive time of year, that I won’t mention, is thinking ahead. It’s hard enough to find a decent party get-up for a regular weekend blowout, but throw several work do’s, family gatherings and friends-from-home visits into the mix and its the perfect recipe for a mega-stress meltdown.
A small bit of prep before the season blasts into full-swing baubles and bells mode is a pleasant way to ease into it without panicking. Otherwise, you could find yourself in M&S or Tesco this weekend (the first weekend in October, FYI) surrounded by ‘C’ trees and selection boxes…But there’s a financial benefit to getting party-ready now too and it will help you to avoid giving into the temptation of buying outfits on a whim, which will lie dormant for the foreseeable, gathering dust on a bottom shelf somewhere.
And when it comes to choosing the all-important rig-out, nothing says party quite like the sumptuous texture of velvet. It has all the properties we associate with the festive season: ostentation, luxury, warmth. Wrap yourself in glitzy sequins layered however you like: go full-on head-to-toe sparkle or add subtlety with refined hints of sparkle here or there. December might be associated with certain spectrums of colour, but don’t discount hot bursts of fuchsia, delicate lilac or regal blue, either. Mix bejewelled knits with midi skirts and loafers for daytime and switch it up with a disco-ready heel come dancing hour. These pieces have the festive season written all over them but in a more blasé kind of way. It’s ‘C’ dressing for grown-ups.
The velvet trouser, & Other Stories
High waisted velvet trousers, €79 at stories.com
The party jean, J Brand
Selena cropped metallic snake-effect leather flared pants by J Brand, €1,360 at net-a-porter.com
The sequinned skirt, Uterque
Tartan checked sequinned skirt, €125 at uterque.com
The red dress, Cult Gaia
Shira dress, €520.10 at cultgaia.com
The sequinned mini dress, Rixo London
Multi stripe sequin mini dress, €333.14 at rixo.co.uk
The modern festive jumper, Zara
Diamond sequinned jumper, €39.95 at zara.com
The playsuit, Sandro
Jacquard playsuit, €225 at sandro-paris.com
The OTT boot, Topshop
Over the knee boots, €117 at topshop.com
The sophisticated ankle boot, Zara
Embellished ankle boots, €39.95 at Zara.com
The perfect height for dancing shoe, Uterque
Suede mid-heel gem sandals, €125 at uterque.com