What to wear for Xmas – parties, drinks and the big day itself!
Party or day wear
Having just given a talk about Xmas dressing at the Lifehouse Spa in Thorpe le Soken at their Pamper & Sparkle Xmas event I thought I’d write a seasonal blog to sum up what I said about what to wear for Xmas which hopefully you’ll find quite useful.
In essence there are two main areas of Xmas dressing…. party wear and lounging around in the house wear.. In general parties tend to be in the evening so it’s dark with lots of candles and fairy lights twinkling. It therefore makes sense to mirror this “twinkliness” with some sequins or glitter or sparkle on your clothing. Christmas dressing is most definitely the time for texture on your clothing…be it velvet, fur, sequins, chiffon or anything else you fancy…velvet is having a big moment right now and whilst it can look great.. if you are anything more than slim be mindful that it can add bulk and structure to your frame.
Lounge wear or anytime you are at home either chilling or entertaining does not mean it’s time for a onsie..obviously comfort is key but try a loose dress or jumpsuit for Xmas day so that you looked pulled together but still lots of room for tummy expansion after you have eaten your body weight in Xmas dinner and festive chocolates! Pair with some metallic jewellery and heels or shoe boots – high-ish if you can stand it…lower if not.. you’ll inevitably kick them off during the day!
Festive colours
In terms of colours to wear.. if you are very dark – black is always a good and safe bet. However, why not push the boundaries a bit and go for pine green, fuschia or royal blue. If you have lighter coloured hair and eyes then try pink (there’s a lot around this year), navy, soft burgundy, silver or grey. If your colouring is warmer copper, gold, navy,forest green and brown are all good options. Having looked around the shops online and IRL I think there are a multitude of options in all colour ways which would work without having to go down the usual black root. Places to look include H&M (their forest green sparkly jumper at only £17.99 is well worth purchasing), Phase Eight (especially with their 25% off everything Black Friday offer right now) and Next.
Christmas Jumpers
Whilst understanding that novelty Christmas jumpers are very popular I don’t really grasp why… they are hot, unflattering and only see the light day once a year. Why not wear something equally festive but that is more flattering, cooler and can be worn more than once a year? Good options would be this jumper from Next, great for Xmas day or for lounging but can equally be worn in February. Sosandar and M&S have some good options for tasteful Xmas jumpers this year. If you are more of a traditionalist with your festive attire then Primark has some great and inexpensive options.
Metallics
If you read my blog from earlier in the year when I waxed lyrical about the benefits of wearing metallics then you will already be familiar with how useful metallic shoes, boots, bags, belts and jewellery can be ….silvery or pewter coloured if you have cool skin and gold or coppery coloured if you have warmer skin. Rose gold is having a moment right now and particularly suits summer colouring but can be viewed as universally flattering. Alternatively, get some three tone (yellow gold, silver and rose gold) jewellery. However, during the Xmas season metallic clothing can also be a great option – a silver top worn with jeans or black trousers with silver boots or heels is a stylish and very easy festive-esque outfit to procure. A gold dress or short cardy paired with a simple top and gold jewellery will look fantastic and again very festive but can be worn throughout the year. I’m a big fan of gold shoes so would highly recommend these from Boden as shoe boots are a great option that will go with skirts, dresses, trousers and jeans.
Legwear
A question I am always asked is about what to wear on your legs during the winter. In general I am not a fan of sheer tights… I don’t think there is ever an occasion for them…at a push if you have great legs and are wearing a LBD you may be able to get away with sheer black tights but in general I think opaques in the same colour as your boots or shoes work best in the winter. For evening wear I think you can definitely get away with bare legs if your dress or skirt is knee length or below…any higher hem line and I’d put the opaques on. Over the knee boots are also a great option for legs with skirts and dresses and totally remove the issue of what to wear on your legs as your legs are entirely hidden!
