‘Tis the season to socialise, so I thought a quick edit of party pieces might be a good idea.Let’s be honest, now is probably not the best time to be buying things for ourselves what with impending sales, the gift of giving etc. However, sometimes it’s necessary if you don’t have anything that fits the invite in your existing wardrobe (cue sigh & eye roll from partners everywhere)!

If I do buy anything at this time of year I  try and buy things in sale previews (it’s worth signing up to get notice of these – currently Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges & Farfetch have these on) and some of my picks from Net-A-Porter are already on sale! It’s also worth looking at new season pieces as they won’t go in the sale & they may have more longevity in your wardrobe.

Now if any, is the time of year when you can have a bit of fun with what you wear. Pretty much anything goes – glitter, sequins, brights, metallics, jewel tones – you name it! It’s all too easy to reach for a little black dress but you can wear one of those any time & if you do love your lbd why not add a fun clutch or shoes to take it to the next level? (Click on image for link).

I do love an open toe but at this time of year a pump is much more practical. There’s nothing stylish about blue toes! A lot of these pumps are by Gianvito Rossi – his shoes are so well balanced & therefore perfect for drinks parties when you’re on your feet a lot, plus the 85mm heel can be an absolute saviour 4 hours further in to party mode! If I know there will be dancing I inevitably reach for a shoe with some kind of ankle fastening for extra support & stability (falling over on a dance floor is not chic!).

Bag-wise I always buy things that are ‘keepers’ – pieces I will treasure and get out time and time again over the years. Edie Parker does great clutches (there are some really nice ones on The Outnet at the moment). I already own a couple of these YSL pouches (which have a very handy wrist strap), Jimmy Choo candy clutches and I adore these Olympia Le Tan book clutches. The latter are a particular favourite as they are beautifully made and can be real conversation pieces; for me, they are dangerously collectable! I’m always on the lookout for them in the sales or on Vestaire Collective.

Most of my socialising at this time of year involves meeting friends/family for meals out where I tend to be most comfortable in smart trousers, a silk shirt and sleek pump. It’s rather safe but fairly timeless. (I always try and make it more interesting with a dash of colour and print.)

As a massive fan of print I’m not scared to mix and match prints and will even go as far as buying pyjama tops to wear out for evening and day wear. I particularly love Anthropologie’s loungewear section at the moment:

I really think these are too pretty to stay inside but maybe that’s just me! Obviously you do need to be careful what you pair these with – a cropped jean or tapered trousers with pumps, delicate jewellery and a clutch works best – definitely steer clear from slides and a straight leg or baggy trouser!

Skirts for me are more preferable to dresses as they are more adaptable and can be made to look quite different depending on what you wear on your top half.

Anything with a bit of colour or texture makes things more interesting – it can always be contrasted with a plain white top if you don’t want to stand out too much.

Dress-wise I would favour a classsic shape and definitely something that I know I will wear more than once. The most important things for me are comfort and fit – I never buy anything that is too small; I’d rather buy a bigger size and get it tailored to fit, that way I know I’ll wear it again and again.

What are you going to be wearing this holiday season?

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