FESTIVE PARTY FAVOURITES
STYLE NOTES:
Consider these 10 styles your cheat code to the perfect festive party look – the one that’ll be remembered past Christmas and well into the new year.
As the days get progressively colder, it feels like our social calendars are only heating up. Every weekend (and occasional school night) for the foreseeable future is getting filled up with nights out, family reunions, work dinners and the annual friends-from-home reunion. We’re coming up to festive season, and all the various special occasions this time of year entails.
Although undeniably fun, this is a hectic period where it can feel like you’re being pulled from a hundred different places at once. The best way to survive is to surrender to the madness, but of course, still ensure you look great doing so. We’ve paired up with influencer Amirah Strand to bring you ten of the best party dresses, jewellery and accessories that will instantly level up your festive rotation with minimal effort required.
1. THE PRACTICAL BAG
First thing’s first: a carry-all, all-occasion bag is a non-negotiable. You never know where festive season will take you; one moment you’re heading to a casual dinner and the next Ubers are being ordered to the nearest club. You need a bag that can keep up and ensures you’re prepared for any eventuality. For Amirah, it’s this Prada leather shoulder bag:
‘It’s one of those bags that feels effortlessly timeless. The size is ideal for a shoulder bag, compact yet practical. Once party season slows down, I’d reach for it to elevate my everyday looks, whether I’m heading to a meeting or enjoying a relaxed lunch with friends.’
2. THE PERFECT MINI
Winter nights are long, but your hemline doesn’t have to be. Enter the mini dress. It’s maybe not totally office party-appropriate, but for a Christmas night out or night in around your best friend’s kitchen table, mini hits the mark. And we know what you’re thinking, but you don’t need to let the cold stop you. What are full-length coats for if not to offer you a little extra insulation when you need it during party season? The mini at the top of all our lists this year is this creamy white style from Saint Laurent. Billowing but cinched in the right spots, it was worn by Charli xcx both at her wedding after-party in London and to perform in Paris. And honestly, anything good enough to be worn twice by Ms xcx is more than good enough for us.
3. THE IMPRACTICAL BAG
With your practical bag option already secured, you need another that’s at the complete opposite end of the spectrum. An impractically proportioned bag is also required – if only for swinging around your wrist on the dancefloor. For this purpose, Jacquemus’ Calisso shoulder bag caught Amirah’s eye. It’s sleek, chic and only just about big enough to cram in her three night out essentials: ‘lip gloss, powder, and a digital camera.’
4. THE IRRESISTIBLE FRAGRANCE
Making the right impression at a party isn’t just about being hilarious, fun, and looking great – you need to smell great, too. To own the night, you need to win over all five senses of your fellow partygoers, and this Valentino perfume has scent secured. Named Valentina, this feminine fragrance has a fruity opening, a woody vanilla-tinged base, and patchouli at the heart that’s inspired by Roman gardens. One thing’s for sure – it'll have whoever smells it instantly transported from a cold winter night to somewhere infinitely warmer and more inviting.
5. THE EMBELLISHED MINI
If you could only have one name to see you through festive party season, Versace would be a failproof option. The final word in Italian opulence: it’s a house characterised by prints, embellishments, and figure-hugging silhouettes. What more could a party girl want? There’s no shortage of festive season-primed Versace offerings, however one that’s caught our eye this year is this mini skirt. Its black colourway ensures it’s versatile enough to be styled alongside pretty much anything. However, its crystal-coated pockets complete with metal Medusa buttons make it unmistakably Versace, and will make you a walking call to the dancefloor.
6. THE DRAPED MINI
If you haven’t realised yet, short is the go-to length for dresses this party season, and this Stella McCartney mini is one that we couldn’t leave off the list. Draping has become something of a McCartney calling card in recent seasons, and this pale-pink design is an example of the British house’s mastery of fabric at its most sublime. Hanging from structured shoulders, it’s defined by a sash-style drape at the front. We’re styling it with minimal accessories, and wearing it to birthdays, dinners and any other social event scheduled far beyond festive season.
7. THE GOING-OUT TOP
‘Jeans and a nice top’ is the reliable, timeless outfit formula that’s seen all of us through many a party season. However, it’s designs like this Jean Paul Gaultier halterneck top that breathe new life into the concept and take it to a whole new level. Cut to a pointed hem with a wrap-tie fastening that leaves the back exposed, it’s detailed with what can only be described as an abstract tiger print. It’s a little bit ‘90s, a little bit Y2K, and definitely way too good to be worn with just jeans.
8. THE MAXI-LENGTH OPTION
Although mini is the preferred length this festive season, a girl still needs options. That’s why a versatile maxi dress is required for your festive arsenal, such as this minimalist satin style from Victoria Beckham. In midnight blue with bell sleeves and cinched detailing on the waist, it’s the maxi Amirah will be turning to time and again throughout party season this year:
‘I immediately fell for the draping of the dress and how beautifully it shapes the body. It’s truly the perfect piece for the festive season. It works beautifully for a festive Christmas dinner with the family or a cocktail event with the girls.’
9. THE HIGH-IMPACT EARRINGS
Alongside the perfect pair of heels, statement earrings are Amirah’s go-to for seamlessly elevating her party looks. And to make said statement, the earrings needn’t be flashy: case in point, this Bottega Veneta pair. The house is known for its subtle approach to luxury that centres craft over loud statements, as evidenced by the subtly impactful design of these Fin earrings. Their abstract form imbues modernity, and serves to elevate the humble party dress into something far more iconic.
10. THE EGO-BOOSTING HEELS
You’ve got the dress, the jewellery, the bag, even the scent – and now it’s time to think about what’s going on your feet. This year, we’re not shying away from a towering heel. In fact, the higher the heel and more impractical the shoe the better. After all, it is festive party season, and how many other opportunities do we get to wear metallic silver stiletto sandals? This pair in question is Prada. They secure with svelte ankle strap fastenings, and they’re topped off with the coveted triangle Prada logo at the pointed open toe. Where better to have it? The beauty of a shoe such as this one is it really does all the heavy lifting for you – the rest of your look can be pared back to allow the metallic effect to really shine through.