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AW15
When all you want to do is hang out in your PJ's all day, meet the stylish alternatives to wear.
1. Whistles Cashmere joggers - £180
2. Hush sloppy joe sweater - £40
3. Rosie at Marks and Spencer jumpsuit - £32.50
4. Rosie at Marks and Spencer cashmere PJ bottoms - £99
5. The white company cashmere bed socks - £35
Anyone sick of the novelty Christmas jumper yet? Worn for one day of the year. It's not cute, it's not nice, infact it's just all wrong!
What has happened to Christmas glamour? Dressing your best on Christmas day. Now it's all about itchy onesies that make you look like Olaf from Frozen, a sequinned elf across your bust and hats in the shape of a Christmas pudding! This is not glamour, this is not 'occasion wear', this is not how I dress any other day of the year so why on the most important day of the year.
As a child my Grandad would take me Christmas shopping in London every year for my Christmas day outfit. It was completely unacceptable to turn up to my Grandparents house on Christmas day not in a "smart outfit". Ideally something new or perhaps something your family had never seen before. But something that meant you had "made the effort" for the occasion.
Me, my brother & 2 cousins on Christmas day circa 1986
In recent years, now that my grandparents have gone, I have my own kids and we usually host my parents. Me and my Mum still fly the flag of wearing our smart outfits for our Christmas dinner. This year I'm going to be wearing my Finery London grey knitted midi dress with thick black tights, Mum will most probably come in a red dress because when else can you get away with wearing one in the daytime?
So ditch the novelty Pyjamas and follow my lead on ideas on what to wear on Christmas day. Christmas is special, so show it on the outside.
What will you be wearing on Christmas day?
Cashmere Jumpsuit - The white company £279.00
Cashmere jogger and hoody - Whistles, hoody £161.00 & joggers £161.00
This time of year is always crazy busy, just navigating your way through the diary is enough to drive you to alcohol before 10am on a weekday! Let alone having to think about and plan what to wear for the many events or night's out you have in the coming weeks.
So, in effort to avoid the pull towards buying new elaborate party pieces that only make an appearance in the festive season, I have vowed to not buy anything new and re-use what I already have in my wardrobe. If you invest wisely in your wardrobe throughout the year, there should be plenty of style staples that can be pulled out time and time again and updated with accessories or pulled together in different ways that it looks fresh again.
Read my top tips below in what to invest in and how to pull the look together for an altogether stylish party season...tell me what your favourite piece is?
I have to confess I love a good jacket! I have lots of them in my wardrobe that transcend any trend, any season and any style in the calender. From a black tux to a printed cropped jacket, a mannish blazer and an all over sequin number, I'm always on the lookout for one that's versatile for my wardrobe. In summer, pair over a t-shirt and come winter it’s the perfect party cover up. You can throw it over a shirt or statement top, alternatively, as I’ve done here, smarten up a basic slip vest and jeans. I like the way it nips in my waist and covers my arms no matter what I am wearing underneath.
Jumpsuits have been my party-wear favourite for the past couple of years and it doesn't look like the trend is slowing down. So if you haven't 'jumped in' head first and invested in one yet, now is the time to do it, as you will get loads of wear out of it this party season and throughout the summer teamed with flat sandles and a denim jacket. Jumpsuits are universally flattering and I guarantee you'll find one to suit your body shape. Also – and this is a massive plus – wearing trousers in a room full of dresses makes me feel kick-ass. For this look I am wearing my @topshop boutique black belted jumpsuit with metallic accessories to style it up for evening.
I got my faux fur coat from @riverisland about 10 years ago now and every year I bring it out in the winter. Every winter the catwalks and the high street bring out fur in volume so I never feel like I am out of style when I wear it. It is the warmest coat I own, so perfect for those freezing cold nights out and walks home! Plus it adds just something else to your outfit, it can be used to dress up any look such as leather leggings, boots and a white shirt, or can be thrown over a dress with thick black tights. I even layer mine up over my black leather biker jacket as below.
A great pair of heel's, a fab clutch bag and a bit of sparkle round your neck never goes out of style! Clutch bags really help 'finish off' an outfit and I think you can be as daring as you want with adding that extra pop of colour to contrast your outfit, bringing it all together with matching tones or adding bling for the evening. Every women has a secret (or not so secret) obsession about shoes, and that feeling that you get when you buy a new pair will never get old! I love spicing up my outfits with my leopard print heel's @topshop or bringing out the glitter @reiss and sparkly numbers @kurtgeiger out when I want to dance the night away. A new necklace or earrings is a very inexpensive way of updating your outfits. The large necklace trend doesn't seem to be going away but it's all about balance. A big necklace, earrings and cuff will look too heavy and ruin your style, make sure it's all in moderation and you can't go wrong.
I must confess I don't have alot of skirts in my wardrobe. Infact at the last count there were a very lonely two! With them being one of the hottest items this season, I thought it was time to dust them off and pull them out!
All season I have been tempted to buy a new one. Perhaps a leather one, a fringed one, a pleated one or even a sequin one. So this week with the festive season and lots of evening's out in mind I have taken the plunge and brought a new skirt! But it got me thinking, I don't want to limit my now three skirts to evening-wear so how can I get my money's worth and wear them more often?
So this week I set myself the challenge of wearing all three skirts in one week and to prove to myself that they are versatile enough to wear in the daytime just as much as evening.
Just because it's winter doesn't mean you have to give up wearing skirts. With the help of a cosy scarf, classic coat or leather jacket, some warm tights and boots, you can look stylish and be ready to face the cold.
Scroll down to see how I did this week with my challenge, which look do you like the most?
1. Appointment with potential client. Wearing black leather pencil skirt @topshop with burgundy polo neck @zara and fedora hat @fcuk. Warm black tights and chelsea boots finished the look.
2. JCrew Sloane sqaure party in London. Wearing forest green pleated skirt @zara with flamingo motif sweater @thisiswhistles. Burgundy brogues from Carvela @kurtgeiger and bag from @sophiehulme
3. Personal shopping in London with a client. Wearing Bright yellow skirt from @topshop with classic breton stripe tee @gap, @thisiswhistles leather biker jacket. My new @jcrew check scarf and navy velvet jewelled flats from @kurtgeiger.
For more inspiration follow my pinterest board here - AW15 skirt inspiration
