How to dress like a grown up with Shane Watson: Your chic shortcut to Christmas party glam
- Shane Watson advises on how you can balance formal and casual this Christmas
- UK-based fashion expert says the key is picking out a focused wow factor
- Sequins and fur trims are also fun ways to elevate an otherwise simple look
Passing Jigsaw recently, I was stopped in my tracks by a mannequin in the window dressed in a cerise satin dress finished off with striped black suede and silver leather platform sandals.
‘Perfect’ I thought and, minutes later, I was trying on my potential Party Cheat. No, not the dress! I’m talking, of course, about the knock-out patchwork platform sandals (£105, jigsaw-online.com).
Admittedly, these ones are way too high for me but otherwise they have all the hallmarks of a brilliant Party Cheat — that item you add to clothes you already own, which has an instant transforming, partydust-sprinkling effect.
The Party Cheat is the holy grail in party season. It’s preferable to the new outfit that makes you feel like you’re going for an audition. It’s far better than the lovely dress because, chances are, you won’t wear the lovely dress. On the night, you’ll be scrabbling around for something less lovely and more you.
Bows: Holly Willoughby
Of course, there are those occasions when you want to go full frock and heels, I just don’t have any on the horizon.
My Christmas celebrations will consist of meeting up in people’s kitchens, a work bash, a neighbour’s drinks, maybe an invitation from the cool couple with the gorgeous house at New Year, if we play our cards right.
The balance that needs to be struck on these occasions is somewhere in between smart-casual and special. We want to look extra glamorous and fun, to make our friends smile or think, ‘Oh Good, we are at a party! Thought so’.
That’s why I made a beeline for the shoes, because they would give you that in one — all you’d have to do is add a velvet trouser suit.
Velvet heels: Celine Dion
Talking-point shoes plus sparkly earrings is my go-to Party Cheat. The shoes need to be a bit different — your black suede pump is not going to flick the switch — so gold, silver and velvet all work, platforms work, a diamante buckle works.
You need to push the wow factor with a Party Cheat shoe, while sticking with comfort. LK Bennett’s gold mock-croc platforms are fun if pricey (£329, lkbennett.com), Mango’s petrol-blue velvet sandals are still stonkingly high but more affordable (£59.99, shop.mango.com) or the lower option is Hush’s velvet platforms (£99, hush-uk.com).
Still, they’re not for everyone and in the other corner are slingback kitten heels fit for Holly Golightly. Mango’s leopard-print pair (£59.99, shop.mango.com) will go with everything, Marks & Spencer’s red velvet stilettoes (£35, marksandspencer.com) will spice up your old tuxedo and Zara’s mid-heel metallic gold ankle boots (£89.99, zara.com) will put the party pop into jeans and a jacket.
Likewise, earrings are an instant Party Cheat and are amazingly effective, just as long as you embrace bling and reject subtlety — sparkling is the goal.
There are countless crystal fountain earrings on the High Street. My favourites are Zara’s chandelier hoop earrings — actually three hoops in total, not counting the extra dangling crystals (£17.99, zara.com).
With these on board you can afford to wear plain black and still look dazzling.
PARTY DRESSING: THE 2022 RULES
Supersize your jewellery.
Put on some ‘talking point’ heels.
Invest in a shrug-on furry jacket.
Look for lace trims.
It’s the blingy details that count, which is why that velvet Saloni dress with crystal bows down the front (last seen on Holly Willoughby) has become a fashion classic.
Save yourself the £695 and go for crystal bow earrings (£30, orelia.co.uk) grazing the collar of a black velvet jacket.
For added party oomph, wear a sequin T-shirt underneath (£29.50, marksand spencer.com) or maybe a lace-trimmed vest.
Me+Em does a loose-fit, lace-trim, V-neck vest (£59.50, meandem.com) that’s more substantial than a camisole but still makes a regular jacket (velvet if possible) look after-dark and a bit decadent.
Talking of jackets, an instant party booster is a fur-effect, fluffy cropped jacket that looks like something an It girl might wear and Mango has just the thing (£179.99, shop.mango.com).
I love this one and it will transform a midi dress, a jumpsuit or just black trousers and a blouse.
Strictly speaking, a Party Cheat is an add-on that changes the gears, but if you feel you need a bit more than that, then you will not regret buying a velvet blazer this Christmas, especially one in a bold colour.
Best of the crop is Zara’s in bright blue or scarlet (£109, zara.com), but hurry . . . they’re selling fast.
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