What I Wish I Was Wearing To My Xmas Party #2 – The Delux Edition!

My Nana always said that even early on in life I had expensive tastes. She was right – when I used to pilfer her Marie Claire magazines and pore over the fashion editorials my eyes were always automatically drawn to the priciest item on there. Unfortunately I’m also a bit of a stinge – the older I get the less willing I am to spend a huge amount of money on clothes, so this poses a bit of a problem. Unless it’s something I consider an investment – like a new coat or a pair of boots – I generally won’t part with more than £100 per item, so I’m stuck in a constant state of indecision. I’m always instantly attracted to gorgeous yet costly frocks that I’m not willing to pay for, so I’m destined to yearn for them from afar.

It’s a cruel state of affairs, that’s for sure, but at least my bank account stays safe. And there’s no harm in just looking, right? Here’s some of the frocks that might have ended up in my basket if I wasn’t such a scrooge….

Lets start with sequins shall we? I love a bit of sparkle, and Christmas is the perfect excuse to go all out and coat yourself in them. If I was a little richer this gorgeous wrap dress from French Connection would definitely make my Christmas list. The shape is far more flattering than the unforgiving body-con shape you more often see with sequin frocks so you wouldn’t need to worry about hiding your Prosecco filled belly. This also comes in ‘Charcoal’, but it was this lovely rose gold colour that caught my attention – just that little bit different.

Sticking with the gold tones, next up is this beautiful metallic lace midi from Ted Baker. This one isn’t too dissimilar to the Chi Chi frock I featured on my first list. It takes a special dress to outshine a Chi Chi frock, but I think this one just about does it – it’s like the Chi Chi dress’ more grown up, slightly classier older sister. I had a drool over it in store this weekend, and can honestly say the pictures on the website don’t quite do it justice – it’s a stunner!

Whilst I quietly weep over ‘Leann’, take a look at my next pick, ‘Laura’ by Little Mistress. This look is a little different for Christmas – the art deco style and black beading is almost a little gothic looking, but the heavy embellishment is sure to add a bit of festive sparkle!

Speaking of embellishment, check out this floral number by Warehouse! Again, black isn’t a theme that screams ‘Christmas’, but the intricate embroidery and beading on this stunning dress really make it stand out from the crowd. I bet it’s a showstopper underneath twinkling fairy lights!

Onto something more classically festive then, the ‘Sandrina’ dress from Coast, a vision of red satin finished with an amazing, huge bow at the back. I challenge you not to think of candy canes and gingerbread while wearing this frock. This one has been particularly tough to resist since I’ve been after a red dress this shape ever since failing to snag the red version of my beloved H&M prom dress. The good news is, it’s in the sale! Yay! The bad news is, it’s still over my budget. Poo.

Moving on then to my last pick – why just wear a boring old dress to your office do when you can dress up like an actual Christmas tree? Just kidding – the resemblance is uncanny though, right? This is ‘Aria’, and possibly my favourite of all. When I first saw it I was actually expecting it to be rather more pricey (What, just £250?? Bargain!). It’s far more formal than I would normally go, but I think I could be convinced to wear a maxi if I could only wear this dress. I wouldn’t care that I felt a little out of place because I’d be wearing the most beautiful dress of all time, and anyone that thought I looked odd could SUCK IT!!

Hmmmm. Maybe I need to review that ‘nothing over £100’ rule….

Love,