The Weekend Read✨Dressing for the Festive Season 2025

Jenny Goldsmith | Read in about 8 minutes

Hello!

The sequins are stirring and velvet is making its annual comeback. Somewhere between Save the Date and Secret Santa, that familiar question starts whispering in our heads: What on earth am I going to wear?

The party season is officially approaching. Whether your December diary is dotted with office parties, family gatherings or a friend’s festive do that always ends in karaoke, this is the time of year when we all start rummaging through our wardrobes in a mild panic. But before you dash to the shops or fill an online basket with glittery things you’ll wear once, take a moment. Because this year, we’re doing it differently.

This year’s party season is all about shopping your wardrobe, rediscovering what you already own and finding new ways to style it. It’s about feeling fabulous, not frazzled, when the festivities begin. So, pop on a festive playlist, pour yourself a hot chocolate (or something with bubbles) and let’s talk about how to tackle December’s dressing dilemmas with style, ease and a little bit of sparkle.

The Great December Dilemma

Every year it’s the same story. The invites start coming in. Drinks at ours! Work Christmas lunch! Black tie dinner! This is when the temptation can hit. You tell yourself you need something new because last year’s dress has been seen.

Retailers know it too. They flood the rails with sequins, feathers, velvet and metallics, promising instant glamour. And yes, it’s all very tempting. But the truth? Most of us already have the building blocks of a brilliant festive wardrobe hanging right there in our cupboards, we’ve just forgotten about them. That black dress you wore to a wedding? Add statement earrings, a red lip and it’s suddenly party-ready. Pair that satin blouse that only sees daylight for nice dinners with wide-leg trousers and strappy heels and you’ve nailed understated chic. And those trousers that feel too everyday? Add a cami and blazer and you’ll be dancing in them by 9 p.m.

The secret is to look at what you already have with new eyes. Think less What should I buy? and more How can I make this feel new?

The Weekend Read✨Dressing for the Festive Season 2025

Shop Your Wardrobe First

Before you buy a single sequin, do a little wardrobe reconnaissance. Pull out the pieces that make you feel great, the ones that always earn compliments or boost your confidence. Lay them out on your bed, then, get creative:

Mix dressy and casual together. Pair a silk skirt with a chunky knit or a sequin top with jeans and heels. That mix of textures feels modern and effortlessly cool.
Play with your layers. A tux jacket over a slip dress, a crisp shirt under a sleeveless dress or even a fine-knit polo under a sparkly camisole. These are all easy updates that look intentional.
Use your accessories as outfit transformers. The same outfit can feel completely different with a statement necklace, bold earrings or a metallic belt.
Swap your shoes and bags. It sounds simple, but switching from boots to heels or adding a velvet clutch instead of your everyday tote can instantly elevate an outfit.

Sometimes it’s not that you need something new, you just need to wear what you already have differently.

Create a Capsule Party Wardrobe

If December is looking busy, a little planning goes a long way. Think of it as creating a capsule collection just for the festive season; a small set of versatile pieces that mix, match and sparkle their way through every event in your diary.

Here’s a formula to get you started:

Start with your Hero Piece. This is your statement item. It could be a sequin skirt, a velvet blazer, metallic trousers or an elegant jumpsuit. It’s the piece that does the heavy lifting and makes you feel instantly dressed up.
Next add that great pair of shoes you love to wear to feel fabulous. They should be comfortable enough to last the night and stylish enough to lift any outfit. A metallic sandal, velvet heel or chic ankle boot can all work wonders.
Find a couple of interchangeable tops such as a silky blouse, a lace camisole or a sparkly knit. These can all be mixed with different bottoms for new looks.
Have a pair of trousers or a skirt that go with everything. Tailored trousers, a pleated skirt or even luxe leather-look leggings look flattering and are endlessly versatile.
Your special going out bag. Not your everyday handbag that carries your entire life, but a small, joyful piece that feels occasion-ready. Think velvet, metallic, or beaded.

With these few items you can rotate looks for multiple occasions. That sequin skirt? Pair with a white shirt for the office do, a silk cami for cocktails and a cosy knit for Christmas Day lunch. It’s about being smart, stylish and sustainable, all while feeling like you have something new to wear each time.

Sustainable Sparkle

Gone are the days when re-wearing was a fashion faux pas. In 2025 and beyond, re-wearing is the ultimate style statement.

The most stylish people don’t have endless wardrobes, they have creativity, confidence and an eye for clever styling. Borrow, rent, swap or reinvent. Fashion rental services are now more sophisticated than ever, so if you do want something truly special (say, for a black-tie gala or New Year’s Eve), consider renting rather than buying.

And even if you’re attending events with different or the same crowds, no one is keeping score of your outfit repeats. Even if they are, they’ll be impressed by how you’ve restyled it.

The Magic of Colour

Here’s where the House of Colour magic really shines. When you wear colours that harmonise with your natural colouring, you look more radiant, confident and put together, no matter what you’re wearing.

Your best colours will elevate even a simple outfit.

Winters: Think silver, icy shades, navy, emerald, and crisp white.
Summers: Use soft white, rose pink, blue-greys, burgundy and coral red.
Springs: Lean into light dove grey, poppy, cream, leaf green and violet.
Autumns: Play with bronze, rust, oyster, brick and forest green.
Metallics: Choose your sparkle to suit your season. Cool silvers for Summers and Winters and warm golds and coppers for Springs and Autumns.

Even the smallest touch like a metallic shoe, a statement earring or a festive lip colour can make a big difference when it’s in your perfect palette.

Small Changes, Big Impact

Sometimes it’s not about a whole new outfit, it’s about the details. Why not not try a few of these:

Jewellery: Switch from dainty everyday pieces to something bold or dramatic.
Make-up: A festive red lip or shimmering eye can make even a simple dress feel glamorous.
Hair: Try a new parting, add waves or clip in a velvet bow.
Nails: A seasonal manicure using a deep berry, glossy red or even a metallic adds polish, literally.

Little updates like these give you that new outfit feeling without the cost.

Confidence Is the Best Accessory

At the heart of all this is one simple truth: the best outfit in the world means nothing if you don’t feel good in it. Confidence is what makes people turn their heads when you walk into a room, not the label on your dress or the sparkle of your shoes. When you’re comfortable and authentic in what you wear, that joy shows.

So this year, instead of worrying about whether your outfit is new enough, trendy enough or party-ready enough, focus on how it makes you feel.

Final Thoughts: Your Wardrobe, Refreshed

The 2025 party season doesn’t have to be about excess, it should be about elegance, ease and enjoyment. Dressing well shouldn’t feel like hard work or be a hit to your bank balance. It’s about creativity, confidence and celebrating yourself.

So open your wardrobe with fresh eyes, mix the old with the new, add a touch of shimmer and step into the party season ready to shine, because nothing looks better than someone who feels fantastic.

Here’s to sequins that last, shoes that dance all night and confidence that outshines every fairy light in the room.

Enjoy your weekend! In next week's The Weekend Read, we'll be talking about boots! From the highest of heels to the practicality of a wellie boot, we'll explore the history and diversity of the humble boot.

Best wishes,

Jenny & Judi xx

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