Dress sense: how to look your best this Christmas

Every time I see the dress code “festive” on an invitation, renditions of Mr Darcy’s Reindeer sweatshirt from Bridget Jones’ Diary dance through my head. Dressing up for holiday parties can test even the most stylish, only because there are so many areas where one can go wrong, from piling on the bling to wearing too much green and red. As a result everyone ends up looking like a Christmas tree or playing it super safe because they don’t want to be the topic of water cooler gossip the next day.

This Christmas, however, have no fear, because help is here. While there are no steadfast rules to follow, there are many appropriate options from current and upcoming runway collections that will make the job of dressing up that much easier.

FOR HER:

Every woman needs a fabulous cocktail dress in her holiday arsenal and while you can’t go wrong with a classic LBD (little black dress), winter white is a more sophisticated and unexpected choice. When it comes to silhouettes, it’s all about the shoulder as dictated by the spring runways. Local designer Melissa Bui’s off-the-shoulder dress ticks all the right boxes.

Another big trend this season and next is the slip dress, which popped up at brands such as Celine and Givenchy. While it may sound more appropriate for summer months, you can easily wear it on top of trousers or layer it with a slouchy knit cover-up for a casual yet chic party look.