What's your party piece?

Hey there, how is everyone getting on with the festive shopping and partying? Hope the stress levels aren't too high!

If you're still looking for ideas to style that perfect party outfit, look no further, help is at hand!

Whether it's your work office party, catching up with friends, or a family get-together, I'm sure we can come up with your ideal outfit. Maybe with a few key pieces, you can change them up to work for any last minute occasion that might come up between now and New Years.

I've put together a few ideas below, using some of the seasons current trends. Whether you prefer eye catching metallic or luxurious velvet, I'm sure you'll find something to work with.

As always, I've included both high and flat heeled footwear suggestions for each piece, so I've tried to choose garments that will suit both preferences.. always good to keep your options open, right?

Let me know which is your favourite!

The ultimate party look needs a bit of sparkle, and this bodycon dress certainly lives up to expectactions. Add a neutral shoe and a bit more bling and you're good to dance the night away.

If jeans are your wardrobe staple, a quick update with a metallic or silky cami can take your look from day to night. A pair of heels, some flats or ankle boots give you a choice of footwear here. Throw on a faux fur or velvet coat to keep you warm from door-to-door. Simple as that!

Velvet and sequins just scream party season, and with black jeans or trousers this burgundy adds richness and elegance. This is perfect for after work drinks, with a quick change from shirt to sequin top, bit of lipstick and some shimmer, if you like.

Pleated skirts are a great option and available in most stores and in almost any colour. You can't beat this metallic silver option with a bit of bling. I've paired it with a pretty off the shoulder top in black here but white could work too for aother occasion.

Orthotics Vs Aesthetics.

Splints. Orthotics.  Braces.  Supports.  Whatever name you give them, if you’ve ever had to wear them you’ll know they’re not the most fashionable pieces of equipment to grace your wardrobe.

The bane of my life I’d even call them, and I’m sure I’m not alone there.

Though the dilemma I now find myself in, is my increasing dependence on them versus my reluctance to accept their very existence.  You could say I want to wear them, but I don’t want to wear them.  

They cause me to face an inner daily battle as I plan my outfit for the day – 

The first inner voice wants me to feel more secure and comfortable on my feet, with reduced possibility of falling on my face.  Or fighting with a physio. 

And the opposing voice yearns to wear that beckoning summer dress which hasn’t left the wardrobe in… well, since the splints arrived on the scene. 

So, how does one solve this dilemma and keep the peace between these two highly opinionated voices?  In fairness, they both have valid arguments to present. 

Generally speaking, these useful-but-unsightly inventions do not in any way mix well with a dress, or a skirt, or leggings, or basically anything that isn’t a pair of trousers. 

And this is where my battle begins.  Trousers, trousers and more trousers.  Runners (or trainers if you prefer) and trousers to be more precise.  Wouldn’t exactly top my list of go-to stylish ensembles, but so far have topped my list of keep-everybody-happy ensembles.  Practical and comfortable, they do a reasonable job of hiding the offending plastic and Velcro underneath, (until the Velcro sticks to the fabric but that’s another issue). 

But who wants to live in the same “it’ll do” combination for every occasion regardless of its formality or informality?

So my quest continues to find the happy medium between style and comfort.  The key to keeping my muscles (and physios) happy, but still keeping some sense of creativity and style in the wardrobe department.  

So far my solution has been an abundance of runners/trainers, in every colour imaginable.  To the point of prompting the regular question “MORE new runners!?” from those who know me best. 

The reasoning behind this obsession being the issue of wearing runners to work without violating the dress code.  Hardly the most appropriate attire for the average 9-5 office job such as my own.  A bit easier to negotiate though if well-matched with the rest of the outfit, blending them in as much as possible in an attempt to trick the management’s eye..

I’ve done the basic black with black trousers, grey with grey ones, navy with navy ones and so on.  Then I moved on to the coral with a coordinating coral blouse or jacket.  Or purple to pick up on the purple in a scarf or other accessories.  Bit of turquoise to pick up on the pattern in a summery top or t-shirt. 

I won’t lie, it takes some planning, and it does prompt comments on co-ordination abilities (or an abundance of time to spare) but it does the job, for the moment.  

Despite this temporary solution though, I still haven’t solved the problem of all those dresses and skirts begging for a day out of the wardrobe every now and then.  

So how does one deal with such practicalities?  There has to be a way, right?

Well, I’m not one to give up on a challenge, so with a few ideas up my sleeve, I shall continue on my quest... Watch this space and all will shortly be revealed. 

Except for the splints, that would kinda defeat the purpose.