Dress To Impress This Christmas

As December draws closer and office dos, dinner parties and Christmas gatherings loom on the horizon, a new survey conducted by online retailer K&Co.com has revealed how UK-based women feel about the annual party season. 4 out of 10 respondents said that they expected to attend just one Christmas party this year, and with one big shindig to focus on, the key question is: what dress?

Those surveyed seemed to prefer a little length in their dresses. Around half the women said that they’d prefer a midi-length dress, while hardly anyone (a measly 3 out of 113!) chose the mini as their favourite length. With a generous skirt length taken as read, the survey also asked which classic fashion trend most appealed to party-goers.

Results were fairly evenly split, with lace, sequins and statement prints all garnering a certain amount of interest, but the clear winner was velvet, with 1 in 3 women plumping for this fashionable choice. Velvet has a richness and warmth to it which certainly suits the season, and there are plenty of beautiful evening dresses available in the shops and online at the moment, with velvet detailing, velvet skirts, or made entirely from the luxurious material.

However, more than half of women expressed concern that there were not enough dresses around to suit their body shape – and as two-thirds of women also said that they would expect to wear their Christmas party dress more than once, finding a style that flatters your shape and creates the perfect silhouette is essential. With that in mind, perhaps ladies should consider a well-fitting and flattering dress an investment piece, rather than an extravagance. 

Once you’ve selected the dress, besides a smile and a store of sparkling repartee, what’s the best accessory to go with it? Almost half of women will be making heads turn this year by adding statement jewellery to their outfit. Large sparkling pieces are in vogue at the moment, and dramatic drop earrings or a chunky necklace will certainly add some va-va-voom to a party look.  An overwhelming 8 in 10 women added that they had never felt overdressed at a Christmas party, so it seems that the sky’s the limit!

Christmas comes but once a year, and with it the opportunity to get into the festive fashion spirit, so it’s definitely worth investing some time in putting together an outfit that will make you look (and feel!) great at Christmas gatherings this year.