Style Notes » Wallis

A touch of heavy metal this party season

Anna Krahn — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 20:00:49 +0000

It’s party time and while the music may be chart toppers and guilty pleasures (a recurring theme this year) the dress code has a touch of sparkle which is definitely more rock than cheese. Metallic leathers, sequins galore, studs and embellishment are all big party hits this season and even if its just a touch of accessory rather than full on head-to-toe shine there’s a way to get a little metal into your wardrobe this year.

From left to right: Premium coated snake jacket, Topshop, £110, Premium metallic calf skirt, Topshop, £60; Sequin Wrap Dress, Rare by Topshop, £55, Skinny belt, Topshop, £14; Mixed metal necklace, Evans, £10; Planet Shift Dress, £79, House of Fraser, Black embellished boots, River Island, £55

For more party looks check out our picks from the best party dresses on sale. It’s like Christmas come early!

Gold metallic trousers

Anna Krahn — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 06:41:35 +0000

If your wardrobe turns from bright to dull the minute the seasons change what you need in your life is a pair of gold trousers. We’ve missed metallic colours for the last few seasons so it was nice to see a bit of metal back on the catwalks particularly in the form of gold trousers. The inspiration is Balmain for Autumn/Winter 2010 but we’re loving Reiss’s 80s inspired gold skinnies and River Island’s subtler take on the trend in the form of dark gold jeans.

Spend or save

Balmain £3000, Reiss £140, Rver Island £45

Pair with leather boots and jacket for a daytime rocker look or for full on evening 80s glam add fur, leather and feathers plus chunky gold jewellery.

Rock chick by day

Boots: Zara £79.99, Top: Topshop £26.00, Leather jacket: Topshop £180, Bracelet: Mango £27.90

Eighties glam rocker by night

Boots: £99.99 Zara, Top: Wallis £100, Bracelet: Michael Kors £65, Clutch: Biba at House of Fraser £145

The red dress

Pippa — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 08:00:52 +0000

The Autumn/Winter palette is all so neutral this year – camel, grey and khaki are everywhere. But if you want to liven up your wardrobe with a pop of colour, we reckon your best buy is a red dress.

Everyone’s been talking about Mad Men styling and that has filtered down to the high street. There are lots of shift dresses and tailored styles around. They’re great for flattering your womanly curves.

But it’s all about the detail this season too. Look out for ruffles (great for adding detail and volume if you’re flat-chested), cute bows and gathered pleats for added interest.

Clockwise from top left: Bubble shift dress, Topshop £40; Bow shift dress, Oasis £55; Piper shift dress, Coast £95; Ruffleneck shift dress, Wallis £45

Party Dresses for Your Shape

Jayne — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 09:13:08 +0000

Christmas party dressing can be a nightmare. Not only do you need to find something that will make you stand out in a sea of sequins, but you also need to get the perfect dress for your shape. Well worry no more, as we’ve searched the high street for find the perfect frock for your body dilemma!

If you hate your arms… cover them up, but not completely. Look for dresses, like this one from Next (£65) with a chiffon sleeve, which will hide your arms but still look party pretty.

If you hate your tummy… choose dresses that softly skim the problem area, but don’t go for anything too tent-like! We love this gorgeous studded dress from Monsoon (£95), which will hide any bulging bellies, and even allow you to indulge in an extra mince pie or two!

If you hate your thighs or bottom… emphasise your top half and waist, while ensuring the bottom half of the dress skims over your hated areas. This dress from Wallis (£60) is the perfect frock for you!

You hate your legs… choose a floor-sweeping, stunning maxi dress! Long dresses are still big fashion news this Christmas, so make like a celebrity and wear this amazing Topshop one (£75). If you do want to wear a shorter dress, keep it to the knee and wear black opaques.

You want to add curves… if you’re slim and boyish, but want some added va-va-voom, look for dresses with in-built curves, pleating or draping to help add those inches. We love this bright pink party dress from M&S (£35), which will surely make you stand out in a crowd.