With the calendars beginning to fill with celebrations and events this month, I’ve been on a mission to find that perfect outfit, suitable for virtually any event you might have planned over the season.
When it comes to finding the right outfit for Christmas day, it isn’t always an easy task. For us, our Christmas begins at Church to celebrate Christmas morning Mass. Afterwards, we gather at Grandma’s to share gifts and fill ourselves with delicious nibbles whilst sipping bubbly and watching the laughter unfold around the little ones. We sit down to a formal Christmas dinner late in the afternoon and while away the evening in the flickering atmosphere of candlelight. With the scent of fresh spruce and spices drifting around the home and the sounds of happy chatter echoing around the table, it’s a wonderful way to unwind and continue the festivities on into the evening.
Finding the balance between formal and comfortable occasion wear can be tricky but thankfully, Laura Ashley have some absolutely stunning pieces in their Winter collection which will have you prepped and ready to take on the party season!
Laura Ashley asked me to style a look that could be worn on Christmas day, Boxing day and out on a ‘Christmasy’ country walk. Looking through their new collections, I instantly had a dress in mind that I thought would be so beautiful in both formal and more relaxed settings. Using different accessories to change up the look, I have tried to represent a slightly different take on this outfit each time.
The whole process has really inspired me to be patient with my own wardrobe. It’s so easy to transform an outfit to make it relevant to different social scenarios with just a little clever accessorising!
This first look I felt would be perfect for Christmas day itself. Of the three, this is the most formal and really emphasises the formality of our family routine on Christmas day, especially considering we begin our day in Church. I've styled this beautiful, embellished velvet dress very simply with black tights and black court heels. For a formal occasion it really doesn't need much accessorising as the navy velvet against the beaded embellishments really bring a touch of glamour and sparkle.
My second task was to style the dress for a country walk. Now I love the thought of being outside in the fresh air during the festivities- It's certainly a great way to burn off the feasting that takes place on Christmas day!
Nothing beats pulling on wellies, scarves and cosy layers to go for a country ramble in the crisp, cold air. So for this look, I accessorised the dress with a gorgeous wool cardigan and a matching blue snood, both from Laura Ashley's Winter collections.
Aside from how lovely these pieces are individually, what I love most about this this outfit combined is how warm it is. The wool cardigan especially impressed me, considering how chilly it was when these photos were taken! It's extremely soft and cosy, a pure delight that I already know will become a firm favourite in my wardrobe this season.
The snood is also just gorgeous. One side of it has a faux fur lining which is perfect for snuggling into for extra warmth. I could happily pull on the snood with a pair of jeans and a shirt just to provide an extra layer in the winter.
The final way we opted to style this dress was for a cosy Boxing day spent at home. For us, Boxing day is all about the family gathering together and is generally spent finishing off the turkey, playing board games, enjoying a cheeky glass of red wine, whilst consuming copious amounts of chocolate!
With December having such an emphasis on the run up to Christmas, when Boxing day does arrive, I almost feel like we need a day of rest and recuperation from all the build up and excitement!
Having time to sit and be still is actually one of my favourite parts about Boxing day and once again, I feel this dress is such an easy, yet beautiful option for a slightly more laid back style. Something about that sumptuous velvet is just so lovely to wear. In fact, I honestly think this is one of the easiest, most comfortable dresses I have ever worn!
I also think that the shift style is really perfect for Christmas on all counts. The shape is extremely flattering, (especially when I consider how much feasting is going to take place!) I also really love the length as it is so practical for looking after the children whilst trying to prepare food.
It's so comfortable just pottering around the house wearing this dress barefooted, or with a pair of cosy slippers on- bliss!
Those are my three festive occasions styled using the same dress.
I hope this might inspire you to consider the various ways you can accessorise a dress to make the most of the party season! What's your 'go to' outfit for a glamorous Christmas party?
*Due to popularity the dress and snood featured are both currently sold out online. However, they may still be instore, so do pop by your local Laura Ashley if you want to get your hands on either piece for Christmas!
Love Bunty
xXx
*This is a collaborative post. Whilst I was kindly gifted the products mentioned by Laura Ashley, all opinions expressed are representative of Bunty Living*
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