Party Season Style Guide

It’s hard to believe we’re now over half way through October, and with the clocks going back next weekend, party season is almost upon us. This is my favourite time of year with the Christmas build up, colder nights and cosy fashion. Whilst I love nothing more than wearing a chunky knit, jeans and boots in the Winter, party season is something I always look forward to, as I love an excuse to go full glam with my makeup and wear a pretty dress. 

You don’t necessarily need a party as an excuse to wear a dress, and Very have an amazing selection of dresses which will have you covered for office parties, special occasions or even New Year’s Eve. One of my favourite things about Very is their extensive range of brands on offer, allowing you to purchase from the likes of Michelle Keegan, Little Mistress, V By Very and Lavish Alice. I have a roundup of some of my favourite dresses Very have to offer, as a party season style guide nailing the season’s hottest trends..

Monochrome Vibes

You can never go wrong when it comes to monochrome, and that’s especially true at this time of year. A little black dress can be dressed up easily with some pretty, sparkly jewellery and you can team a monochrome dress with almost any shoes making them a real wardrobe staple. I love how timeless a black dress can be as you don’t have to worry about it no longer being on trend, and most monochrome dresses can be dressed up both up and down.

My first monochrome dress pick is this River Island Cape Sleeve Bodycon Dress, which has a formal vibe thanks to the cape but design wise it’s pretty simple with a bodycon effect. You can’t go wrong with bodycon dresses, I like how they suck you in at the all right places and always make me feel more confident. I also feel like the attached cape is ideal if you feel self conscious about your arms, like myself.

If you like a more simple LBD, this V by Very Ruched Bardot Midi Dress ticks all of the boxes and the long sleeve length make it a winner for winter too. Bardot necklines are my favourite, especially with a glowing body oil to accentuate your shoulders and decolletage for an extra touch of glamour. If you prefer a dress with sleeves, the V by Very Lace Frill Skater Dress is seriously pretty with a flattering subtle flare to the skirt, and intricate lace detailing.

All The Sparkle

It wouldn’t be the party season without sparkle, and Very have endless sparkly dresses to choose from making it impossible to choose just three but my motto in the run up to Christmas is that you can never have enough sparkle. I’m so happy sequins and glitter have become such a big thing this season, and the Little Mistress Mermaid Sequin Maxi Dress couldn’t be more sparkly. It has a halterneck neckline, and as it’s a maxi dress it’s very much a statement kind of dress with the entire dress being covered in navy blue sequins. It’s such a sexy dress, with a thigh high slit that would look stunning for any formal cocktail parties or events you have coming up.

If that dress is a little too OTT for you in terms of sparkle, and you’d prefer a shorter dress, the Monsoon Stephanie Star Embellished Short Dress would be a fantastic alternative. It might be a little shorter, but it’s equally beautiful with gold, rose gold and silver sequins embellishing both the body and sleeves of the dress. The dress has long sleeves, gathered by a tie look so pretty and I love the star sequins scattered all over the dress.

My final sparkly dress pick is this beautiful Frock and Frill Gilda Sequin Embellished Maxi Dress. I wish I had an occasion to wear this little number as it’s beyond beautiful, and I think it would be incredible as a winter wedding dress as it’s that stunning. It’s a floor length, white dress which is fitted to the body, and flares from the hips to the floor. The dress is adorned with silver sequins, with an almost art deco vibe both on the front, and back of the dress. It’s one of the prettiest dresses I’ve seen on Very, and as it’s white it couldn’t be better suited for any Winter parties you may have coming up. 

Jewel Tones

If you like more of a bold dress, these three jewel tone dresses are well worth a look. Bold and vibrant coloured dresses aren’t for everyone but if you do love a pop of colour, these green, purple and blue might be the perfect choice. Starting off with this emerald coloured Quiz Scuba Crepe Wrap Batwing Sleeve Midi Dress which at £30, is one of the most affordable dresses within my party season style guide. This is a midi length dress, with a wrap style which is one of my favourite styles as I find it to be a more flattering style for my big hips. 

My second jewel toned number is this most amazing orchid coloured V by Very Pleated Swing Midi Dress. I can’t recall ever seeing a dress this colour, and I’m obsessed. It’s such a bright and vibrant colour, and it’s just beautiful. It’s another midi length dress, with a flared silhouette style complete with blouson sleeves with frill sleeves. The pleats of this dress won’t be for everyone, but if you do have more of a eclectic, boho taste, I really like this jewel toned dress.

My third and final jewel toned coloured dress is the Lavish Alice Cut Out Shoulder Wrap Dress, which is a beautiful navy colour which almost looks royal blue in the photos. Navy is one of my favourite colours to wear all year round, but I chose this dress because it’s something I would wear and I think it would look particularly flattering on those with curves. It’s another wrap style dress designed to accentuate your waist, and the cut out detailing gives it more of a kimono vibe. The model has teamed the dress with gold heels and accessories, and I love navy and gold together so I would also opt for gold heels and accessories too. 

Animal Print

I am loving that animal print is everywhere right now, and leopard print is one of my guilty pleasures so I’m very happy that there’s endless choice when it comes to fashion. Leopard print is no longer synonymous with Pat Butcher from Eastenders, and I knew I had to choose three leopard print dresses as part of my party season style guide and I love all three of these dresses. 

First up it’s this V by Very Leopard Shirred Yoke Tea Dress which might not be an obvious party dress, but I feel like it’d look fab teamed up with a black leather jacket, some studded ankle boots and a glittery eye makeup look. I’m a big fan of this dress’s shirred waistline as it’s more forgiving, and also the cute ruffle detailing on the shoulders. It’s such a simple dress but easy to dress both up and down, and I think it’d be my favourite dress from all twelve of these beautiful party dresses available on Very. 

The next of my animal print dresses is the Monsoon Kylie Leopard Print Velvet Devore Midi Dress. I feel like velvet is always a winner when it comes to the party season, so velvet and leopard print is a match made in heaven. The style of this dress is similar to the leopard print tea dress with the same neckline, elasticated waist and blouson sleeves. However this dress hangs below the knees and is ruffle free. The dress has a black base with gold coloured velvet leopard print, and just looks so pretty and elegant.

Lastly is the Sofie Schnoor Leopard Print High Neck Maxi Dress which has a larger leopard print design, and is ankle length as opposed to knee length. Just like the other two leopard print dresses, this dress has a high neck and elasticated waist. It has frill detailing from the shoulders to the waist, and has a sleeveless design. I think this is another number that could be both dressed up and down, and it’d look good with any style of black footwear too. 

You can check out the amazing selection of party dresses Very has to offer over on their website. 

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