Christmas party dresses

Does it have to be a dress?

I have a black party skirt (M&S bargain, but very nice) that regularly comes out at this time of year and has outlived numerous tops one of which is due for recycling tonight when the NWR is going out for the annual Christmas meal.

I suppose it doesn't have to be a dress.. Though trousers/skirt and a top means more to think about!

Ohh do you have a link for the dress annodomini?

Aha I have been doing lots of research on this because I have a function to go to next week and there is no way I am baring the bingo wings. These are some of the ones I was looking at online

www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_54510+201934276?CMP=OTC-GOOGLEPS&tmcampid=28&tmad=c&adtype=pla (lovely but you need to suit the colour - I don't)

www.debenhams.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/prod_10001_10001_54510+201913050?CMP=OTC-GOOGLEPS&tmcampid=28&tmad=c&adtype=pla (I LOVE this one)

and these two from M and co

www.mandco.com/dresses-/all-over-lace-dress/invt/1208500black/&bklist=icat,5,10,10010,10010090,10010090150

and

www.mandco.com/dresses/lace-shift-dress/invt/1207636bluehaze/&bklist=icat,5,10,10010,10010090,10010090150 (I think this was my favourite but I didn't suit the shape )

Bought one in monsoon in the end I will look for the link

here you are - at least I think it is this one as I bought it in a shop and not online

uk.monsoon.co.uk/view/product/uk_catalog/mon_11,mon_11.1/2531840106

Ohh I love the first MandCo one rosiemus. Though don't think I have a store near me! Will investigate....

Any others?

I like this one in Zara, which is reasonably priced.

Ohh and this one is stunning.

How about this Hobbs dress?

I've just spotted this French Connection one <adds to list of things I can't afford>

muddy, I don't have links for any of my party gear - I've had most of it for ages and just mix and match. I can never remember from one year to the next what anyone else has worn, so why should they remember what I have worn? Different shoes, bags and jewellery also help to refresh a time-expired outfit.

There were some gorgeous tops in the Telegraph magazine on Saturday, would look really good with either smart black trousers or skirt, not silly money either.

A lot of the dresses in the links were too short for me, I'm 5'7" and don't want to display my knees! I like the first one from Debenhams, rosiemus - but the colour wouldn't suit me either.

I love the one you bought rosie it's very elegant.

Just looked at my Home Page and an advert for Monsoon showing that dress has popped up! Is there no escape from these cookies?

I've bought this one from Phase Eight
www.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/phase-eight/Dresses-with-sleeves/Lolita-Lace-Panel-Dress/201842078

And I am thinking about this one!
www.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/phase-eight/Dresses/Helen-Hearts-Print-Dress/201980920

getme I like the one you bought, and the other, well, I think you might get fed up with that quite quickly. (Just my opinion of course )

mincepie are you a very young granny? Like thirty?

I like the one you bought getme. And the other black lace one. Think it was M & Co.

It looks like the secret is to hit the websites of various clothes shops, sort through their "evening wear" (some of which seems to be pictured with boots?), discard anything with short skirts (I know how you feel – I am 5 foot 9 inches), and check anything with long or three-quarter sleeves. I would also avoid flounces and sequins, but you may differ. I found a few things that I thought that fitted those criteria and were okay, all reasonably priced below about £150.

I did think that the shoes/sandals featured here seemed a very odd choice...
second Debenhams dress

It's a dress.

Yes! But look at the shoes/sandals the model's wearing - they just don't seem right, to me...

The shoes and bag are unnatractive and I agree just don't go Ana and the black in the dress is a very drab black. It is a shame as it is a style that would suit many women. There are some really attractive dresses amongst the ones shown on here but so much black. Recently I decided I would not wear black again unless they are trousers. I have realised it is very draining on me now I am older.

I like black!

I did too Jeni until it made me look thin and haggard and I am not thin nor haggard normally. But I love dark navy blue and luckily there are clothes in navy everywhere for the first time in my whole life. Manufacturers finally got it, lots of women like navy.