BELLE OF THE BALL The timeless little black dress: a must for every woman’s wardrobe. So versatile that, worn with different accessories, you’ll have people asking you “Your outfit is gorgeous! Where’s that from? Is it new?” “Yes” you can reply triumphantly; secretly knowing that the real answer is in fact: no, and that you have little more than changed around a few accessories, with, of course, help from this guide. Step 1) Choose the perfect dress. This is by far the most difficult part! Do not stress out ladies! My tip is to keep it simple; keep it chic. Your dress should act as the foundation of your outfit. Definitely don’t try to match a dress to those shoes you just bought, otherwise you’ll be agonising for hours! Choose a dress such the one to the right; clean cut with structure. The added bonus of this particular dress is the jewel detail. Keep the hair up to emphasis the detail, or leave the hair down for a more relaxed look.
Charlotte knew it was nearly time for her Prince Charming to make an appearance… but she completely forgot to bring the mistletoe!
Step 2) Shoes! The make or break of an outfit. I’d be sensible a say choose shoes you can walk/dance in. But, I’m not a conventional kind of girl, having on, too many an occasion, fallen in love with a pair of heels- they may be impractical but oh so pretty! I say wear them! Prepare to impress; just remember to bring your slippers for the end of the night! Shoes such as these would go perfectly, with the silver complimenting the detailing on the neckline of the dress:
Or if you are feeling a little more daring then try these purple numbers to add a bit of kick to your outfit (an acceptable choice due to the silver detailing on the shoe):
Step 3) Clutch- where all your essentials go! How do guys cope without one? Sequins are definitely the way forward- it is the festive season after all. Try a clutch such as these:
Or pick up either of these if you are channelling your inner rebel:
Step 4) As a general rule, keep your jewellery all gold, or all silver. So seeing as we have already used silver this is what we will stick to. There is no need for a necklace due to the detailing on the dress neckline. Be selective. Keep the outfit young and fresh with chunky jewellery such as these:
Step 5) Make final touch ups to your make up (I’m sure you don’t need any!) And finally, make sure your irresistible with a squirt of your favourite perfume! Voila! You shall go to the ball! So wherever you’re party-ing it up this festive season, prepare to dazzle the other ladies with the hints and tips from this short guide.
By Catherine Wells
Items selected in order of appearance: http://www.freemans.com/AX-Paris-Diamante-Split-NeckDress/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=33S733_10&N=426+4294965462+681+699+706+4294957320+4294953974& Nao=96&Au=P_MasterItem&Nu=P_MasterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0 http://www.freemans.com/ShinySandals/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=554410_7&N=426+414+681+699+706+4294959572+4294958665&Nao=48&A u=P_MasterItem&Nu=P_MasterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0# http://www.freemans.com/Laura-ScottSandals/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=246723_6%2E5&N=426+414+681+699+706+4294959572+4294958665&Nao =48&Au=P_MasterItem&Nu=P_MasterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0# http://www.freemans.com/Silver-HeeledSandals/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=920504_6&N=426+414+681+699+706+4294959572&Nao=0&Au=P_MasterIte m&Nu=P_MasterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0# http://www.freemans.com/French-Connection-Sequin-Shell-ClutchBag/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=32J124_&N=0&Nao=96&Au=P_MasterItem&Nu=P_MasterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C 0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0&merch=Freemans_Recommends&RecType=Endeca_xsells# http://www.freemans.com/French-Connection-Sequin-Box-ClutchBag/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=42D316_&N=426+4294965504+681+699+706+598&Nao=96&Au=P_MasterItem& Nu=P_MasterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0# http://www.freemans.com/Religion-Union-JackClutch/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=27X004_&N=426+4294965504+681+699+706+598&Au=P_MasterItem&Nu=P_ MasterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0 http://www.freemans.com/Religion-Stud-ClutchBag/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=32R001_&N=426+4294965504+681+699+706+598&Au=P_MasterItem&Nu=P_Ma sterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0# http://www.freemans.com/Joe-Browns-AdjustableRing/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=30X097_&N=426+608+681+699+706+4294958431&Nao=0&Au=P_MasterItem& Nu=P_MasterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0 http://www.freemans.com/Fashionable-DressRing/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=640163_&N=426+608+681+699+706+4294958431&Nao=0&Au=P_MasterItem&N u=P_MasterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0# http://www.freemans.com/Rhinestone-EffectRing/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=644028_&N=426+608+681+699+706+4294958431&Nao=0&Au=P_MasterItem& Nu=P_MasterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0# http://www.freemans.com/Collezione-AlessandroBangle/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=709549_&N=426+608+681+699+706+4294965356&Nao=0&Au=P_MasterIte m&Nu=P_MasterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0# http://www.freemans.com/Wide-FashionBangle/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=416621_&N=426+608+681+699+706+4294965356&Nao=0&Au=P_MasterItem &Nu=P_MasterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0 http://www.freemans.com/Antique-EffectBangle/productdisplay.stm?An=681&A=252203_&N=426+608+681+699+706+4294965356&Nao=0&Au=P_MasterIte m&Nu=P_MasterItem&Ns=P_Colour%7C0%7C%7CP_Size%7C0#
BRIEF Calling all fashion fans! If you’re a student with a great sense of style and a keen eye for what looks good, the Freemans Fashion Writing competition could be the perfect opportunity to share your insights with the world. We’re offering young writers the chance to win fabulous prizes and see their work in print on our fashion blog. To enter, all you have to do is find the perfect party dress for the holiday season in the Freemans catalogue - think office Christmas parties and New Year’s Eve – and construct an outfit around it, justifying your choices in a blog article of around 250-400 words. We’ve got plenty of items to choose from, and we’re looking for creative and well thought out entries, so don’t be afraid to be bold and individual! The articles will be judged on both the outfit you choose and the quality of the writing. The winning writer will have their piece published on our blog, and will also win a fabulous Toshiba Laptop! Three runners-up will be awarded brand new camcorders or digital cameras, and may also have their articles published. Freemans is one of the leading online fashion and homeware catalogues in the UK. Getting your work published on our site is a fantastic opportunity to build your CV and gain real industry experience. To enter our great competition, simply email your entry to us by 30th November 2011 7th December 2011 and include your full name, age and place of study. You can read the guest article by Helen Wilkinson, the winner of our previous student writing competition, here.