The holiday season is officially here, with the festive countdown already started and you’ll probably be looking forward to two weeks of ultimate partying ahead. Well, you may have spent hours at the gym to look your best and cheat with delicacies and champagne, but is your wardrobe ready yet? Well, it’s high time that you start planning your holiday outfits for all the parties you’ve been invited to. And it would be smarter to have a few extra ones decided, just in case you get an unexpected invite! There would be family gatherings, work parties and New Year’s Eve and you would want to a unique look every time you step out. So let me help you with some of the best outfit tips that I’ve shortlisted for this festive season.
Before we go ahead with the tips, I would like to talk a bit about Esprit, my favorite for special occasion dresses. From the iconic little black number to sexy bodycon dresses, elegant sheath dresses, feminine maxi dresses, glamorous bustier dresses, and more, the special occasion dresses from Esprit come to my rescue every time. I already have some stocked in my wardrobe that I plan to wear this festive season and I’m planning to indulge in some more because with Esprit, I cannot just have enough! Now let me share some cool festive wear tips that you can follow to look best this party season.
Experience the warmth of velvet
Velvet sheath dress with silver polka dots
Price: £ 45.00
Velvet is not just for Santa Claus, it is ruling the fashion circuits this year as it looks amazing and keeps you warm as well. And what about this stunning Sheath Velvet dress with silver dots from Esprit. A perfect pick that has all the sass to make you stand apart on the dance floor! Team it with ankle-length boots and you’re ready to set the floor on fire.
Paint the town red
Velvet dress with band colour and belt
Price: £ 59.00
While black is the ultimate party color, you would not want to make it your signature style by wearing it on every single occasion. My idea of a perfect night out would be a rich velvet number in red that gets you all the attention you deserve. Pair it with a shimmery clutch, pretty dangling earrings and high heels and you’ll be a star in your right.
Don’t forget the shimmer
Chiffon dress with sequins
Price: £ 69.00
And how can you forget your sequins this festive season because no holiday wardrobe is ever complete without a shimmering sequined outfit. I’ve picked up this stunning dark teal chiffon sequin dress from Esprit for the New Year Eve. And this one promises to look awesome even if I wear it with a warm coat or jacket to keep the chill out.
Day or night, just be there with a perfect dress
Chiffon dress with colourful woven polka dots
Price: £ 45.00
Another challenge with festive dressing is that we think so much about the nights out that we tend to ignore the day parties. For the woman who wants to have all eyes on her as she attends a day out this party season, I recommend this trendy Chiffon dress with colorful woven polka dots. I’m sure you’ll love it as much I do.
Get gorgeously glittery
Pleated mesh skirt with sequins
Price: £ 59.00
No shying around this party season! Reserve this gorgeous pleated mesh skirt with sequins for one of the special evenings that you would want to light up with your stunning presence. The lovely color coordinates well with black. I would recommend teaming it with a stretchy black jumper and high heels in black.
Be a showstopper with leather
Bardot dress in jersey and faux leather
Price: £ 55.00
One occasion that leaves me confused regarding the choice of outfits is an office party. But this time, I’ve found something perfect. Leather is a fabric that I find absolutely irresistible and would not want to skip for my festive dressing too. I’ve picked this Esprit jersey and faux leather dress to satiate my leather-love this season and is a good option for formal gatherings as well. The Bardot neck adds to the glamour quotient while the faux leather skirt gives it just the right dose of sass.
Save a maxi dress for a special occasion
Chiffon maxi dress decorated with rhinestones
Price: £ 99.00
I’m a true maxi lover and would not want to skip this style in any season, let alone holidays. So I have a perfect maxi dress saved for a special occasion. This sensuous black chiffon maxi dress from Esprit is embellished with rhinestones that give it the glitter and shine for being a perfect showstopper this New Year Eve.
Also to add more panache to your look dont forget to pair your outfit with killer pair of heels
Hope these tips will help you have a sassy holiday season ahead!
Estée Lauder Pure Colour Eye Palette, Rosy Nudes
And if it’s haircare that is top-of-mind for this friend or family member, you can’t go wrong with the Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer (loved by men and women alike!) or the Dyson Airwrap for those gorgeous, luscious curls.
My second favourite look would be suitable for brunch dates or daytime outings where you need to look casually stylish with minimal effort. Here, I’ve worn an elegant embroidered skirt with a semi-sheer white, full-sleeves blouse, and short blue boots. Everything I’m wearing is by Monsoon, and I love the graceful femininity all their clothes promise.
Pro Tip – Wear a bold lip-colour or eye-shadow with this look to make sure that your outfit does not draw attention away from the face.
What do you wear when there’s a definitive nip in the air but you still need to look boho chic? Pull out a sweater with culottes to match. For my sweater-culottes combo, I wore a colour-block John Lewis turtleneck with matching orange wide-leg culottes.
One of my favourite Autumn Winter look in semi-formal outfits is the blazer-scarf pairing which is always a head-turner. I wore a plum jersey blazer by Joules with straight jeans and brogues. I added on a knitted scarf with a cute star pattern which adds oodles of oomph to it, and also because I love star print.
Pro Tip – Look up interesting ways to style your scarf – that can really up the style quotient of this ensemble.
So now you are all ready to experiment and add that extra style and colour to your Autumn Winter Wardrobe.
The place has an amazing history as well, which adds to its attraction manifold. With its earliest evidence dating back to 1239 and the association with the famous names like Lady Caroline Lamb (who had a scandalous affair with Lord Byron) and Lord Palmerston (the Prime Minister who died while making out with a chambermaid on the billiard table), Brocket Hall offers a slice intrigue for history lovers. Not only was it home two Prime Ministers but was also frequented by the royals like Queen Elizabeth I, Queen Victoria and Edward VII centuries ago.
I had the opportunity to explore all that this lovely location offers during a weekend stay here. And trust me, it does have a lot to offer- beautiful surroundings, sumptuous food, comfortable stay and of course, an interesting history. We stayed at the elegant 
Originally a coach house, the Melbourne Lodge now has 16 rooms, each of which is named after a racehorse. This has been done as a tribute to the history of the place, which used to be a race course once. Our room was named the Sun Chariot and I loved its decor. It was spacious, bright and airy, in addition to being well-aligned with the classic appearance of the rest of the estate. The vintage décor, with rich velvet drapings, squashy armchairs, illuminated oil paintings and china lamps, deserves a special mention. The bed in our room was crafted with a massive feature back to represent the regal era. The bathroom too had a vintage touch with deep bath and double sinks.
While the rooms at the Melbourne Lodge still replicate the rich heritage that the place is so well-known for, they also have all the modern amenities that you may want for a comfortable stay. with complimentary breakfast in the lakeside Clubhouse as a part of the package. Besides enjoying the luxurious experience here, I took immense pleasure in the refreshing views of the lovely lush green golf course from the huge sash windows of my room.
The peace and tranquility of the place impressed me the most, but amazingly that is not all! Brocket Hall is a serene and calm location that offers a relaxing break, away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Still, there is something for everyone here. My little one loved the greens, golf course walks and rides in the golf cart. There was something incredible about the drive around the golf course; a massive lake in the center, the myriad ancient trees, and the impressive architecture all around, together made a feast for the eyes.
Comprising of unusual dishes such as Heritage Beetroot, B low Torch Smoked Eeel (for the non-vegetarian meal) and Miso Caramel Mousse, it was an absolute gastric delight. The wine list was equally impressive, with the likes of Pouilly Fuisse, Uruolat Jurancon and Chateau Montelena served as a part of the menu. The seven-course meal cost £ 85 per person with tasting wines at £ 135 per person, which can be considered whopping but were worth the price considering the dining experience we had. And one thing that I cannot forget about Auberge du Lac is that we were taken to the restaurant from the lodge in the golf cart which was as amazing as the food itself.
The weekend trip to Brocket Hall was a complete getaway for me as it had everything a looked for, the tranquility of the countryside, a luxurious stay, wonderful ambience, excellent dining experiences and views to die for. I will definitely make it a point to visit the place soon.
Let’s start with a luxurious ride in a limo. Make her feel like a queen as you book a plush limousine to pick her for a date. Have a bottle of wine ready as you pop up the big question to her. Take her to her favorite destination in town, dinner at a restaurant she loves or a bonfire by the riverside. She’ll probably remember this one as the ride of her life.
Another thing to note about So Shape Smart Meals is that they have vegan and some gluten-free options as well. This feature gets them an extra thumbs-up from me because it can get very difficult to find vegan/gluten-free meals that do not require too much prepping.
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