Party season is nearly upon us, which means the hunt for the perfect dress is on. Midi? Monochrome? Sequins? Sleeved? We’ve picked the high street’s hero frocks – and there’s inspiration for every invitation…
TIP Choose a tuxedo dress for a modern take on party dressing
LADY IN RED LADY INLADY IN RED LADY IN RED
From scarlet and ruby to mulled wine, red is a key colour for Christmas. Be inspired by the catwalk and wear this classic colour head-to-toe.
TIP A flared hem and ecorative shoulders balance wider hips
TIP Plush velvet is elegant enough to go from work to wow with a switch of shoes
1 £299, 6-20, L.K.Bennett 2 £275, 6-20, Rixo 3 £199, 6-18, Hobbs 4 £265, 6-18, & Other Stories 5 £289, 18-26, Tyra Banks at Karen Millen Curve 6 £320, 6-16, Cefinn 7 £190, 6-16, Kitri 8 £207, 6-16, Hofmann Copenhagen at The Outnet 9 £58, 6/8-22/24, Bonprix at Freemans 10 £325, 6-18, Wyse London 11 £295, 6-16, Ted Baker 12 £159, xs-xl, Ghost London 13 £22, 8-24, George
TIP Calling all black and white devotees. We dare you to try this fun frock!
Available in petite & long
TIP The beauty of modern monochrome is that it can be tailored to any occasion
TIP Sheer sleeves provide the ideal balance of reveal and conceal
Up to size 26
TIP Floaty fabrics are perfect for petite figures, as they won’t drown small frames
TIP For dinner parties, think of your top half and go for decorative collars, sleeves and necklines
MONOCHROME MAGIC
Look to black and white, creams and silvers to reveal a new, quiet beauty that is pure perfection. Striking silhouettes and irresistible textures will make monochrome dressing utterly mesmerising.
Up to size 28
Dress, £149, 4-18; bag, £39, both The White Company
1 £25, 8-20, Et Vous by Matalan 2 £195, 6-16, Kitri 3 £69, 6-24 regular, 8-20 petite and long, Marks & Spencer 4 £149, 4-20 regular and petite, Whistles 5 £195, 6-16, Ted Baker 6 £329, xs-l, Neve & Noor 7 £199, 6-20, Hobbs 8 £250, 6-16, Jigsaw 9 £349, 6-26, Phase Eight 10 £79, 6-22, Next 11 £89.99, xs-xxl, H&M 12 £110, 6-16, Selected Femme at Anthropologie 13 £129, 12-28, Live Unlimited
TIP A sleeveless dress has a similar vibe to a slip dress but will allow for a more supportive bra
Available in petite
TIP Bronze and brown are this season’s most versatile colours
Up to size 26
Up to size 26
TIP A one-shoulder style d
