Updating your festive wardrobe for 2024

My goodness it feels like ages since I’ve worked on a post about getting dressed up. The Christmases since the Covid pandemic have been so subdued that at a retail level it hasn’t made sense to stock a lot of partywear. Well I can tell you that it’s all changed this season. I spent an afternoon analysing the London stores last week when I was down for the get together and they were like a huge dressing up box. It’s a joy to see that kind of confidence again and it was interesting to see party style moving on after its long hiatus. So today’s post is all about updating your festive wardrobe for 2024 and as I haven’t written about it for so long, it’s a bumper one (a whole bucket of tea or wine required!).

I know that as you read this you’ll probably be thinking,”I don’t have many exciting events so I’ll make do with what I have.” I’ve been doing the same in November for the whole of my adult life and then suddenly as I open the first advent calendar door I feel the rising quest for something new – and it’s all sold out so I end up buying something rubbish from the back of a rail in Zara. So this year I’ve scoured the high street retailers to assess how things have moved on and I’m bringing you wearable ideas. Before I show you my top picks though I want to recap on style theory or what you may remember as the four pillars of Christmas dressing. These are the established categories that retailers work to behind the scenes because they know that most women will fall across a few and need to build their wardrobes accordingly.

The four pillars of festive dressing

Let’s pin them down:

Black tie/formal party dressing – at the more traditional end of festive dressing, your work party perhaps or the golf club do or a ‘let’s get dressed up for the joy of it’ dinner party. It usually centres on a great dress with heels although I find my preference these days is for a jumpsuit or trouser suit – I tend to be in a minority though and that’s probably why I like it.
Smarter festive day outfit – this might be the sort of thing you wear for a desk to dinner event, for your Christmas lunch with friends or for a theatre trip. It isn’t as formal as the first category and often works best as separates. You might even wear this outfit on Christmas day.
Relaxed December days – your Christmas shopping outfit, picking your Christmas tree or a walk and pub lunch with friends. You want to nod to the festivities without being OTT.
Christmas ‘out out’ – drinks with your partner, a night out with friends, New Year’s Eve – a time where you want to sparkle but in a more laidback way than number one.

So, you’ll instinctively veer towards one category or maybe more. It depends on your lifestyle and you may find that yours has moved on in recent years, I think most people’s will have done. It also depends on your personal style of course. Some people are perfectly happy to wear a formal dress for a night in a bar in December – it’s the season where you can bring out your inner princess and nobody cares because it’s Christmas. Equally you may feel a bit bah humbug about the whole thing and just want a cool t-shirt that gives an ironic nod to the festivities – that’s ok too. If ever there was a decade for ‘you do you’ it’s the 2020s. If you feel good that’s all that matters.

A few notes on dressing up in midlife

I’m aware that I perhaps dress up more than some people. We go out dancing a lot, we still have business dos to go to and when I accept invitations to brand events I have to represent Midlifechic. It gives me the chance to observe other women in their finery and this is what I’ve deduced.

Dial it up. I’ve been trying to think about how to explain this and it takes me back to being little when TVs weren’t very good and you had to wait for them to warm up (remember that?). Every night my mum would say, “the picture isn’t strong enough Fred – turn the contrast up” and he’d have to get down on his knees and fiddle around. That’s what we need to do in midlife – turn the contrast up… be brighter and bolder. When we were younger we could just do the Audrey Hepburn thing of adding a pair of diamanté earrings to whatever we were wearing and they would light up our bloom. That doesn’t work as well any more, it requires a bit more effort. To avoid being invisible we need to be braver with outfits – so think ‘turn the contrast up’ before you leave the house in December. You won’t look ridiculous, you’ll look confident and sassy. And yes I do believe it’s worth adding a bit of sparkle at every opportunity, even if you’re just popping to the shops. Spread a little joy.
Think colour. You may look fabulous in a little black dress, some people do but with midlife’s fading pigment most of us need more of a boost. However don’t just pick red because it’s festive, think about what looks best on you. Are you more of a gold or silver person? Do you look better in blue or purple or pink or green? The great thing about this year is that there are so many Christmas options in more colours than I’ve ever seen before so choose the shade that really works for you. Just don’t shy away from brights, they make all the difference, they’re guaranteed conversation starters and you’ll have a much better time when you’re wearing them.
Think texture. Yes I’m on about that again. It’s so important and this is the time of year when you can really play with it – shine… sparkle… deep lush pile. Think about my last post when I talked about contrasting shine with pile in every outfit to make the light bounce around. The effect is amplified at this time of year because you’re surrounded by lights – disco, fairy, candle – so work it to the max.
Accessorise well. Don’t just throw on a frock and assume it will do all of the hard work. It needs friends – a great bag, the right shoes, good jewellery or perhaps a beaded scarf, sparkly tights or socks. This is perhaps the area where there’s been the most change – grab bags have replaced clutch bags for example, fine necklaces are giving way to statement pieces, socks are worn visibly with trainers and finer denier tights are replacing opaques.
Be a bit sexy. I was reading a interview with a stylist recently who said that she can always judge a woman’s sex life by the way she dresses. I dismissed it initially but then I was watching Emily In Paris and you can’t help looking at Sylvie and knowing that her midlife character still has a throbbing pulse. It’s in her attitude but it’s also in her clothes and when I look at her, one word springs to mind – allure. There’s nothing more powerful in any room than a midlife woman who has allure, she blows all of the pretty young things out of the water. So think Parisian chutzpah when you’re considering your necklines and go for the extra button undone rather than the round neck – or the slightly slimmer cut of skirt maybe with a slit – or a shorter hemline – or a dress that drapes – or a tuxedo worn with only a bra underneath – or a high rise jean that accentuates your waist. Just don’t wear more than one of these at once. Or do – and slay the room (as the kids say)!
Don’t be a wallflower. Whatever you’re wearing, old or new, walk into a room with confidence. Pull your shoulders back and smile, meet people’s eyes – as I always say, ‘better to be the one who looked and smiled than the one who turned away.’ So many women tell me they feel invisible at this stage of life and it’s because they shrink attitudinally. If you want to be seen, put on your attitude in the same way that you put on your outfit. It will be the difference between having three conversations and twenty.

So with all of that in mind, let’s move on to the four pillars of festive dressing and find a few updates that might work for you. Before I start, just a word about sequins. We know that they’re bad for the planet, even so they’re everywhere this season. I’ve included some in my round-ups, it’s up to you whether you opt for them. If you can’t resist make sure that you’re buying a piece you’ll wear for years to come. I often wear sequins for my bigger disco events and had a great time buying preloved pieces on Vinted this summer after the Taylor Swift tour – it’s often worth looking there first.

Ok, so let’s have a look at the four pillars of Christmas dressing in action and I want to thank John Lewis for allowing me to borrow a few outfits for a trying on session.

Pillar 1 – Black tie/formal party

For most people this means a dress and it’s always good to have a ‘style me up, style me down’ version in your wardrobe. I have to admit that this is probably my least worn area these days. I wear dresses far less than I used to, partly because my lifestyle has become more relaxed now that we don’t have as many business functions to go to but also because dresses have been so popular over the last few years that it makes me want to go against the flow. I had to dig deep to find a black tie photo, all the way back to 2019 when Mal was president of the Chamber of Commerce and we had a lot of formal things to attend. Here are just a few of them and I miss the dressing up but not the events themselves!

Reiss dress past season

Bombshell dress past season

Baukjen dress past season

Hush dress past season

It’s interesting looking back and analysing things like this from a distance, I still like and have a few of these dresses. What I notice is the importance of good accessories – metallics work with everything so it’s always good to have a capsule of metallic bags and party shoes. Bare legs are key, even in winter – your natural skintone is the best way of adding balance to any outfit. Black tie events are almost always in a warm environment, you don’t have to worry about being cold. Colour is important, I prefer the gold and turquoise blue on me to the navy options. Neckline – because I have a roundish face a lower neckline always works best. Hemline – any dipping of the hem on a knee length or midi-dress will always be more flattering. And drape – the lace dress is stiffer than the others and so doesn’t flow as well.

Updating your festive wardrobe for 2024 – my recommendation

So what would I pick for this year if I had an event like this? I miss the turquoise blue of the last dress I showed you – one of you bought it in my charity sale so I was drawn to this in a similar hue. It has the same neckline which has a cleverly hidden hook and eye so that you can adjust the plunge to whichever point you prefer. Any cleavage on show is balanced by the modest full sleeves so that it isn’t too outré. The waistline has elastic at the back so the curved cut is flattering and yet there’s enough drape over your tummy. It makes it much more comfortable to wear than most sequinned dresses but I’d say it’s generous, a size 10 would have been big enough.

I find shine makes a big difference at a crowded event, it gives you more standout so it’s always worth looking for sequinned, lurex or satin fabrics. This dress comes from a brand that has a higher sustainability rating with ‘Good On You’ than most high street labels and inclusive sizing that goes up to a UK28.

The move from clutches to ‘grab bags’ is a really useful outfit update because they’re light and easy to loop onto your wrist so that you still have two hands free for your drink and buffet plate. This one has both fluff and glitter so it’s a very well priced way of updating your evening looks.

Teal sequin dress; Grab bag; shoes my own

This year’s party dresses – updating your festive wardrobe for 2024

Here are some more options. You’ll see that midi and maxi are still the key lengths although there are a few mini-dresses around. To compensate for the leg on show they tend to be straight up and down which I find can give the impression of a thickened waist so I usually avoid them but if you’re a column shape they’ll look great. You’ll see I’ve picked dresses that make the eye move around rather than settle in one place by using tricks such as ruching, tassels, frills or drape.

Teal ruched dress. There’s an appetite for armour plating – an almost Joan of Arc style in dresses or tops as you can see here. It’s very flattering across the chest and tummy and this has a dipped front which is great on the legs too.
Tassel bottom dress – you’ll see a few of these around and they look great on. It’s like wearing a mini-dress but without the great shaft of leg exposé, a really refreshing new look for the season. (If you like this concept there’s also a great value skirt version here).
Red ruched dress. This has the most beautiful ruching in a great crinkle texture and it’s something you’d get plenty of wear out of because it doesn’t scream party and yet the deep red looks suitably festive.
Red halterline dress. A sleeveless option for people who feel the heat, this looks better on than off because of the lovely draping at the neckline.
Blue metallic dress. This has to have been inspired by The Vampire’s Wife (RIP), it’s such a classic version of their bestselling styles. Blue isn’t an obvious festive colour so it will give you more standout.
Bronze ruched dress. Another dress that looks better on than in the photo, it’s a beauty with its lush metallic gold effect, it stopped me in my tracks when I saw it in store.
Green satin dress. One for the green lovers in a shimmering satin – it has a lovely racer/halter effect neckline plus a dipped hemline. I’ve just ordered it to try for the youngest’s graduation next year (touch wood and all that) because it’s the perfect shade of Leeds University green.
Red wine dress. A Christmas classic in a true merlot – washable stretch velvet, one that you’ll wear for years and years, as comfy to wear as a dressing gown – great for draughty old houses like ours.

Pillar 2 – Smarter festive day outfits

This is one of the categories that I lean towards heavily. I tend to have quite a few lunches in December and I like to add a bit of sparkle – in fact I wear this kind of outfit more and more as we approach Christmas Day, just because it makes me feel good. I find separates are the answer and I’ll often go for a more jazzy bottom with a low key top half, just for a high/low contrast. Adding boots rather than shoes makes everywhere walkable too. I have so many photos of this kind of outfit, here are a few from over the years and the fact that I haven’t sold a single one of these pieces in my charity sales is proof to me that this is my personal style heartland when it comes to daytime outfits in November and December. You’ll notice that for me it’s all about keeping the shine and texture on the bottom half, balanced out with a lower key top.

Hope Fashion Jumper and skirt – past season, boots LK Bennett past season

John Lewis jumper past season, Hush skirt and boots past season; Jigsaw bag past season

Boden jumper and skirt – past season, John Lewis coat – past season, Hush boots – past season

Duffy cashmere jumper – past season, Boden skirt – past season; LK Bennett boots – past season

Jigsaw Coat – past season; M&S Cardigan – past season; Hush skirt and boots – past season

Updating your festive wardrobe for 2024 – my recommendation

So what would I put together for this year? I’ve gone high/low here with a high collab cashmere jumper and a great value skirt. As well as the arctic blue that I mentioned in my last post, there’s another sleeper trend colour – purple. It’s rich and royal so it works well for this time of year, it suits most skintones and yet very few people wear it. This piece of knitwear is beautifully designed – there’s enough cashmere in it for two ordinary jumpers because it’s all about the drape. You can arrange it off the shoulder but it works really well swathed on the shoulder like this so it would be a brilliant desk to dinner option. It would be so versatile for a winter break because you could style it casually with jeans and then dress it up for the evening like this, it really is cashmere plus plus and it’s also available in black or grey.

The long pencil skirt is surprisingly good value and for that reason it’s selling quickly but as with my outfits above it’s timeless so you’d wear it for years and years. The fabric is great quality, quite heavy so it would be warm enough to wear if you were out and about and there’s a split at the back for easy movement.

Cashmere jumper; Sequin skirt; Boots my own

Jazzy bottoms – updating your festive wardrobe for 2024

Here are some more ideas for a jazzy bottom half, I’ve added in some great pairs of trousers that could also be worn ‘out out’. They’re very good cuts although it’s hard to tell that from these photos so it’s worth looking at the model shots.

Black lace and sequin flares. It’s hard to assess these from this product picture but they’re great – they’re high waisted lace flares with a covering of sequins. Great leg lengtheners.
Black faux leather trousers (you can see me wearing them in section 4). A superb cut and great quality, hard to distinguish from real leather. Also available in silver.
Glitter jeans – a wider straight leg with glitter embedded in the denim. perfect for a party night out.
Sequin mini– a great price for something you won’t wear very often. Add a cosy knit and opaque tights with boots – yes you can wear this kind of thing over 40. Also available in green.
Mermaid skirt – a beautiful fishtail skirt with subtle sequin embellishment – so unusual.
Gold skirt – a shimmering pleated skirt that gleams as you move, also available in liquid silver. Lovely with a white t-shirt in the summer too.
Red sequinned skirt – you can’t get more Christmassy than this and it goes up to a size 28. A lovely brand that doesn’t get enough recognition.
Silver mini – you’ve just seen me wearing this, it’s a favourite and it’s much easier to style than you think if you keep everything else simple.

Pillar 3 – Relaxed December days

Outfits for Christmas shopping or picking out the Christmas tree. They’re low key, perhaps just an extra touch added to an ordinary winter look. As you can see I love a touch of red, a metallic boot or a fair isle jumper. I wear this sort of thing less often than my formula above but that’s just because I like to be never knowingly underdressed in December. Here are a few examples from the last couple of years.

Boden jumper and boots, White Stuff cords all past season

White Stuff jumper past season, Hush leather leggings past season; Boden flat boots past season

John Lewis coat; Mango jumper; Me+Em jeans; Arket boots – all past season

Hush coat; Boden jumper; Mango jeans; Boden boots – all past season

Updating your festive wardrobe for 2024 – my recommendation

So my top choice for this year would be an ‘almost but not quite’ Christmas jumper. Given that slogan tops have come back at whiplash speed I couldn’t resist this subtle, two sided version which also covers off my splash of red (although it’s also available in bright green). It has ‘naughty’ on the front with a ‘nice’ sign-off on the lower back. The slogan is intarsia so it’s woven subtly into the jumper rather than embroidered on top which adds to the quality feel. I’ve added a t-shirt underneath to make the slogan pop and I’d wear it like this, with jeans and metallic boots in my usual way for a relaxed December day and it would work beautifully with a snazzy skirt too.

Jumper; jeans and boots my own

Relaxed Christmassy tops – updating your festive wardrobe for 2024

Here are some more ideas, all with texture, some with sparkle, none of them just for Christmas.

Relaxed tops

Cream sparkle jumper for anyone who prefers to keep their sparkle subtle. A well-priced cosy jumper with just a hint of shimmer.
This blue velour top will be perfect with mid-wash jeans for a column effect
Red jumper with a touch of sparkle, this will elevate any simple outfit, I lingered over it in store last week because it’s subtle but effective
Mink velvety top. More of the breast plated armour effect with a flattering, slightly raised neckline, this would be so effective with a plain bottom half.
Fairy-tale of NY – so many people’s favourite – a designer touch at a fraction of the price of the jumpers and the black text is in glitter
Black sequinned sweatshirt – also available in cream, an easy way to elevate an everyday outfit
Leopard velvet – I’m never a fan of a flat leopard print but this is like the ponyskin shoe, the texture makes you look like a proper wildcat
Metallic gold jacket, worn with a simple cami underneath you could layer a coat over the top and still have a touch of festivity peeping out.

Pillar 4 – Christmas night ‘out out’

Hopefully we all have at least one ‘out out’ night in the calendar. My biggest one is a full-on disco theme so I’ll be in 70s garb for that. Otherwise it’s quite low key for me on this front – a couple of nights with friends locally, a few more in Newcastle. It’ll give me a chance to parade my shiny boots but the rest of my outfit will be centred on the ‘jeans and a nice top’ formula – tried and tested but perhaps updated for this year because I was clearly in a black and navy zone for 2023… must try harder!

Hush leather jacket; Boden satin blouse; Me+Em jeans; Hush boots – all past season

Boden blouse, trousers and shoes – all past season

Free People shirt; Me+Em jeans – past season

Hush leather jacket; Boden silk shirt; Whistles barrel jeans; Arket boots all past season

Updating your festive wardrobe for 2024 – my recommendation

And so what have I put together for you this year? A similar formula but with a bit more pizzazz thanks to the molten feel of the shirt which will catch the sparkle of the night and throw light onto your face. I’ve found a pair of fabulous flares and some gold boots for anyone who collects them like a magpie as I do. The jeans are a neat fit so if you’re in between sizes go up, I love the distressed hem – you won’t have to worry if they catch on the floor a bit. The gold boots are true to size and comfortable enough for a standing up all night/dancing event.

Gold shirt; black flares; gold boots

And some more party tops for you here, it’s such an easy formula and all of these would see you through ‘out out’ nights for the months ahead.

Party tops – updating your festive wardrobe for 2024

Metallic pussy bow blouse – this will look stunning with jeans, you’d have all the slimming effect of a colour-column outfit boosted with extra glow. Tie it low, Parisian style, if you don’t like the girliness of the bow
Gunmetal sequin cardigan – wear this with nothing underneath for allure – there’s a matching skirt, trousers and even hot pants if you dare and sizes go up to a UK28.
Cream sequinned turtle neck – this would work with so many different things, probably one of the most versatile pieces you could buy
Racer front ruched top – breast plating again with the most flattering cut at the shoulders in a deep pine green
Ruffle blouse – this is Chloe without the price tag, just add jeans and it’s the perfect outfit for all the new romantics
Velvet and pearl bardot top – another easy solution, this top has the shine and the lush pile all worked into one.
Velvet bow jacket – with black jeans, sparkly heels and a cami underneath, such a glamorous Grace Kelly look.
Vino t-shirt. One for the Christmas refuseniks – where there’s glitter there’s also wine!

And I know you’re probably nodding off but I couldn’t finish without a few accessories.

Green sequin grab bag – another great value way of updating your outfits, also available in black or gold
Bronze leather bag – the one I’m hovering over – a great way of bringing light to your outwear through Christmas and beyond
Silver grab bag – still the key metallic of the season
Glitter socks – bring the party to your loafers and trainers – various colours available, every detail counts
Molten scarf – for anyone who just want to nod to the season
Mermaid hoops – you can see me wearing these in the try-on, the most beautiful way of adding contemporary pearls to your look (20% off with MIDLIFECHIC20)
Bow climber earrings – edge your lobes with sparkle, they sit so beautifully
Rhinestone boot – not too over the top, just a touch of shine on your feet – available in black or charcoal
Feature heel shoe – these have almost sold out but they’re so beautiful I couldn’t resist adding them in
Silver boots – because everybody needs a pair in my opinion and these are leather yet brilliant value

So I hope that’s helped you to think about updating your festive wardrobe for 2024. I’m doing the old oxygen mask thing of making sure we sort something nice out for ourselves before we head into all the gift and food buying for everyone else. I’ll be back with a try-on post on Friday and then there will be three posts next week. I’m enjoying writing about Christmas much more this year than I have for a while, perhaps because I haven’t worked on it as much as I usually do over the summer. Anyway I’ll be here to help you through the next few weeks so that we can all be ready to enjoy December. See you on Friday.

Disclosure: ‘Updating your festive wardrobe for 2024 – bumper post!’ is not a sponsored post

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Updating your festive wardrobe for 2024 – bumper post!

The four pillars of festive dressing

A few notes on dressing up in midlife