I've been out burning money I really don't have this weekend, as it's my office Christmas party this week (although it seems very premature to celebrating Christmas). I'm not a big fan of overspending on occasion wear, my cost-cutting outfits this year have included a £14 Tesco dress worn for my friend's wedding, a 3 year old pencil skirt worn for my graduation and a £30 River Island dress for just about every other event. My reasoning is, that there's no point spending my hard earned pennies on occasion wear when I seldom need it.
However, my upcoming office Christmas do has pressured me into buying a dress so out of my bargain-buying comfort zone, I feel slightly nauseous just glancing at the till receipt. Because when the party is being held in a Michelin-starred restaurant, with the owner of our company, who gives his name to a global jewellery brand, flying over for the event, I felt this was one occassion when I couldn't resort to Primark.
So, I bought this amazing gold brocade dress from Whistles...
I'm not telling the price...
Last night's Pride of Britain Awards saw a star-studded line-up don their gladrags for their red carpet moment. But who were the winners and losers in the style parade? Here's my review of the celeb looks..
Christine Bleakley put her Daybreak troubles behind her last night and graced the red carpet in a black, assymetric, sequin encrusted number by Dannii Minogue's fashion label, Project D. Project D dresses are fast becoming a celeb red-carpet favourite, seen previously on Amanda Holden, Liz Hurley, and of course Dannii herself. I'm not a big fan of this dress on Christine however, the look maybe simple and tasteful but it is also doing nothing for the tv presenter's fantastic figure. The length is odd, it should either be thigh-skimming or knee-grazing, not languishing in limbo-land somewhere in between. So whilst look this isn't a red carpet disaster, it's also not winning any best-dressed prizes from me.
Next up best pals Cheryl Cole and my style crush, Nicola Roberts, walked the red carpet together in two contrasting looks. Cheryl played it safe in a floor-skimming black gown, perhaps choosing a simple gown following the criticism her recent X-factor outfit choices have recieved. I think Cheryl looks nice here- simple, grown-up and stylish. Nicola wore a gown by a favourite designer of mine, Brit boy William Tempest. I am in love with the look- the mid-calf length of this dress is bang-on-trend and the bejewelled platform sandals add a touch of girly luxe to the overall outfit. All-in-all another sartorial triumph for fashion's new darling.
Finally, whilst I don't want to be seen to be Coleen-bashing (she's had her fair share of that in the media lately), I didn't like Ms Rooney's look at all; her dress was made from some odd, shiny, black-patterned material that looked cheap and more suited to a bargain basement gown. However, I have to give kudos to Coleen for her on-trend leopard print accessories and her updo that was reminscent of the hair styling on Prada's a/w10 catwalk. But even these styling touches failed to rescue such a dire dress, a shame, because Coleen's looking trim and healthy (whatever's going on in her private life). What are your opinion on the red carpet dresses from the event?
