Christmas Wrapping - The Dilemmas Of What To Wear To The Work Christmas Party

I had the chance to write and extra blog post this week due to having the house to myself, well, nearly myself there are a few workmen about the place adding the finishing touches to my lovely new loft conversion, which will be finished before Christmas......won't it? So, yeah the reason we are having the loft conversion is to give us an extra floor in our home which was very much needed after filling the house with children, whom are currently out of the house so let's get on with blogging!

Anyone who follows me on my social networking pages will know I had a big fashion dilemma with what I should wear to my work Christmas party. I realised my error when I agreed to attend this work do without taking any consideration about what the hell I would wear. Generally I do not attend these kind of corporate events, I usually get to dress down everywhere I go, even when I'm dressed up, I've managed to dress it down, in a glamorous way, of course. Still confused? Well, let's just say, I understand how to dress for a wedding but a sparkly and glamourous outfit with heels for a Christmas party??? I realised I was out of my comfort zone.......that is until I remembered I had the most amazing colourful, sparkling, sequined covered Louise Gray X Topshop shift dress!!!!!!!! How could I forget it???? I have worn this dress out, only once, when I sang and DJ'd at my club night Bang's tenth Birthday party nearly two years ago. The dress also made a brief appearance on the No Debutante blog in a photo shoot collaboration but that doesn't count.

So, I have the dress, problem solved you may think? No sorry, there where more issues. The first being the strategically placed stars that may appear a bit risque for a work do? I did take a moment or two to consider this but then decided against it, it's not a problem, it's just a fantastic dress! End of....Not quite, this is when things got really scrambled (in my head) I thought I would just wear some shimmery sheer tights which are very flattering and added sparkle to the whole Glam outfit, I had already decided I was definitely wearing my platform heeled white sandals from Topshop, bang on trend and frankly I just love them and don't get to wear them, plus I really cannot stand to match up my accessories with my outfit too much, it's too twee for me, as I have said before I just buy an item because I like it, I never consider if I have anything in my wardrobe to go with it, so really the outfit was sorted. 

 I then I thought I'd just try on my glittery, very colourful and stripey Meadham Kirchhoff  X Topshop tights, now this look was totally No Debutante style, a Fash Clash Mash up of colours, prints and sparkles! If I was attending any other event (perhaps not a wedding) a would wear this outfit. It looked fabulous! I then did a very un-No Debutante thing and went for the first more flattering, less outrageous outfit. Why you may ask? I did it because, although I know I have blue hair and never wear the clothes I probably should wear to work and always want to be a fashion outsider, I think the dress with the stars on the boobs, with a smiley face covered in pink, blue, red and gold sequins worn with blue bouffant hair and white platform shoes was quite No Debutante enough, I love standing out, of course, but I do not want to be a clown, I didn't want to wear what everyone would expected me to. Well, you always have to leave an element of surprise in there somewhere, don't you? The name of this look? Sixties Underwater Mermaid Alien.....Its catchy.

Apologies for the random snap shots about my home with messy worktops, I am a mother of three who barely goes out, doesn't have hours of time to get ready and take lots of blog photographs before leisurely heading out. It was more leave work, pick kids up from school, throw a small birthday tea party for my three year old, hand over the gauntlet to my husband Phil and get ready to party in 30 minutes (including hair and nails) so you can understand my predicament! As long as I looked good doing it eh?

All clothing from Louise Gray X Topshop, Topshop & Meadham Kirchhoff  X Topshop

Thanks for joining me today.

ND xx

Fade to Gray - Louise Gray A/W 2012

I have been dying to show you Louise Gray's Autumn Winter collection ever since the A/W 2012 shows back at the beginning of the year. I had such a back log of stuff I hadn't even shown you for this Summer, what Summer? I hear everyone in the UK mutter to themselves whilst peeking out from under their umbrellas!! - Can I just say, not only is the continuous UK rainfall getting me down, I then have to read about how hot everyone is on any US blogs that I follow, which makes me really jealous!! Anyway, weather rant over for today!! I am now at the end of my Spring summer 2012 posts...

Let's have a look at Louise Gray's A/W 2012 collection of multi-coloured, print clashing, Pop Art Punks to cheer ourselves (Me) up.

How I shall be wearing Louise Gray AW 2012......If only I could afford the real thing.....

Let's start at the Punk inspired hair, I shall be quiff and spiking my hair up, perhaps create a bit of a curly quiff with my Babyliss styling wand. Sleek down the sides or for long hair, a pony tail and quiff up the front.

The 80s punk v's geisha girl make-up - loads of bright pink blending into orange eyeshadow/blush blended from the cheekbones right up to the side of the eyebrows...yeah!!!

The 80s inspired earrings - brightly coloured, massive beaded, trinket filled dangly earrings that finish below your chin. Wear 'em big!

The outfit - a 1960s style shift is the winner here, you can wear it over clashing printed tights, leggings or trousers ( the 1990s skirts and dresses over trousers look is massive this autumn winter) The print of your dress needs to clash with any other prints you are wearing or at least come in a different colour to the rest of the outfit. The jackets are either cropped or sixties inspired rain macs to wear over your main outfit or opt for a long sleeve shirt or printed long sleeve bodysuits to be worn under your dress like a pinafore.

The footwear - the knee high boot returns, wear them bright and printed and clashed up with your brightly printed tights or trousers.

The prints - this collection is a mash up of tribal aztec, metallic futurism, 1960s graphic  op-art and bleached up, punk paint splashes....all must be worn at once.

The Bag - bright and clashing with your outfit and carried like a clutch upside down.

I think that covers it.

Oh, Louise Gray,  you are becoming my favourite fashion designer ever!! As always, you are sooo creative and colourful and it seems, like me, you are very influenced by 1970s punk and 1980s style, with a smidge of 1960s pop art. I could wear every piece of  all your collections!!!

I love Louise Gray's personal style, she completely absorbs her collections, which makes me appreciate and enjoy the collections more. It makes them more wearable, I think, to see the designer wearing the collection. the clothes aren't just for very young, skinny catwalk models! Check out some images of Louise Gray above, I am loving the randomly applied eye make-up and I am considering this look for the next time I DJ at my club night Bang, which is in less than two weeks on Friday 27 July!! Excited!!! ND xx

Sources used for images include www.catwalkqueen.tv www.futurespacemagazine.com www.thedandyproject.com www.stylebubble.co.uk http://pinterest.com/nodebutante/