First of all a word about sequins and sparkles. I would say that the vast majority of women with whom I work - at least 85% - love to wear sequins or sparkles. For those who don't, sorry! My aim isn't to try and convert anyone, just to give hints and tips on how to wear them for anyone who already does, or for anyone who would like to, but isn't sure how to go about it.
To me, sequins and sparkles incorporate everything from lurex, to studs, to sequins, whether shiny or matt - in fact, anything a magpie might pilfer. Here I've picked a few of my favourite items and I've also said a word about why....
This Lurex Pencil skirt Topshop (£38) is a good place to start for anyone after a sparkly skirt. The "healthy" length on it (the model on the Topshop site is 5ft 10" and it comes to just above her knee) negates any feeling of having too much on display. The dark background is also slimming and not too "shouty".
These shoes are my current favourites - I love them! The block heel is a major trend for this season which is great because it's actually really practical - and trends and practicality aren't necessarily something that normally go hand in hand. These Juniper glitter mid heels Topshop (£48) also come in bright pink and black. They also come in a metallic, as opposed to a sparkle, finish in three colour ways. Wearing a little sparkle on your shoes and not only that but the back of your shoes, is probably one of the most gentle introductions you could get to sparkle.
The Annie sparkle crew Whistles (£65) is also a very subtle way to wear sparkle. It's a lovely style jumper, easy to wear, not to challenging on the sparkle front and as well as aubergine, it comes in black, navy, khaki, ivory and teal.
For something a little more full on, there's the Nell all over sequin top Whistles (£30). I have this top and I love it. It's quite oversized and a little slouchy so good with fitted bottoms, whereas the jumper above is quite fitted. I have to say it's also a great price - much better than the one I paid for it! Obviously sizes are limited but it's a great one to have in your Christmas wardrobe.
I love this delicate mini studs hem blouse from Mango (£34.99). Subtle in its sparkle and with a flattering scoop neck and full length sleeve, it's a great shape for many.
I like the Crystal stud jumper from Topshop (£46) for the fact that the sparkle is confined to one area, which may hold more appeal to some than a full on sequinfest. I've shown the pale pink and grey marl below but it also comes in charcoal and aubergine too, and also in the petite and tall ranges.
This sequin sleeve blazer from Mango (£69.99) s a little more full on on the sequin front but not too much so. It could give a real kick up the whatsit to those older black trousers/jeans/pencil skirts languishing at the back of our wardrobes being lazy, thinking that they have worked hard for enough for us. Not so fast lazy pieces, the party's over - you've got more work to do.
Now these velvet sequinned leggings (£29.99) from Mango are for you hardcore sequin wearers out there. Or, they could be perfect for those who like to embrace something head on, even if it is for the first time. Let's not bother with the gentle introduction of a sequinned sleeve, a lurex skirt, or a necklace jumper - let's just go for the big guns. Yep, liking the sound of that - who's up for it?!
Finally there's the Naomi sequin cocktail dress from Whistles (£250). Predictably they have quite a selection of sequin pieces but I like this one not so much for the price (in fact I don't like it for that at all) as for the fact that it is dark green, which is quite unusual. I also like the shaping on it which gives us the illusion of curves in all the right places even if in real life they are a little further north (or more likely south) than we may like. A little poetic licence is fine and if sequins can do the job for us, even better.
I could go on - Warehouse has some great pieces and French Connection is the queen of sequins on the High Street, particularly as we get closer to Christmas - but for me it's less about where it's from and more about whether it's in your comfort zone of sequins and sparkles.
