23.12.2012- What I Wore Today #86

I think it's safe to say that at this time of the year we're all very much looking forward to the opportunity to put our feet up in front of the telly over the festive break. Before the mania of the day itself, there's present buying, wrapping and stashing, catching up with friends and making sure you've got enough food in the house to survive the apocalypse (just on the off chance that the Mayans got their dates mixed up!) On top of this, the month of December presents another dilemma in the shape of the work Christmas party- an event which is almost as fearful as the prospect of being dished up plateful after plateful of Brussels sprouts until the next impending apocalypse. Seriously though, the work Christmas do can be a scary place, particularly when it comes to negotiating what to wear. If you're sick of the sight of sequins and going to a party where a quirky Christmas jumper just won't cut the mustard, it can be really tempting to revert to classics like the little black dress or that failsafe frock which you've had stashed at the back of your wardrobe for the last few years. My work Christmas party was last Friday, and, after experiencing a real last minute panic about what to wear, I opted to put together an outfit which pushed me more than a little bit out of my comfort zone:

Jacket- Warehouse (via ASOS)

Trousers- Warehouse (via ASOS)

Blouse- A Wear (via ASOS)

Shoes- c/o Next

Believe me when I say that I have never worn a trouser suit in my life! Even when going to interviews I tend to prefer a smart dress and a blazer, so this was definitely an outfit which was a little bit experimental. The logic (or perhaps lack of logic!) behind it was that I wanted to try something different and take a break from party dresses, given that there are so few which I like in the shops at the moment. I'd seen this suit in Warehouse at the start of the autumn, and although I loved it I didn't really feel confident enough to try it out. However, with my new found love of printed trousers, I decided to throw caution to the wind and order it from ASOS when I noticed that it was reduced in their sale last week. Not only does it really remind me of Miu Miu's AW12 presentation, but I think the rich burgundy colourway and diamond print offer a really nice alternative take on festive dressing. Teamed with a simple black blouse and these amazing winklepicker style shoes which I picked up after the Next Lock In, this was a more androgynous approach to a Christmas party outfit, but one which was extremely comfortable and perfectly practical.

What did you wear to your work Christmas party? And how are you planning to spend the next week?

(Image credit: Sarah Farrell, please do not reproduce without permission.)