November 2021

I’m here this month to bust the myth that we can only wear our Christmas sparkle at Christmas. Do you fall into that trap of buying a “nice top” for your Christmas events or for Christmas Day and then it never again sees the light of day? 

This is something I see often in the wardrobes I edit so don’t worry, you are not alone. But why do we do it? 

In all honesty, I think it has a lot to do with how we traditionally would have an outfit that we kept for ‘best'. For example, ‘best’ may have been Sundays, birthdays, for a trip to the theatre or for Christmas. These days though, we are a more casual nation and so ‘best’ doesn’t feature in quite the same way. Of course, we do have occasions we dress up for, like a wedding or christening. But on the whole, the lines between how we dress from day to evening to weekend, are definitely blurry.

So, when we spend money on something extra special, we easily slip into the mindset that we have to save that new purchase. 

I would like to challenge that thought process and introduce you to something called Cost Per Wear. How many times you wear a garment dramatically affects it’s cost per wear. In simple terms, a £200 coat worn hundreds of times has a far better cost per wear than a £30 top worn twice. 

With this in mind, when you are selecting your Christmas sparkle, think about how else you can style that item. Here are a couple of ideas:

Take this gorgeous dress from Saint Tropez https://blackdiamondboutique.co.uk/collections/christmas-sparkle/products/saint-tropez-jeane-dress  It’s going to look stunning with coated leggings https://blackdiamondboutique.co.uk/collections/trousers/products/saint-tropez-jorid-leggings  and heels https://blackdiamondboutique.co.uk/collections/footwear/products/shoe-the-bear-valentine-shoe-boot 

For a casual look, team the dress with jeans and chunky boots. Wear the dress open (tie the belt at the back) over a camisole or t-shirt. Finding new ways to wear an item means that you will achieve a great cost per wear. 

If you love sparkle, this pretty short sleeve blouse from Saint Tropez https://blackdiamondboutique.co.uk/collections/christmas-sparkle/products/saint-tropez-carola-blouse is great teamed with the Sofie Schnoor faux leather midi skirt https://blackdiamondboutique.co.uk/collections/skirts/products/sofie-schnoor-pu-skirt and the Shoe the Bear slouch heeled boots https://blackdiamondboutique.co.uk/collections/footwear/products/shoe-the-bear-agnete-slouchy-suede-boots to make a glamorous outfit for any Christmas event. 

You may think the top is too good to be worn casually, however why not pair it up with dark blue jeans and the navy faux leather biker style jacket.. a fabulous outfit for the daytime or evening. 

I hope this has given you some ideas on ensuring you get maximum wear out of your Christmas sparkle. 

Whatever you are up to in the run up to Christmas, enjoy and take time for you.

Much love, 

Sarah xx