New Year Outfit

And now time for a subject that's literally so last year: New Year's Eve. I thought I'd let you see what I was wearing for the big event as the outfit uses various new buys. We had quite a low key evening, going to a pub with friends, so the actual outfit is quite low key too. In both cases, low key doesn't mean low fun, as we had a great time in the pub dancing round to Motown and '90s dance 'classics' and this outfit features glitter which in my mind guarantees a good time (I blame idolising Kenickie at an impressionable age!).

As well as a glimpse of our little tree in this picture you can see my new jumper, bought in the sale at Jaeger Boutique on a quick trip to Oxford Street on New Year's Eve Eve. I'm wearing it with the vintage skirt from Crystal Palace's Vien and the Kat Maconie shoes I mentioned back here.

A slightly better look at the jumper here - it's decorated with a trompe d'oeil star necklace, in gold and silver lurex, with matching glittery stripes around the cuffs. Perfect for new year fireworks! It also reminded me a bit of the chain pattern on the cover of the Zandra Rhodes book.

Though not destined for wearing on New Year's Eve, I picked up a few other bits in the sales. Also from from Jaeger Boutique and also very Zandra Rhodes is this Lip print umbrella. They've used the same print on tops and dresses which, to the relief of my wallet, just didn't suit my figure. I couldn't resist the pop pattern of this umbrella though for its potential to cheer me up on a rainy day. Jaeger Boutique launched last year and is meant to be the younger, more affordable side to Jaeger - inspired apparently by the Young Jaeger line that Jean Muir used to design in the late '50s. The clothes all have a definite retro feel that's perfect for my taste. However, I'm not sure how successfully financially it's been for them - judging by the amount of clothes still on the sales rails - but, in my opinion, they had some of the nicest stuff I saw in any of the shops.

I'm clearly having something of a '60s moment. My third purchase is this gold tunic from River Island.

I wouldn't normally go in River Island but it's one of the few shops in my parent's town which is where I had my first stab at the sales. They'd closed the changing room (grrrr....) so I had to take a guess at it suiting me and thankfully it does ... just about. I'd wanted to wear it as a dress but it's very short, so perhaps it should be a top, though I'm not yet sure what to put it with. I will ponder on such important matters but in the meantime, it's really rather sweet: it's got lovely gold bows down its back. It reminds me of a gold tunic dress my Nan gave me years ago that I attempted to make into a top and consequently ruined. I'm going to learn from that lesson before I get out the scissors.

And my final purchase is this black lace skirt, also from River Island. Again, due to the cruelty of them closing the changing rooms, I bought this in a larger size than necessary - I'll just have to tighten up that nice belt it has! When I saw it I was thinking the recent Louis Vuitton campaign/Mad Men/Prada - a nice neat 50s look. However, I haven't yet figured out how to wear it without looking too Mortica Addams. Again, I'll soldier on - ahh, the joy of new outfit planning!