How to style your New Year’s Eve party outfit – without having to go to the sales

Whether you’re partying in a pub or a palace – or just staying at home – your trusty wardrobe stalwarts will stand you in good stead, if you follow these tips from Ginnie Chadwyck-Healey

Inever thought I’d draw a parallel between myself and Martin “MoneySavingExpert” Lewis but I’m here today to be your festive fashion equivalent. You’ve attended the carol services, you’ve dug out your elegant coats, the tartan has done its rounds at the drinks parties, you’ve dusted off the knee-high boots, you’ve even added the vintage trilby and a fur collar. The winter wardrobe is in full swing. Elegant, long lines, velvets, cranberry, camel, racing green, cashmere.

Then the big day looms: “Oh but it’s Christmas… I need something to make me feel wow” is how it begins. Here cometh the first “just because” purchase of the season. By December 27 the line has evolved into: “Oh but it’s in the sale and I want something new.”

By December 29? “Oh I just hate everything I own, I look like a stuffed turkey in this dress, and everyone else is dressing up so I need to make an effort.” Another useless one-hit wonder is added-to-basket, with extra paid-for

DHL speedy delivery so it arrives in the nick of time.

Sound familiar? I always ask my styling clients, “Do you really need it?” and invariably for New Year’s Eve you really don’t need anything new. Here’s how you can shop your wardrobes and avoid, in Chris Rea’s words, the Road to (Sale Purchase) Hell:

Take one pair of jeans…

I’m sure 99 per cent of you reading this own a classic pair of jeans, probably tens of pairs. You just need to know how to “elevate” (fashion-speak for “smarten up”) them for the final hurrah of 2023. Firstly, don’t wait until 4pm on New Year’s Eve to try them on. Get them out now.

Everything fits, ahem, “differently” at this time of year. Those too-long, highwaisted, wide leg jeans you always avoid because you can only wear them with platforms or heels? Make them the first on your hit list.

Velvet jacket, £455, Wiggy Kit wiggykit.com Organic cotton vest, £27, Colourful Standard colourfulstandard.com Satin headband, £18, Anthropologie anthropologie.com Rose earrings, £95, Shrimps shrimps.com Suede belt, £160, ba&sh ba-sh.com Patent leather shoes, £275,

Silk blouse, £130, Boden boden.co.uk Suede belt, £160, ba&sh ba-sh.com Gold-plated and cubic zirconia necklace, £223.99, Crystal Haze crystalhazejewelry.com Gold-plated earrings, £75, Anni Lu anni-lu.com Suede and crystal shoes, £140, Boden boden.co.uk

Wool trousers, £195, Theory theory.com Sleeper, Detachable feather trim pj set, £245, Liberty libertylondon.com Shoes, from a selection, Sauvereign sauvereign.com Pearl and crystal earrings, £115, Shrimps shrimps.com