WEARING WELL
Stories of the clothes we love THE SPARKLY TOP
As any seasoned festival goer, Seventies disco-er, or Strictly fan will tell you, the sparkly top isn’t only for Christmas. But as we deck our halls in celebration, chances are that we’ll be bedecking ourself with a bit of bling, too.
You’ll most likely already have your own dose of sparkles, ready to pull out come December. My own favourite came from Edinburgh vintage legends W. Armstrong & Sons – I’ve never been sure of the era, but it’s now been in my possession for several decades. It’s the kind of thing that could seem absolutely inessential – semi-transparent, drapey, that all important silver metallic thread – that turns out to be a proper wardrobe reliable. When I first bought it, it often hung in front of my drafty student window – ostensibly an attempt to rid it of any lingering smoky odours from the night before, but with a bonus of giving my room’s anonymous beige walls that fraction more glamour. I kind of hoped it would do the same for me whenever I chucked it on with my jeans and a T-shirt before heading out.
Humans have always been enthralled by a bit of glitter. In fact, sequins can be traced back to gold discs found on Tutankhamen in his elaborate Egyptian burial tomb. Before they became plastic, sequins were made
“Who doesn’t want to pretend that they’re a fabulous flapper girl?”
from metal and, later, even gelatine. Now the search for an eco-friendly option is on – indeed, cellulose sequins are in the offing. But recycled sequins and vintage clothing can also offer a guilt-free lift – who doesn’t want to pretend that they’re like a fabulous flapper girl, covered in sequins, dazzling onlookers as they dance in the light? (I’m pretty sure my top achieved the same affect in Scottish nightclubs).
Now my days of mid-week clubs have gone, my sparkly top is now my ‘default Christmas top’. I’m sure I’m not alone in having one. In a ‘normal’ year, any kind of office gathering means communal application of lippie and sparkles – a transformation that visually marks the casting off of any woes of the working day/year. Just as King Tut covered himself in sequins to ready himself for the afterlife, so the donning of the party top signifies real life being put aside for the moment, in readiness for festive fun. And, on the day itself, it adds an extra touch of glitz to even the most mundane of activities.
This year, we might not have the usual carolling and carousing, but I’d argue that it’s time now more than ever to sport our sparkles – even if it’s only to shine through a Zoom screen. In a year when the days and months have bled into each other, it demonstrates a determination to mark a moment as different, fun even. When things have often felt so heavy, surely what we need most is some light? And, honestly, what item in your wardrobe is better equipped to bring that light than a much-loved shimmering, sparkly and undeniably silly bit of stuff?