All that glitters

 Ah, Christmas. Not long now readers till the magical world of Yuletide, complete with novelty jumpers, the last few mince pies that are never touched and Radio Times.
With Christmas comes sparkle. And sparkle is dangerous territory. Avoid looking less tinsel and more taste maker this Christmas season by choosing the right amount, whatever budget that may be;

Purse Friendly;

1. Skirt, £26, Matalan. Add some colour to your sequins with this pink, silver and black skirt- how very Missoni. Wear with: a simple black strapless top and high heeled ankle boots-it's all about the skirt taking centre stage.
2. Ballet pumps, £11.99, New Look. These flats are adorable, I will always be a sucker for pumps with bows. Wear with: leggings and a long, oversized, salmon jumper. Throw on a scarf for extra warmth-Primark do some great ones.
3. Nail polish in 'Junk Yard', £6.50, Louise Gray for Topshop. The blue hue and glitter combination are great for adding some Christmas glitter in a subtle, yet colourful way. Wear with: anything!
4. Dress, £25, Boohoo.com. If your looking for value for money you can look very smug when all eyes are on you wearing this. LBD, check. Peplum, check. Sequins, duh? Wear with: what else other than a pair of glamorous heels-keep them simple though. Some dazzling, charcoal earrings are the only jewellery needed for this fabulous dress.
5.Clutch bag, £25, Kardashian Collection at Dorothy Perkins. The Kardashians. Love them or not, this clutch is a dazzler. I love the gold detail. Wear with: I'd style it with a cream blazer, black vest and a skater skirt. It's your call though, this clutch is so versatile. If you're planning on wearing sequins with this clutch keep it to footwear.
6. Dazzle dust, shade 11-black, £4.59, Barry M. I used this recently for Halloween, such a great product. Wear with: pale pink lips. This is the one for ultra dramatic smoky eyes.
7. Brooch, £15, River Island. How cute is this? It's already on my Christmas list. Wear with: personally, I would add this to a velvet clutch or bag. Alternatively, add it to any outfit for that extra sparkle.
8. Top, £19.99, New Look. Laidback luxe. Great for adding glamour to an everyday piece. Wear with: skinny jeans, dark brown Chelsea boots and a cream, wool jacket. The perfect early morning lecture look.
9. Heels, £14.99, New Look. Va va voom. The chunky heel adds a practical touch. I like. Very much. Wear with: up the glamour in a sequined blazer, simple top and black cigarette pants. Oh wouldn't that look lovely with aforementioned Kardashian clutch?

Lady of luxe;

1. Heels, £100, Ted Baker. I want these shoes. Satin ruffles, the perfect shade of blue and a timeless shape, thank you Mr Baker. Wear with: black slim fit jeans, and a preppy-chic, cream chiffon blouse. I would also style my hair in a loose top knot.
2. Blazer, £35.99, Missguided.co.uk. Number one on my current wishlist is a sequined blazer. Wear with: layer over your night out look for added sophistication or over a casual look for daytime chic.
3. Sugarbomb blush, £23.50, Benefit. This is by far my favourite blusher. It highlights the apples of your cheeks-and adds shimmer. Wear with: In terms of make up this is a wonder product-day or night it's a winner. Anything goes (within reason, of course).
4. Lip gloss, £7.69, Bourjois. The gloss has a hint of glimmer to make lips look luscious. Wear with: a matte smoky eye to contrast the pale shine of the gloss.
5. Cardigan, £119, Zara. The wow piece. The cardigan-simple. Zara's cardigan-a lesson in transitional day to night dressing. Or, if you prefer, perfection. Wear with: this is a truly multi-functional piece. Wear with a blouse, pencil skirt and kitten heels for a smart outfit, or pair with sequined heels and high waisted black shorts.
6. Clutch bag, £95, French Connection. Pure genius, if you ask me. This clutch ensures that all eyes are on you. Wear with: my choice would be a white peplum dress and gold, metallic heels. This is such a unique piece, so reflect the aesthetic of the bag and make it your own.
7. Heels, £155, Karen Millen. Black and gold were a match made in sequin heaven. The contrasting heel, a slim ankle strap and peep toe detail make this Karen Millen shoe stand out. Wear with: A black skater dress and gold sequin clutch.
8. Clutch bag, £35, Miss KG by Kurt Geiger. Box clutches. They sound so wrong, and are so, so right. Wear with: anything. I can imagine a jet black nail polish adding a punky punch to this clutch.
9. Skirt, £45, Topshop. I haven't been out of skater dresses and skirts this year. So flattering and feminine, the skater skirt gets a Christmas makeover. Wear with: a black blazer, white top. Swap between heels and ballet pumps depending on day and night.

Overdraft central;

1. Dress, £249, Markus Lupfer. I've got a lot of love for Lupfer at the moment. If anyone can masterfully incorporate sequins into an LBD it's him. Wear with: I think the picture says it all.
2. Brogues, £425, Maison Martin Margiela. Brogues get glam. I've never considered wearing brogues to a night club but just saving them for casual wouldn't do these babies justice.
3. Illusion D'ombre eyeshadow, £23, Chanel. If designer clothes are unobtainable, what about designer make-up? Grab your own little piece of Chanel. Wear with: this is a great shadow for creating a chocolate smoky eye. Try a sweep of bronzer to define cheeks and a slick of peach lipstick. Ooh la la.
4. Skirt, £335, DKNY. If I could afford (yeah right) a designer piece it would be this beauty. The gathered detail adds extra charm and takes this skirt to another level. Not that the sequins don't help either. Wear with: The skirt's hue is the real show stopper here so keep the rest minimal. Definitely no more sequins. A simple black tee and flats or low heels would make a great daytime look.
5. Top, £310, Suno NY. I love the detail of this top-the polka dots are sequined. It looks very cosy and warm too. Who says fashion isn't practical? Wear with: Simple black trousers and heels or a black miniskirt. Perfect for Spring too, just add a grey, wool coat for Winter days.
6. Trousers, £410, Moschino Cheap and Chic. You know you shouldn't. But then again you should...Hard to master, but worth it. Wear with: the styling is tricky with this one. Keep it very simple. mono-colour shoes, minimal jewellery. You get the picture. Plan the outfit around the trousers and no other way.
7. Jasmin Noir L'exir, £69,  Bvlgari. Seduction in a scent. Wear with: attitude.
8. Dress, £680, Sass and Bide. A work of art and nothing less. Sass and Bide create a beautiful piece by crossing art deco design with 80's neon prints. Wear with: hot pink peep toe heels.
9. Bag, £615, Dolce and Gabbana. My word, I've been searching for you for years. Practicality included, the strap brings the bag in to a whole new sphere of functions. Wear with: I'm thinking a navy cable knit jumper over a shirt, grey skater skirt and sneakers. Campus cool D&G style.


Have a sparkly weekend.


NG <3