We all attend those winter parties that needs planning and prep to make the evening go well. Whether it be a meal out, or a night on the town, having your outfit planned is key. It usually takes me a while to figure out what to wear and what accessories to match with it. With Christmas and New Years coming up, I planned to go with a festive coloured dress that will look gorgeous with a bit of glam but was still comfortable. There's nothing worse that wearing a full sequined dress and your arms being scratched from them!
For me, I make sure my bag is prepped with bits to make my night go smoothly. If I'm going on a night out type of party I always bring a thin pair of flats with me and keep them tucked away in a clutch bag. When you're on your feet for hours, even with a bit of alcohol, the pain of wearing heels has the potential to ruin your night. Having a pair of flats to hand lets you enjoy the rest of your night without stumbling around because you can't walk properly anymore. Alongside flats, I usually take a lipstick to top up, a baby deodorant (just in case) and a tiny purse just for money. As much as I can say I can be trusted with my cards after a few drinks, I really can't. I've blocked my own pin in Subway after a night out and it was embarrassing and annoying as I couldn't use my card again until it was unblocked. Having a small purse for notes and coins doesn't give you the option to be a bit spendy.
Makeup prep is key too. I always prime before I apply my makeup as I have oily skin, but using a setting spray after finishing your makeup makes it last that bit longer. I use an Urban Decay de-slick for oily skin which really keeps your makeup from sliding all over your face. Along with face primer, eye primer is key too. We all like to add a bit of glitter or a smokey eye when it comes to New Years parties and I couldn't live without my eye primer from Benefit. To finish the look off I apply a highlighter to add a bit of shimmer.

I do love a bit of shopping, so when George at Asda challenged me to find a party outfit for under £70 I gave it my best shot. It didn't all go to plan, as the coat I wanted went out of stock in the black, then went out of stock in my size in the burgundy which is definitely too big for me but I love it anyway. After trying the dress on after panic worrying whether I'd even fit into a 14, I could have dropped to a 12 which pleased me quite a bit thanks Asda! I thought these cute heels could go well with any outfit, with or without tights. I opted to wear tights purely for the reason that it feels about -12 degrees in Liverpool at the moment and it took a bit of guts to stand outside without a coat on, let alone with bare legs.
The detail on the dress is stunning. I love wearing necklaces but they do tend to drive me mad and I take them off after a few hours, but with this mini necklace attached to the dress, it doesn't scratch around your neck and is just enough glitz for my liking. The cute pompom bag was an added extra and since my Christmas night out is actually to a meal this year, I went with a small handbag that would fit enough in it. I actually opted out of wearing the original belt I ordered as it turned out it was a bit too chunky to wear with the dress because of the necklace attached but is lovely nonetheless. 
I paired my look with my Mac lipstick in Hang Up as it is a burgandy colour and looked nice and festive! Not that you can tell much from the photos (hooded eye gal probs) I had copper eyeshadow on in the form of Mac's Amber Lights and one of the bronzer/highlighters from Makeup Revolution's Highlighter palettes. If it had been a night out I would have opted for a smokey eye, a black leather jacket and slightly higher heels, but I'm very pleased with my outfit! I wouldn't have worn a belt but my chest is definitely not in proportion with the rest of my body but it would look lovely without the belt too.

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