Party Dress Test

Are we all enjoying the festive season? I’m having a lovely time catching up with friends and family and eating my body weight in turkey!
I was contacted by the lovely guys at Most Wanted, the lifestyle magazine for VoucherCodes.co.uk to see if I wanted to get involved in their Party Dress Test. 
Quoting directly from the email – The Party Dress Test is part of a bigger research project we’re running to try and discover how to help people to get the most for their money when buying new party dresses. We recently conducted research that found 18-24 year olds are spending an average of £119 on Christmas/New Year’s Eve party outfits. When these outfits are barely aired for the rest of the year, this doesn’t seem like the best way to spend when shopping”
So I was challenged to see if I could be a bit more savvy. I was given a budget of £80 to buy a dress and any accessories I could manage and then style the dress three ways. 
This is how I spent my money…
Dress – ASOS – £38.00 
Shoes – ASOS – £14.00
Hat – New Look – £3.50
Necklace – New Look – £19.99
——————————————-
Grand Total – £75.49
I was very chuffed to have come in under budget by just less than a fiver, with which you could easily pick up a pair of leggings to go under the dress for example.
Evening
I wore: Dress – ASOS Curve// Shoes – ASOS// Necklace (sold out)- New Look// Clutch (past season) – Matalan
The blue of the dress looks really beautiful against the silver of the huge statement necklace. I went bare-legged to show off the gorgeous detail of the shoes. The asymmetrical cape detail makes this dress to be honest. The material is a heavy crepe, which gives it a really special feel. 
School Run
I wore: Dress – ASOS// Leggings – Sainsburys// Boots (past season) – Evans// Scarf – Gift// Denim Jacket (past season) – South @Very
It’s important to be warm when doing the school run, but I still want to look great. The cute beenie is my winter essential. As a short haired gal my ears can get a bit chilly!! My mum got me this lovely scarf for christmas which goes great with the blue of the dress. Add a jacket and biker boots for a casual and practical look. 
Business Meeting 

I wore: Dress – ASOS// Leggings – Sainsburys// Shoes – Simply Be// Jacket – Simply Be// Necklace – H&M

This implies I’m always rushing off to meetings, oh if only my life was that glamorous but on the odd occasion I do have to meet with someone, I like to look smart, but not too formal. So teaming the dress with leggings and a tuxedo style jacket makes it look formal enough but not too stuffy.

If you’re doing some last minute New Years Eve dress shopping be sure to check the Voucher Codes website, they have heaps of money off vouchers that could help you stretch your budget just that little bit further!

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6 Comments

  1. Jackie Birch on December 28, 2013 at 5:14 am

    Love what you have done with that dress 🙂



  2. GinandCake on December 28, 2013 at 10:46 am

    Loving the looks 🙂

    That dress is fabulous! i LOVE a bit of cape action



  3. Just me Leah on December 28, 2013 at 8:47 pm

    Oh my days, the dress is perfection. Love the top two looks best. xx



  4. Anonymous on January 1, 2014 at 10:06 pm

    I saw this challenge on Claire's blog too, and it's such a smart idea. It's so true that we buy these special pieces that, though we love them, hardly get any wear. Challenging you to put together three different looks is a rule I should use when I'm shopping. If I can't imagine wearing it three really different ways, it's probably not a smart buy…unless it's one of those gotta-have-it type deals. Your three looks are all so different, but I think I love the first one most. It really lets the dress shine, and you're right, the shape and cut of it are so unique and special.

    Happy New Year!

    Liz



    • Becky Barnes on January 2, 2014 at 10:07 am

      Hey Liz, it's a great rule to live by isn't it? I like, where possible, flexibility in my garments! x x



  5. Becky Barnes on January 2, 2014 at 10:08 am

    Thanks everyone, glad you like the looks!! x x