Style Tips - 2009's top Christmas party dress trend!

It's nearly November ladies, and that means only one thing - Christmas! Yay. We love this time of year. Of course, it's a season all about giving and we love planning the perfect gifts to buy for everyone. But there's definitely one self-indulgent highlight in the season - finding the perfect Christmas party dress of course! We don't know about you, but we're seeing Christmas party banners up in bars and restaurants already and we're dying to get glammed up.

2009 has been a fashion homage to the opulent Eighties, with the comeback of numerous Eighties trends, from outsized bows to towering platform heels to sequins scattered over everything we can get away with. Keep fashion's current penchant for excessive details, playful silhouettes and vivid colours in mind when picking out your dress for the season's Christmas celebrations. It's definitely the hottest look of the year.


Pair overly-girly Eighties-style dresses with tough ankle boots to epitomise this season's catwalk looks. Go body-con and channel Christophe Decarnin's models at Balmain, or choose a prom shape in a mini length like ones seen at Luella. Either way, check the dress from every angle, and think what accessories you would complement it with; there's nothing worse than buying a great dress and discovering that nothing in your wardrobe goes with it.

Equa has a host of ethically-made party dresses to pick from. New in is a capsule collection of one-off prom dresses by designer Tara Starlet, who recently starred in BBC3's Blood, Sweat And T-Shirts, exclusively created by Tara just for us. Tufts of taffeta jut out from structured waistlines in perfect party fashion. The feminine, sweetheart, strapless neckline is a modest way to show off some decolletage. The plaid print version of this dress (pictured above) will make an unexpected, yet darling choice for any Christmas party. Play on the dress's femininity by adding some elegant peep toe stilettos or, as suggested above, contrast the dress with some heavy ankle boots.

Blue is not an obvious choice to wear for the festive season, which is usually filled with reds, golds and LBDs. So, why not go against the grain and wow with this electric blue parachute dress by Debbi Little (pictured right)? The recycled parachute silk falls to the knee and comes with a separate net petticoat for masses of volume. In addition to getting our vote, this dress has the celebrity stamp of approval after being worn by style icon Daisy Lowe in The Observer Magazine Ethical Issue.

This bow dress by Sika wouldn't look out of place on Lady Gaga thanks to the huge bow on the shoulder. The amazing detail is balanced out by the simplicity of the rest of the dress, resulting in an offbeat LBD with a twist. This is ideal for those who want to stand out whilst staying true to something classical and elegant. It's available at Equa right now in black or green. By Amiee Mann

See all party dresses at Equa
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