Dressing Up with Leeloo: Party Wear, 24/7

No category of clothing is kept in its place quite like party wear. Layer up sequins and velvet after dark and everything is in its expected (and accepted) place. Wear them during the daytime and your likely to turn heads.

With party wear being such a big investment, is the potential to draw looks as you go about your day a reason not to wear it regularly? And if you choose to wear a party-ready outfit between the hours of 9 to 5, how do you go about styling it?

To answer the first question, we take the season’s festivities as an invitation to leave sartorial seriousness at the door. Sequins for the supermarket run, iridescent metallics in the office, and tulle by the ton for routine chores. Why not? It’s Christmas.

To answer the second question, we asked self-confessed style chameleon and style curator Helene, better known as Leeloo, to show us how it’s done.

You’ll find us wearing these looks far beyond the season of cheer.

When it comes to making party wear easy to wear every day, balance is key. Go all out on one half of your outfit, and keep the other half pared back with a more functional feel – sequins with leather, velvet with denim.

Staying within the same colour palette makes multiple shimmering fabrics infinitely more wearable too.

Use boots to bring a casual edge to your look. Classic Chelsea style, chunky soles, hiking inspired, high heeled, flat – make a choice that you’re comfortable to wear all day, and also works well with the rest of your wardrobe.

Make your party wear go further by thinking outside the box. Pull maxi skirts up high and add a belt to create waist definition. Wear a velvet midi dress over jeans and trainers in place of a top.

Don’t think about the rules around how certain of items should be worn, and instead, play and have fun.