Christmas Day Outfit: Red Lace Midi Dress (Perfect for Curves!) #iwillwearwhatilike

Christmas party or New Year's Eve party outfit - red lace midi dress with red pea coat and red heels | Not Dressed As Lamb, over 40 style

Happy Boxing Day – are you sick of the sight of turkey, the Quality Street tin and mince pies yet…? If not, you’ve obviously had a far-too restrained Christmas which just isn’t allowed! 😉

I’m writing this post in advance of Christmas Day in order to save myself time in terms of a photo shoot on the big day (always hard when it gets dark so incredibly early) as well as then editing and writing the post come Boxing Day. Hopefully I will have taken a very quick shot or two on the day and included them somewhere – this outfit was shot a while ago but it’s what I’m intending to wear on Christmas Day…

That’s only IF I haven’t eaten too many stollen bites and can actually get INTO the dress at all – right now I’m not holding out that much hope, lol!

(Regular visitors to the #iwillwearwhatilike linkup may have noticed that today is Tuesday and the link up usually goes out on a Monday – I’m sure you’ll let me have this one because who reads blogs on Christmas Day, amirite?)

Christmas party or New Year's Eve party outfit - red lace midi dress with red pea coat and red heels | Not Dressed As Lamb, over 40 style

SHOP THE LOOK:

 

First of all: this red lace dress is currently HALF PRICE so it’s an absolute bargain – I know a lot of people have been hankering after it since it featured on M&Co’s Instagram (when I took over their InstaStories for the day) and then briefly in my 21 Christmas party outfit ideas post (which you also need for New Year’s Eve)! It was one of those dresses that I really quite liked when I saw it online, liked it a lot more when I tried it on and then abso-f***ing-lutely LOVED when I saw the pictures… I’m a girl with very definite boobs and hips so if you have curves like me it may just be the right LRD (little red dress) for you too.

I didn’t want to be a cliché and wear black heels with it but I fancied pairing red with black, so instead I went for matching red heels (these are similar) that I wore to the UK Blog Awards this year to create a streamlined look, then added black with a diamante belt (size down if you don’t want to have to add holes!) and sparkly black clutch. So I managed to get this season’s on-trend black and red colour combo without resorting to black heels.

And what made even more of a statement? Adding the red pea coat as a cape.

When styling the outfit for M&Co I would ideally have liked a cape, but as they didn’t have a suitable one it was easily created with the red pea coat (a classic) by doing the obligatory fashion week thing of forgetting how a coat should be worn and declaring yourself too good for sleeves. But hey, your shoulders need protecting, okay…?!

Seriously though – a midi dress does present problems when it comes to what coat to wear. Get the length wrong and it could ruin your beautiful dress (I’m talking First World Problems of ruining your dress here… getting frostbite because it’s 10 below and you’ve decided to forgo sleeves in the name of fashion could possibly ruin your dress more). This draping-your-coat-over-your-shoulders thing is really only for a quick trip between car and door – it stops you from TOTALLY freezing yet looks stylish as you make your entrance to the party or event (fashionably late, of course).

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I know one lovely reader left me a comment to say she bought this dress and belt as a result of seeing my outfit which is lovely to hear – if you want to do the same (ready-made outfit for New Year’s Eve right here, ladies!) then despite the awkward bank holiday days between Christmas and New Year you CAN get it on M&Co’s next day delivery if you hurry. And when the dress is half price that couple of quid extra for next day delivery (plus free returns) is SO worth it.

Do add your outfits to this week’s link up – and enjoy the rest of the Christmas break… I’ll be back on Thursday with a sneak peek at some SS18 collections (more transitional dressing than full-on summer, don’t worry)!

HOW WAS YOUR CHRISTMAS? AND DO YOU HAVE A LITTLE RED DRESS (OR ARE YOU NOW TEMPTED)? COMMENT BELOW!

Christmas party or New Year's Eve party outfit - red lace midi dress with red pea coat and red heels | Not Dressed As Lamb, over 40 style
Christmas party or New Year's Eve party outfit - red lace midi dress with red pea coat and red heels | Not Dressed As Lamb, over 40 style
Christmas party or New Year's Eve party outfit - red lace midi dress with red pea coat and red heels | Not Dressed As Lamb, over 40 style

Christmas party or New Year's Eve party outfit - red lace midi dress with red pea coat and red heels | Not Dressed As Lamb, over 40 style

Christmas party or New Year's Eve party outfit - red lace midi dress with red pea coat and red heels | Not Dressed As Lamb, over 40 style

Dress (currently HALF price!!) | Coat | Belt (on sale!) | Bag (on sale) all c/o M&Co
Heels: Marks & Spencer (similar)
Earrings: Amazon (I love these)

 

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The #iwillwearwhatilike link up with Not Dressed As Lamb
Thank you for joining the #iwillwearwhatilike link up! This started as a campaign on Instagram in August 2015 where women over 30 wore everything on a journalist’s list of “inappropriate” items for 30+ women (including leopard print, short dresses and oversized sunglasses. Yes, really). It was so popular that I decided to carry it on weekly where women of all ages link up their fabulous style, never mind what anyone tells them not to wear!

The link up goes live every Monday at 3pm UK time and will stay open for a week. Whilst the original article was of course aimed at the 30+, you can be ANY age to link up. The only criteria is that you’re wearing whatever you damn well like!

An InLinkz Link-up


Linking up etiquette…

CLICK HERE to read the rules of linking up (and to grab the #iwillwearwhatilike button). Basically it’s just good manners to link back to here – to leave a comment is even nicer!

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… are having two weeks off for the Christmas break!

DO SHARE THE LOVE AND VISIT AS MANY LINKS AS YOU CAN (YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT OTHER LOVELY LIKE-MINDED LADIES YOU MIGHT MEET) – THE ORIGINAL INSTAGRAM CAMPAIGN FORGED SOME WONDERFUL NEW FRIENDSHIPS SO DON’T MISS OUT!

Disclosure: I was gifted these pieces by M&Co and was paid to shoot photos for the Instagram takeover but was not compensated for or asked to write this post (click here for my full disclosure)This post contains some affiliate links which means if you click through and buy I may receive a small commission. All content is original, however, and opinions are my own and 100% honest.

27 Comments

  1. 28 December 2017 / 5:42 pm

    Merry Christmas Catherine! You look gorgeous in the dress, I hope that it zipped up okay!! xx

    • 30 December 2017 / 3:52 pm

      Hehe it did Sarah – in fact it was even a little looser on the day compared to when I wore it here (though I did loosen the belt somewhat later in the day)!! Thank you x

  2. 28 December 2017 / 2:00 pm

    Thank you for hosting dear! I'm linking back to you HERE Hope you'll check out my latest Fashion post

  3. 28 December 2017 / 10:45 am

    Wow! That is one amazing outfit. The colour is stunning and you look great in it!

  4. 27 December 2017 / 7:53 pm

    Catherine this may be my favorite dress of yours EVER! Except maybe a few of your vintage pieces and some pieces from Hobbs. I just love you in a mermaid silhouette and cannot get over how smashing you look in this bright red cherry hue!

    Xoxo,

    Ashley || Sed Bona

    • 30 December 2017 / 3:50 pm

      I never thought this hemline would work for me Ashley, but it kinda did?! Thank you hon so much!! x

  5. 27 December 2017 / 12:37 pm

    I love red and yellow most of all the colors in the world, pink as well..almost forgot about that.
    I like your rebellios spirit and not wanting to pair this with black heels, the whole outfit scream Christmas cheer and it's a total eyecandy

    • 30 December 2017 / 3:49 pm

      WOW Keit you're back…!!!!!! So lovely to hear from you again, I hope this means back to blog posts for you?! (and thank you x)

  6. 27 December 2017 / 11:14 am

    Red is such a happy colour.
    Much love, dear Catherine
    XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

  7. 26 December 2017 / 9:52 pm

    I do have a red dress and adore it. Mine is lace and glitter so very evening or festive. That M&Co dress is a beaut and you look fab in it. It fits so perfectly. Hope you had a good Xmas and enjoyed the stollen.

    • 30 December 2017 / 3:48 pm

      Aww Anna thank you – and yes I did, though I was reasonably restrained this year…!

  8. 26 December 2017 / 7:12 pm

    Your curve-hugging red Christmas dress is beyond divine, dearest Catherine…I truly hope you managed to wear it for the actual day of!! As you know by now, I'm much more a "neutrals" girl than a colourful one, so red is hit and miss for me. I have a pair of red plaid jeans that I'm kind of obsessed with; on the other hand, I walked away from several red sweaters I was considering for the holiday season because they were…ummm…red!! Still, I DID do an iridescent navy cocktail dress rather than my go-to black for my office Christmas party – so that's something!! Let's see what happens for New Year's Eve!! XOXO

    http://www.StyleIsMyPudding.com

    • 30 December 2017 / 3:47 pm

      I never used to be a red girl at all, Monika… maybe you will be too one day!! 😉

      Thank you my lovely x

  9. 26 December 2017 / 6:51 pm

    I love this red on you, the cut and the colour. Smashing! And your choice of red shoes and coat. I need to think about making posts in advance too. Enjoy the rest of your holidays. Thanks for the link-up.

    • 30 December 2017 / 3:46 pm

      Thanks Melanie – it's a lot of work crammed into a short space of time but scheduling is SO worth it…!

    • 30 December 2017 / 3:46 pm

      Thank you Shelbee – and to you too x

  10. 26 December 2017 / 4:21 pm

    You look stunning in this dress. Merry Christmas. Thanks for hosting the party.

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