Going Out Straight from Work Part 1: Velvet During the Day

At this time of year our social calendars may be a little fuller than normal.
Whether it is for personal or business reasons, you might need to go out straight from work.
Going out straight from work can be fun, but it can also be quite stressful.

You might feel a little bit grubby, and dishevelled, after a hard day.
You may feel exhausted, and not in the mood to socialise at all!
With no time to pop home and change, going out can make you feel flat.

Well, don't worry.
Going out straight from work need not mean feeling uncomfortable and dishevelled.
Nor do you have to be over-dressed all day.
We can be ready to socialise, at a moment's notice... and look fabulous doing it!

Today I am wearing a simple black shift dress....that isn't so simple!

This beautiful dress belongs to my good friend.

She has given it to me for safe keeping because it has not been worn in years, and (in her words) it deserves to be seen.

The dress itself is vintage, and is truly beautiful.

It is made of old fashioned velvet.

You know the kind.

Rich, luxurious and substantial.

Not that cheap velveteen (or velour) that we often see in modern clothes.

'Proper' velvet.

Delicious!

Velvet may be BIG fashion news this year, but it never really goes away does it?

Velvet is always in style.

The dress is a classic shift shape, that never dates.

Classic?

Well, yes....

BUT

It has a very cheeky twist.

{Sorry, but you'll need to stay tuned (for Part 2) to find out what that cheeky twist is!}

My friend won't mind me telling you, that this dress was her ticket into many a great nightclub.

Her V.I.P pass, and her free drinks token at the bar!

Her sumptuous curves would have filled this shift perfectly... no wonder it was her partner's favourite!

My slightly less generous curves don't quite have the same impact as hers, BUT we have to make the most of what we have been given, don't we?

And, this vintage dress makes me feel sexy... curves or not!

My camera did something strange with the exposure in this shot.

Black can be VERY difficult to photograph, and often the images are unusable.

This one, however, looks weird and cool.

So I thought I would share it with you.

Styling a quality item, like this one, is a dream.

The fabric is so beautiful that layering a blouse underneath is easy.

There is no need to worry about bunching and bulk.

Or, any underwear seams making an appearance... never a good look!

{I really miss the quality of vintage}

I wanted to keep my look smart enough, but still fun.

Leopard print is always a great choice for that!

{See this post about my love of leopard, over 40}

Adding cosy wool tights, and plum T-bar shoes, kept things looking grown-up.

I couldn't resist my 'Goldfish Bowl' necklace though.

A little tongue in cheek accessorising stops things getting too serious.

Life is serious enough and fashion should be fun!

In my large tweed bag I have all of my work to party essentials...

This Year's Desk to Dance floor Kit:

• Heels (the same pair as last year!)
• Evening Bag (Ditto. Hahaha...I do have other bags, honestly!)
• Tights (lurex... yes really!)
• A fluffy cover-up
• Earrings
• Lipstick (and mini lip brush)
• Wipes
• Sachet of scented body lotion
• Brush & Hairspray
• Powder foundation
• Concealer
• Eyeliner

Come back soon to see my party look, and the cheeky twist to this dress!

If you can't wait for that...
See last year's work to party outfit HERE (daytime) and HERE (night-time)... with even more leopard print. 
I can't seem to get enough of the stuff!


DRESS: Vintage... similar.
TIGHTS: Trasparenze...these are nice too.
SHOES: Clarks... similar
BLOUSE: Charity shop....similar.
BAG: Chaps...This one is not similar, but is fabulous!
NECKLACE: Online ...I changed the chain on mine because I thought it looked a little too cheap.

GET the LOOK