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The Jewish Chronicle

Frocks that rock (or whisper)

December 3, 2009 10:57
Black mini dress with sheer top, £130, French Connection

ByJan Shure, Jan Shure

2 min read

Ok, we may not celebrate Christmas, but we do have Chanucah and New Year’s Eve (and, potentially, an office Christmas do), so we are far from exempt from the pressure of finding the fabulous frock for that December soirée or cocktail party.

Of course, the shops are currently bursting with party frocks. They are available at every price and every style — there’s the fairly laid-back kind which could probably give double service for work or Shabbat morning shul, and then be glammed up with some statement jewellery, sky-high heels and a clutch for parties. Then there’s the out-and-out party frock in satin, lace, embellished with sequins, or with one shoulder for added drama.

If you are looking for a relatively low-key dress that needs glamming up, All Saints has a curvily cut, wool and viscose dress with crossover bodice, long sleeves and a trickle of ruffles at the back (reduced to £64) which works perfectly for day-into-evening, as do several of the long- and half-sleeved dresses in silk by Comptoir des Cotonniers, in particular a short black dress with cap sleeve and V-neck edged with pleated frills, at £111.

The high street’s newest superstar, James Lakeland, has a gorgeously cut grey, cowl-neck, cap-sleeve dress with soft pleating at the waist (£175), which transforms brilliantly from a daytime under-blazer affair with opaques and ankle-boots to evening glamour with statement cuff, heels and clutch. His shapely, sleeveless LBD with ruffle collar (£149) fits into the same category — dead-on for daytime with cardi and opaques; and after-six-amazing with — yes — cuff or bangle, high heels and a clutch.