I've Found My Perfect Party Dress (and It's From Marks & Spencer)

by Maxine Eggenberger

If you're anything like me, you'll have started out the season with good intentions, promising to buy (and wrap) all of your presents in good time, to have your tree up (and decorated) by the 1st and to not scramble in a last-minute panic to find something to wear to all the festive celebrations that inevitably ensure. As I type this, while most of my presents are, in all fairness, bought, they currently lie spread across the floor in my spare room, as if I'm waiting for some passerby to wrap them for me. My tree, albeit down from the loft, remains in its box, its baubles still nestled in their newspaper. As for my party outfit? That might be the one thing I'm actually organised with.

This week coming alone, I have three nights out planned (pray for me), including work party during the week and two get-togethers come the weekend. What do I intend on wearing to all of these events? Why, the two M&S dresses I've wanted to tell you about for weeks.

I ordered it at the end of October; a beautiful emerald green satin dress with a refined scoop neckline, pretty fluted sleeves, and a material with a pretty crinkle in it. I slipped it on—how flattering! I added bow-adorned shoes—how glam! Admittedly, I was smug. I'd found the perfect party dress at Marks & Spencer, and knowing how much you all love an M&S find, I was beyond excited to share it with you. By the time I'd taken my obligatory outfit snaps, however, it had all but sold out, save for incredibly low stock levels in a couple of sizes.

Fast-forward to December, and the dress has been almost untraceable since. Now, it's back in stock, just in time for our social calendars to ramp up.

With a busy few weeks ahead, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted to invest in another M&S party-dress hit; the brand's offering really is that good. Given the fact that trending M&S items usually sell out at lightning speed, I had to make my decision quickly, so I snapped up this fun, silver-sequinned mini as a chic point of difference.