Dresses always top the favourite list of Christmas purchases for any girl, thanks to the fact that you can't have enough dresses for all the parties leading up to the climactic countdown. Understanding such a scenario all too well, Miss Selfridge makes it a point to launch their special Christmas collection to let girls invest in their best party wardrobe.
Dresses have always been Miss Selfridge's strongest point and make up for 25% of the whole line's mix. It's high street, but with a personal style and charisma, the Miss Selfridge numbers could easily pass as hi-end. The best example is Victoria Beckham, who confessed in her 2007 book That Extra Half An Inch that the "little black Gucci dress" she was always remembered for during her early days as Victoria Adams was actually from Miss Selfridge.
The stand-out pieces this season are the mini dresses with embellishments and maxi skirts in sheer fabric or with high slits. The minis in pinks, taupe and ivory will bring a shimmery winter wonderland feel to any party. And being a brand that is "girly, flirty, sexy" you can be sure to find something that will suit you.
"We always do two looks of each same style. There's the girly-girl and then there's the vamp," explains Yasmin Yusuf, Brand Director. Girly-girls can opt for the Nude Eplique Flower Dress with its flowing skirt and delicate floral sequins while the sexy can get a similar feel with the Nude Dress with Sheer Sleeves and Pink Embellishment, but with a vampy edge.
Yasmin Yusuf, brand director.
The full skirts, although sheer, have either built-in shorts or underwear which makes it good to go as you don't need to look for other pieces to layer under it. It's definitely bold and daring, but also definitely too risque for the conservative.
Collections coming out this season include Princess, Gothic and Oriental but the trend to catch this fall-winter is surely baroque, with Dolce and Gabbana delivering the look in Milan fashion week this past February. Miss Selfridge is definitely on that train too, with their own baroque collection that capitalises on black and gold.
Many different colour palettes are delivered this season, especially from the Oriental collection, but never stray far from the brand's identity of "glamour and everything related to glamour," as Yusuf puts it. All pieces exploit texture, whether it is velvet, lace, faux fur, leather or elaborate embellishment.
The identity of Miss Selfridge has always been girly, flirty and sexy, with their style constantly a blend of vintage and glamour.
"We make clothes for girls who like to look like girls," says Yusuf. At this house, they certainly believe that what customers get is surely worth what they have to pay. "We're not going to play by price _ you get what you pay for."
Look elsewhere for pieces that are more laidback and less dressy. The most casual item that you can expect here still has a dressy edge: denim shorts are beaded with pearls and blouses have the most intricate and delicate lace. After all, the Miss Selfridge girl is one that loves to dress up, and when she goes out, she will have "big hair, massive heels, super-long false eyelashes and a show-stopping dress," as Yusuf describes.
