Last updated at 10:52, Monday, 02 November 2009

If you’ve slaved over four courses plus palate cleanser thingamajig, wheeled out the candles and every plate you own that matches, is it really a compliment when your guests reward your hospitality by arriving in floppy jersey dresses or jeans?

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“Times are hard and it shows they’re relaxed,” you might retort. Yet upping the ante on your dress code can make for a night to remember and it’s not all about splashing cash.

There’s something whimsical about juxtaposing the humble pizza with a full dinner service to guests decked in their finery and any sparkling booze tastes better when sipped from crystal.

Putting on the glitz for a spot of seasonal fun and laughter could be just what’s needed after a tough year.

There is a way to make an entrance without shaking loose the purse strings and scattering forth too many precious pieces of eight. Accessorising is key if you’re on a budget with beads, bows, brooches, bangles and bands available cheaply on the High Street.

Carlisle stylist Fran Boyd, of Good Bye Norma Jean vintage boutique, is a pro at making headpieces and jewellery work overtime. Take your cues from the adornments used in our shoot to boost your little black dress. If your frock is 1950s style with a strapless bodice and flared skirt, try a fascinator with netting attached. Tulip shapes look great with pretty headbands – this season look to Gossip Girl star, Leighton Meister, and her Upper East side thick bands with chunky embellishment.

With more of a draped, bias cut gown, go for 1940s long knotted necklaces to emphasise the column effect. Or perhaps try a piece of ribbon or stretchy headband worn flapper-style low across your brow. A simple and fashion forward way to add drama to any outfit is to grab an eye-catching feathered hair clip and slide it into the side of a tousled up-do.

If you’ve decided you’re due some pretty new drapery, a well-chosen frock can take you through the season’s dinner parties, black-tie bashes and nights out on the town. Velvet made a comeback on the catwalks for autumn/winter and has now hit the High Street. Rather than the fusty crush ruby velvets or spray-on leotards that lingered circa 1990, the new look is softer and much more plush. Think English eccentric or old-school glamour and pick a softly-draping style like Me model Felicity’s one-shouldered cocktail dress.

Extreme shoulders as worn by the likes of Victoria Beckham are also everywhere and can sharpen up an otherwise nondescript black frock. However, the trend smacks too much of flash-in-the-pan to be an investment and a more frugal choice could be the tulip-shaped dress that has turned into a seasonal staple. Try Feli-city’s tulip dress with gem-jewelled bodice for the style with a glam twist.

Full-length gowns can make a real impact at the right event. Black-tie dinners call for something that little bit special – but again, making the right choice can mean the difference between a very costly evening out and having a stunner in your wardrobe you can wear year after year.

Ensure there’s the option to shorten your dress to cocktail length should you wish to and choose a classic shape and a timeless colour. A bandeau top with gently flaring skirt like the sequined dress worn by Me model Beth Howson is a great choice as is a slightly fluted shape with shoestring straps like Laura’s lace and beaded number. Black and white lends instant elegance, like the gown worn by Natasha, and never goes out of style.

Our shoot made the most of the stunning setting at Crosby Lodge to create a feel of yesteryear opulence. But with some well-dressed guests, a bit of creativity and a sense of fun, any dinner party gathering will go with a stylish seasonal swing.

• Laura Wright (blonde curly hair very slim) wears: Black lace and beaded full-length gown, £118, Gino Cerruti at Marie Olesen; feather shrug, £55, Coast at House of Fraser; accessories from a selection at Untold, House of Fraser. Pink silk dress, £115, Untold at House of Fraser; black bow belt, £18, Untold; fascinator from a selection at House of Fraser; bow tie, £10, Good Bye Norma Jean.

• Beth Howson (dark hair) wears: black shoestring strap dress, £120, Untold at House of Fraser; necklace, £20, Untold; rose hair clip, £25, Coast at House of Fraser. Black sequin full length gown, £285, Sparkle at Marie Olesen; black sequin cardigan, £150, Malene Birger at Chameleon.

• Beth Bateson (red hair) wears: black satin dress, £115, Untold at House of Fraser; pearl necklace, £22, Untold; stole, £220, Caroline at Chameleon. Black bead dress, £60, Good Bye Norma Jean; headband, £12.50, by Helen Little.

• Felicity Lamb (curvier blonde) wears: black velvet one shouldered dress, £140, Untold at House of Fraser; cream fascinator from a selection at Good Bye Norma Jean. Black jewelled dress, £169, Set at Chameleon; diamante necklaces from a selection at Good Bye Norma Jean.

• Natasha Ellis (curly dark hair) wears: Ivory and black full length gown, £350, Bernshaw at Chameleon; necklace worn as headband from a selection at House of Fraser. Peach and black dress, £140, Untold at House of Fraser; fascinator, £35, Coast at House of Fraser, jet necklace, £25, Untold.

• Gary Bovill wears: Dinner suit, £199, Berwin and Berwin at House of Fraser; Shirt, £45, Van Heusen at House of Fraser; bow tie, £17.50, Berwin and Berwin; cufflinks, £25, Berwin and Berwin.

Hair styled by Heidi Belper and Chris Allen at Noise salon, Viaduct Estate Road, Carlisle.

Makeup by Alex Holliday with Yves Saint Laurent at House of Fraser, Carlisle.

Photoshoot location: Crosby Lodge Country House Hotel, www.crosbylodge.co.uk

Stockists: Marie Olesen Boutique, 10 Friars Court, Carlisle; Good Bye Norma Jean vintage boutique, Price Crash Department Store, Botchergate, Carlisle; Chameleon, Warwick Road, Carlisle; House of Fraser, English Street, Carlisle.

First published at 22:04, Tuesday, 27 October 2009
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk