River Island insider shares five must-have Christmas partywear pieces for 2023

07 December 2023 , 16:52

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I asked a River Island employee to reveal the pieces shoppers are putting through the till the most this Christmas party season

With the festive season in full swing, shoppers are on the lookout for Christmas party outfits to see them through the work’s do, girly drinks, December date nights, pantomime trips, New Years Eve and everything in between.

While celebrities like and have done a stellar job at providing us with some wardrobe inspiration of late, there’s actually another source of style in-the-know you may not think to look to - but it’s literally their job day-in, day-out.

For me, one high street retailer that has really nailed the winter trend tick list this year is and so I headed in-store to chat with one of their customer assistants to pinpoint the store's most coveted pieces for this year's celebrations. With their finger on the pulse of the latest trends and seeing what shoppers are putting through the checkouts, the fashion floor worker tipped me off to the key pieces that are set to dominate the Christmas party circuit.

From glamorous dresses to knockout suits, to the biggest 2023 trends like ‘cosy chic’ and metallic styles - here are some of the that promise to make a statement at every festive gathering this December.

The first party-ready dress that’s been flying off the shelves is this . The employee told me: “This has been selling really well and we also have it in a if you wanted to wear it with jeans. It feels very Frankie Bridge, it’s velvet and just really classic.”

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Black Diamante Bandeau Midi Dress - £50

I can definitely see the Loose Women panellist featuring this dress in her weekly Faves round up, and I love that River Island has got it in a and a to give shoppers more variety. The paired with some wide leg embellished jeans - like - would be a real showstopper, I think.

For those looking for the ultimate power suit this Christmas season, this cream co-ord has been a real hit. The is on the expensive side, coming in at £75, while the , but together they make for a real knockout look - especially if paired with a glittery top. The employee added: “The suit is one of our bestsellers because we stock it in petite so it gives shoppers more choice.it also comes in black and red and the cut of them is really nice - they look great on.”

Cream Shawl Collar Tux Blazer - £75

I have to agree, I tried on the red version of the suit and it’s a really elevated high street piece. Frankie Bridge has actually so it’s a celeb-approved party pick, as well.

“People are really leaning into cosy vibes,” my River Island insider told me. “This particular comes in so many colours and we’re finding shoppers keep coming back to buy more because of how much they love and wear them.”

She added: “They’re selling out so fast. What’s also nice is that some colours may look better on some skin tones than others so it’s really nice that we’ve got a choice.”

Cuff Detail Jumper - £45

The , coming in beige, pink, red and a black and white version, with the added detailing on the sleeves just making it look that bit more expensive and dressy.

“The slip dresses are super popular,” she told me as we weaved through the rails. “Especially because it’s got the metallic running through it. It can be dressed up with a blazer and heels or it can be dressed down, we had it on the mannequin with a jumper and it looked gorgeous.”

Metallic is very on trend this year so any metallic accessories would make this slinky number pop. It’s got a tie back detailing so you can really cinch the waist in, and it’s very figure-flattering, I found, having not been able to resist trying it on.

Silver Foil Detail Slip Midi Dress - £40

The - and comes in 10 other colours if you fall in love with the cut of this dress.

Summing up this year’s festive trends, my style expert revealed that while some people are going all out with sequins, metallics and statement pieces, others are relaxing more into ‘cosy chic’ vibes. But one thing's for certain - shoppers are buying pieces that they can wear over and over and over again.

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She said: “All the party stuff has had a really positive reaction, anything sequin has been a huge seller, silver trousers too have been huge because celebs love them. I think people are enjoying a statement piece you can then style in different ways throughout the season for various occasions.”

Silver Metallic Straight Leg Trousers - £30

And to help you get your glam on a budget, online at the moment. It’s likely to be the last ‘big’ sale we see before the annual Boxing Day sales.

But of course, it’s not just River Island knocking it out of the park with festive fits, Marks and Spencer has also had shoppers swooning over and , while New Look is doing the hard work for us and has shared all their

But if you've spotted a piece above or fancy seeing what else River Island has to offer, you can find their

Bethan Shufflebotham