23. April 2026
How to feel special this Christmas, without costing the earth
A useful guide on finding the right clothes for the right occasion and feeling great
Christmas is often a time we feel like buying something new. To ‘dress up’. Feel special. And we should, it lifts our spirits in the darker months, shows our energy and excitement at meeting up with friends and family. And who knows who we will meet or connect with looking fabulous.
We look in our wardrobes for an outfit to wear. But as we probably haven’t seen or worn it for a year, it feels unfamiliar. It may not fit. And it doesn’t feel ‘new’. Retailers spend alot marketing to us to encourage us to buy sparkly new. For a quick fix its easy to buy cheap, poorly made ‘Christmas outfits’ sold specifically for this time of year.
So we end up with more single wear items, then feeling guilty and the cycle continues. So here’s a guide on dressing to feel special, to give you ideas to inspire and without costing the earth.
Why we should feel special in our clothes at Christmas
Clothes affect how we feel about ourselves. They affect our confidence. They give us permission to go and talk to people. They provide the fuel to get up and get out.
They help us connect. Fit in. Show that we are part of the group we are looking to join. Provide a talking point in the early part of the evening. A fashionable Christmas outfit would do this wouldn’t it? But does it have to be brand new?
Loving what you already have, treating it as something special, styling it differently each time you wear it, can deliver the same results.
And it’ll break the cycle of spend and guilt.
How to feel special in the clothes you already have
1 More often than not, we want to feel like we are wearing ‘the right thing’ for an event.
We’ve all been there, wearing the one dress we have, feel comfortable in so it’ll have to do but when you get to the event you just feel a little uncomfortable. It doesn’t have sleeves. Someone else looks smarter. It’s too long. Too short.
So think about how you want to feel at whatever event you are going to.
2 And then there might be events where you might want to make an impression. Or not.
So think about how you want to be seen.
3 Now take a look in your wardrobe with those two answers in mind.
And a word of advice (or two)... it’s so easy to put your clothes into categories that means you might overlook them for going out. We can easily dress down or up lots of items.
Here are some useful examples
“I want to feel comfortable, and not stand out, but feel like I’ve made an effort.”
So definitely look at what you already have. Can you put aside some time to get your hair looking great, book yourself in to the hairdressers? Plan ahead with making sure your clothes are pressed and ready. Think about co-ordinating coat and accessories like earrings, shoes.
“I want to feel effortlessly sophisticated, without standing out”.
So here’s a chance to think about colour in particular. Think about combinations - sophisticated suggests more co-ordination. Consider what works well together in your wardrobe colour wise. Don’t limit yourself to what you’ve been wearing just in the day and evening. Try on new combinations to see what works.
“I want to make a bit of a statement”.
This is often where we feel like we need something new.
Know your own style, don’t be drawn into the sparkly new that is in the shop if it isn’t you.
Know what styles suit your body shape best.
It’s not just the LBD, trousers can be a statement, as can full length maxi.
If you are investing significantly, also consider where else you can wear the outfit.
Also
You might have one item in the outfit e.g. a dress, but what will make it ping is a new coat or pair of shoes.
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Tips and Reminders
Spending time choosing outfits from your wardrobe will most likely give you most of what you want to wear and help you feel how you want to feel.
Think outside the box - try combinations of colours from clothes you might think are just for work or evening.
Hair and make up can often be the thing that makes us feel special and we don’t need a full new outfit!
If you are clear on your own personal style, know how you want to feel and be seen, look in charity shops, they keep their Christmas clothes ready to sell at this time of year and have a range of sizes. Better than Vinted and Ebay because you can try things on.
Feeling special at Christmas is good for our wellbeing, our confidence, our connection with others. It’s important to put time into thinking about how you want to feel and be seen. And taking time to get you and your outfit ready. Chances are, if you do this you will have what you need in your wardrobe and may only need to buy a small addition to make it feel new.
For more on how to put outfits together the way you want, and plenty of inspiration, sign up to my newsletter here.