How to shine this Christmas party season without spending a fortune

Christmas time is full of shine and sparkle, and when it comes to Christmas parties we want to be just the same. Especially as there were no parties last year so we have a lot of partying to catch up with!

The problem is that getting kitted out for one party – let alone several – can cost a small fortune. If you want a new dress or outfit, shoes, accessories, a visit to the hairdresser, plus any kind of grooming or beauty treatments they all cost money. And this is on top of the cost of the party itself – tickets / food / drinks / transport. It just goes on and on.

So in this article we look at a few tips about how to shine this Christmas party season without spending a fortune in the process.

Seven ways to shine this Christmas party season

Rediscover and repurpose what you already have

Let’s face it. Most of us completely lose track of what is lurking at the back of our wardrobe. You may well find one or more fabulous party outfits that could easily be worn again.

If you do find something but it’s not quite right, consider making some simple cosmetic changes. For example, you could shorten a dress or skirt or make it longer by adding a lace trim, change the style of a top by removing or adding sleeves, or dye a garment a completely different colour.

Ring the changes with accessories

Another way to transform an outfit is to experiment with a range of accessories. Varying your shoes, bags, jewellery, ties, jackets, shrugs and hairstyles can all make the same basic outfit look very different every time you wear it.

One of the most classic party outfits for women is the LBD – Little Black Dress. But with a range of different accessories this could form the core of a very versatile wardrobe that could see you through the Christmas and New Year party season.

Raid the charity shops

Charity shops are a wonderful source of good quality clothes at a bargain price. As well as regularly trying a range of different charity shops, a good tip is to get there an hour or so after opening, when new stock is likely to be freshly displayed.

And of course as well as grabbing a bargain, you are also helping to support a good cause.

Buy second hand online

Another good source of second hand clothing is to visit an online selling site. You can pick up wonderful items that are hardly worn, at a fraction of the original price.

Some of the most popular sites for clothing and shoes are:

Rent your party gear

In our recent article The Most Unusual Things for Rent in 2021 we discussed the option of renting clothes for special occasions.

Websites such as Hurr and My Wardrobe HQ enable you to rent a wide range of clothing. Apps such as By Rotation and The Nu Wardrobe also enable you to arrange with other users to lend and borrow clothes without any money changing hands.

So if you want something really special but can’t afford to buy anything, a short term loan may be a way of finding your dream outfit at an affordable cost.

Exchange clothes with friends

Whilst still on the subject of finding party clothes from other people, why not set up a Christmas party swap shop with friends? Just as you may find all kinds of outfits lurking at the back of your wardrobe, so might they. So if you have a couple of friends who are a similar size to you, have a get together and see if you can swap some of those discoveries around between you.

You could either do this on a permanent swap basis, or consider a short term loan if there are outfits that the original owner wants to keep but is not planning to wear this Christmas.

Cut the cost of beauty treatments

Of course, getting ready for a Christmas party is not just about what you wear. It may involve a range of hair and beauty treatments as well. But rather than paying over the odds for these, see if you can shave the cost by trying one of the following options:

If you are near a vocational college that teaches hairdressing or beauty therapy courses, they may well have a salon offering treatments during term time at very good prices.
Local hair and beauty salons may offer cheaper rates if you go to a junior member of staff or apprentice.
Mobile hairdressers and beauticians tend to be cheaper than salons, particularly if you could organise an evening where several of you have treatments.
If anyone in your circle of friends has expertise in one kind of treatment, see if you can trade favours with them so they can treat you and you do something else for them.

We hope that this article has given you some useful pointers as to how to shine through the Christmas party season without spending a fortune.

Check back here soon for more lifestyle and financial tips from Loans 2 Go.