Party outfit planning the hard way

In June, my husband and I are celebrating our 10th anniversary. That would make me feel really old if I hadn’t been a child bride. We’re having a party so naturally the most important thing on my to-do list is finding an outfit.

I’m really an accessories person, so I made the same mistake I’ve always made. I’ve focused in on the shoes (a pair of gold Tory Burch Colin pumps) and now have to build an outfit around them. I’ve already got a black wrap skirt that will look great and keep me cool in case it’s actually warm on the day. I’ll have to get a top, but that’s the hardest part, so at the moment I’m focussing on jewellery.

Being a girl with Champagne tastes, Astley Clarke was my first stop, where I promptly fell in lust with Osman Yousefzada’s rock crystal necklace. It perfectly exudes that sophisticated 60s vibe of my chosen shoes. However, my budget is significantly smaller than £4k (try £100 for the entire outfit) so I’ve got to keep looking. I could go for a more classic look with fresh water pearls from Rosa Monckton – she’s got a wide range of colours at reasonable prices. For something with a bit more whimsy (and a lot less money!) I could go to E&A on Queen Margaret Drive, who specialise in ethical designs from new British Designers. For some pricier whimsy, I could go to Brazen in the Merchant City.

Remarkably, Missoma still have some sale items on their website. I could forget the necklace and go for statement earrings instead – like the Wings of Love, or the gorgeous Hot Rox hoops with their cascading chains and small faceted gems in warm tones. Blaguette and Marte-Frisnes also have fabulous earring ranges. I’ve also got my eye on the gold butterfly necklace at Marte-Frisnes.

I could get into the trend for stacks of bangles with these enamelled ones from Dryberg and Kern at Manjoh, or a dramatic constellation cuff by Jessica Kagan Cushman at Bunny Hug. Accessories Online, ASOS, and Oli all sell Angie Gooderham bracelets, which are always good for making a statement.

And of course, I could support an up-and-coming designer by going to the Glasgow School of Art degree shows. I’ve seen some beautiful jewellery for sale at previous shows, but at the moment I don’t know when they’ll be this year – I know it all happens in June, but it may be after my party is just a hangover and some fond memories.