Christmas Style Guide

|

What to Wear for a Christmas Carol Concert

When the weather outside is frightful, dressing for a Christmas carol concert is akin to Mary and Joseph’s quest to find a room for the night: near impossible.

While they didn’t have Airbnb at their disposal or the ease of online booking, you’re in the fortunate position of being faced with this what-to-wear conundrum with ME+EM by your side.

Regardless of whether you’re holding a perfect note in a classic rendition of Holly Night, belting out the best you’ve got for a pop interpretation of Let It Snow or watching from a church’s chilly pews, your sartorial needs remain the same: warmth and comfort sprinkled with a little festive cheer.  We’ve curated a robust edit of style solutions that are the perfect partner to this diary staple. 

Showstopping Ruffles

Not one to be upstaged by warm knitwear, the ruffled trims decorating our layering tops are placed so they frame the V-necklines of our cardigans and vests, adding drama to clean-cut staples.

Better yet, this combination doesn’t make you choose between style and substance.

Turn to our Statement Frill Collar Layering Sleeveless Blouse decorated with a dramatic ruffled trim and single gold-toned feature button as the base to your look. Layer up with our Merino Cashmere Relaxed Patchwork Cardigan, crafted from a cozy blend of merino wool and cashmere to brighten your ensemble. 

A shortcut to creating the same result while transforming a classic long-sleeved sweater, our Broderie Layering Cuffs join our Merino Cashmere Cable Trim Sweater + Snood to introduce a feminine softness. Accommodating different arm lengths while imbuing your look with a relaxed ease, the knit’s cuffs fall a little further over your hands.

Celebrating a statement festive hue, our Italian Wool Longline Epsome Coat is crafted from soft Italian wool tailoring and is fitted with pockets either side of the buttoned front. When it’s layered over decorative frill trims, its V-neckline is the perfect accompaniment to a ruffle-trimmed round neck, but thanks to a button fastening at one shoulder, this coat also grants you the option of locking in extra warmth with the collar turned up. 

Harmonious Layering Pieces

There are happy coincidences - finding the last jar of mincemeat when the supermarkets’ shelves have been cleared the week before Christmas, or managing to find the perfect present online that allows you to avoid the crowds filling high-street shops - but any you find on our pieces are no accident.

Each detail, cut, and silhouette has been intelligently designed and thoughtfully considered, thoroughly tweaked and endlessly perfected. 

Take our Statement Lace Swing Blouse + Cami; its optional cami can also be styled under other pieces in your own closet, adding mileage to your investment, its buttoned neckline allows you to switch between a round and V-neck, and its subtle pouf shoulders line up perfectly with the cut of our sleeveless vests. Styled under our Merino Cashmere Rib Trim V Neck Vest, it builds a statement look that keeps you warm and adds drama to an uncomplicated silhouette. Teamed with a bold print - like the one covering our Floral Jacquard Tailored Wide-Leg Man Pant - the result combines comfort with a contemporary sensibility. 

Achieve the same result while forgoing print and choose instead to hero bold, saturated hues - without a hint of red, green, or white in sight. We’re putting the spotlight on our Merino Cashmere Gem Button Vest in violet. Leaning into the season’s love of all things colorful and shimmering, it’s detailed with a line of embellished buttons running down the center and, when slipped on with our Embroidered Frill V-Neck Layering Top, brings a sense of occasion to your sartorial pairings.

When the need for a third layer arises - heating in centuries-old churches is anything but effective - our Italian Wool Military Forever Coat is the answer. Featuring a neat V-neckline and a series of military-inspired silver-toned buttons running down the center, it keeps every element of your cleverly layered pieces on display while retaining a polished finish.

Soft Textures

Covetable tactility and luxurious softness aren’t exclusive to knitwear. Soft velvet and velour speak to the festive season and define standalone pieces and wardrobe staples.

The fabrics are even more welcome amongst event and occasionwear solutions when the alternative to keeping warm or introducing a soft texture is through layering that lends your look a more casual, pared-back feel.

Play with textures by pairing our Velour Cord Swing Top signed off with ruffled cuffs with leather pants. Achieve a head-to-toe look with our Velour Skirt Co-ord built from a swing top detailed with a single faux-pearl button at the round neckline and a matching A-line skirt.

Reinventing a year-round eveningwear staple, the humble little black dress, our Velour Fit + Flare Maxi Dress is crafted from the covetable fabric and is detailed with the same faux-pearl button as our swing top. 

Whether you’re slipping into these aforementioned velour styles or something else, complete your look with our Luxe Shearling Reversible Coat that displays either a cozy shearling side or a smooth leather one. Hero the latter to benefit from the extra warmth granted by the shearling or the former for a luxe finish.

A Cappella Standalone Styles

Performing a sartorial aria all on their own, these winter dresses need no accompaniment to perfect a look suited to a Christmas carol concert.

Just like a page of sheet music, our Contrast Panel Fit + Flare dresses are free from color, choosing instead to champion a monochrome palette. Detailed with a series of buttons down the chest, it can be styled as a neat round neck that provides flattering coverage suited to church settings or a deep V-neck one that can be used to display a couple of layered necklaces. 

Alternatively, look to long sleeve dresses in a shorter silhouette. In the same combination of black and white, our Contrast Detail Shift Dress is topped with a Peter Pan collar and outlined with scalloped trims that highlight the button fastenings lining up down the chest, the neat cuffs and the collar.