Not in a party mood.

I don't mind ordinary parties with food, drink and music. I really hate anything where I have to wear fancy dress or murder mystery type functions.

I hate dressing up, I have a "do" to go to very soon at a nice hotel, and have been struggling to find something to wear. I am overweight, I always wear wide leg trousers, and a top. I just can't find anything I like, I've been through various web sites for days now. Bon Marche have failed me. I found a soft paisley ethnic look jacket I loved in Wallis, but not my size anywhere.

I have a colourful flowery chiffon blouse, and cami with sparkly bits, that is at least 15 years old. I can see me reduced to wearing that!! I don't suppose anyone will notice.

We don't really have any dos to go to. We have a family meet up each year for a meal at a pub/restaurant, which I organise, but that's about it. I hated works dos. I worked for a government department and you were 'expected' to attend the annual meal, which you had to pay for yourself and was always expensive. The higher up staff used to be patronising to us lowly ones, almost patting us on the head and implying how grateful we must be that we were mixing with them. Everyone sat around like stuffed shirts. After a few of these I just said no.

I thought that I was the only one who hates going to Christmas dos or any dos. We don't have work dos as we all live in different areas and most of my friends are older and or disabled. So apart from dinner with the family I will be curled up with a good book

And I've no need to buy new clothes either

No sparkly (but hideous and tacky) Christmas jumper ethel?
I noticed a pop-up the other day, could have been on here or on FB, for Christmas dresses - no, not tasteful black or teal or even red cocktail dresses, they were swirly dresses with bright Christmas patterns all over them.
Might as well wrap yourself in Christmas paper.

Nothing beyond good friends getting together, and they won't mind what I wear. No 'office' party or clubs' or organisations' Christmas dinners.. not our scene! We may host a gathering but I am sue I have a suitable outfit somewhere! We are going to a lovely Michelin Star restaurant on New Years Eve but I have LBD that I can wear!

I used to enjoy parties, especially around Christmas time, but I can’t stand about the place for long now, need a sit down.
We will see friends and family for a few meals I expect, and There are a few village group things to go to, but no need to be dressy really.
Having said that......I wouldn't mind something new to wear.

No parties for me and another who doesn’t do more than a few lunches with friends so no party dresses
I didn’t go to works parties as I was one of the few without a husband to take and from what I heard afterwards I m rather glad I didn’t go especially the year they started throwing food at each other
Christmas Day, Boxing Day nice meal with the only childand grandkids in UK then roll on January

Well, I love 'does' and miss not having many to go to these days

My father was in the army, which is very social, and sometimes formal. As a child, my sister and I hated with an all consuming hate the mandatory children's parties, but when I got older, I rather enjoyed all the entertaining and does. All those young subalterns!! I had my first date with a subaltern I met at a buffet supper party.

Later DH's best man was in the navy and over the years we went to quite a number of really gorgeous naval does.

In our working days, some of our various employers used to have Christmas dinner dances for their staff, to which we went, but that was back in the 1980s. DH loves opera so over the last 10 years we have been to Glynebourne during the summer season a few times - and that is formal.

I have three does coming up; we are off to Glynebourne, to see the touring opera before it goes on tour. Not formal, no picnic break (too dark and too cold) but 'smart casual' and then for our golden wedding anniversary someone gave us a very generous Royal Opera House token, enough for us to go to 2 performances. We haven't been there since the 1980s. No strict dress code, but I like to dress up for it.

So, I was out hunting for party wear last week, and I can tell you that at present there is nothing in the shops, whatever the adverts may say. I ended up buying some bottle green velvet skinny leg trousers from M&S (£ 30) and a pretty silky looking floral ruffled top from H&M (£12). I also bought a necklace at M&S(£20). To be worn with gold earrings I have had for years and some rose gold shoes I bought for a wedding this summer.

The top will eventually become a summer top and I will probably wear the trousers with a different top and shoes when we go to the panto at Christmas - ah, a Christmas 'do', or doesn't it count?

I am not a party person, but I love a dressing up 'do'