It’s that time of year when the frocks come out and it’s sequins galore, Christmas parties have finally made a return.
And so to has the clamour to look your best in that little black dress, or whichever outfit you desperately pluck from the back of the wardrobe.
Here at Society, we’re all for re-wearing old clobber, it’s friendly to the environment not to mention your purse.
But for many of us, Christmas party outfits represent a poignant return to some kind of normality.
When was the last time you treated yourself to a shopping day, armed with good pals and those ooos and ahhs as you model outfits in the changing room?
Fear not, Bon Accord has got you covered.
Regardless of age or size, there’s a sassy outfit for everyone with plenty of shops to choose from.
We decided to put Aberdeen’s much loved shopping centre to the test, with four fabulous women who put their day jobs on hold for a festive shoot with a difference.
Meet 26 year old Emily Findlay, who has lived with cancer since she was just 14.
She wanted to find an outfit which would flatter her clothes, with her scars from endless rounds of surgery proudly on display.
53 year old Lesley Taylor, who is an events manager, has always loved clothes, but wanted to find a frock which fell slightly below the knee, without making her feel frumpy.
And our very own society writer, Rosemary Lowne, 36, also wanted her knees covered, after a running accident has left her feeling self conscious.
Last but not least, is the wonderful Evelyn Murray. At 80 years old, Evelyn wanted a stylish get-up, which would flatter her shape and show off her vibrant personality.
Four very different women, all looking for that dream outfit.
And thanks to Bon Accord, our mission was a huge success.
Our first stop was Hobbs, where incredibly helpful staff picked just the right dress for Lesley’s colouring.
It was a classic case of not looking like much on the hanger, until the assistant added a gorgeous sparkling necklace. The Larissa dress in raspberry is priced at £139, teamed with the silver Aria necklace priced at £49.
We teamed the look with nude high heels from New Look which came in at £23.99.
For Emily, only sparkle would do, and we found just the ticket at Quiz.
A dazzling champagne jumpsuit, with a flattering tie waist and glamorous v neck.
It was also lined, meaning it fitted beautifully and was more than worth the price of £64.99
Quiz also came up trumps with Rosemary’s outfit, a sleek satin dress with a hint of sparkle on the straps, priced at £54.99
For Evelyn, we headed to M&S, and the only difficulty we had was in choosing an outfit because there were endless options.
After much debate, the winning number was a sheer cream blouse, simply yet oh so elegant, teamed with the most amazing blazer.
A beautiful shade of red and in sumptuous velvet material, it framed Evelyn’s petite figure. With ruched sleeves, it was £69. The blouse cost £29.50, quality pays off.
Dogtooth high waisted belted trousers priced at £39.50, paired with glittery trainers (£45) made for the ultimate look.
There really is something for every style and all under one roof.
Once you’ve found your winning look. there’s no need to panic about makeup. The ‘Beauty Crew in Boots, will have you glowing.
The talented team of six beauty specialists, know as the ‘Beauty Crew’, work across a range of brands from Chanel and Dior to Bobbi Brown and Benefit, to make you look the best version of yourself.
Not only do they offer make-up tutorials, but the beauty specialists can also advise on best products across over 30 brands.
Helen Stone, the beauty manager, said their in-store Beauty Studio, has over 30 big brands with new additions including Huda, Morphe, Kylie by Kylie Jenner, Fenty Beauty by Rihanna and Korean skincare brand Dr. Jart.
“We have six beauty specialists in store who are all beauty junkies,” said Helen.
“They are so talented, passionate and they love what they do – they would do make-up all day if they could.
“They just love helping people to feel amazing.”
Working their magic on our ‘real women’ models was beauty specialists Jodie Stuart and Ailsa Dickson.
From red lips and smoky eyes to contouring and brows, both Jodie and Ailsa certainly know their stuff.
As I’m sure you’ll agree, all four models look incredible.
Lippy applied, they even managed to fit in some Christmas shopping, with a supportive nod to local businesses thanks to stalls at The Collective.
And if you want to make a da yo of it, Bon Accord is ideally situated for all the fun of Aberdeen Christmas market, alongside plenty of foodie options on the upper floor.
We had an absolute ball on this shoot, and hope you’ll feel suitably inspired to get your glam on with Bon Accord.