Joanne Hegarty: All I need for Christmas… is these

 Fashion is a fantastic box of paints to colour our lives with. Whether you stay inside or outside the box, the creative possibilities are endless. And never more so than at wonderful, frenetic Christmas time. Imagine a festive season without its fashion rituals: the sequined parties where most of us will drink too much or Boxing Day walks wrapped up in cashmere to blow away all the cobwebs.

  Imagine a festive season without its fashion rituals: the sequined parties where most of us will drink too much or Boxing Day walks wrapped up in cashmere to blow away all the cobwebs.

I think of these special days as a giant canvas to colour with favourite wardrobe pieces – and I have five in particular I rely on every year…

1 The party dress I love the thrill of the chase with this one. I always try to hunt down something special (apart from last year because there was absolutely nowhere to go) to see me through all the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Choose your dress with great care because, if you get it right, it will become a key part of your partywear armoury to be dipped into for special occasions. This year, I stumbled upon a maxi dress by Christopher Kane on the preloved site vestiairecollective.com for a smidgen of the original price. As I write, I’m eagerly awaiting its arrival. Of course, you never fully know with online purchases until they arrive, but I’m really hoping that when it gets here, it’s going to be The One. Yes, it’s a gamble but what’s life without a roll of the dice!

2 Statement earrings I’m not a massive earring wearer during the year, but come December, I can’t wait to pop them on to dress up an outfit. They offer a terrific contrast, too, with hair up and a casual knit heading out for a warm Christmas coffee.

3 The cashmere knit To me, it feels as if Christmas was made for cashmere. There’s nothing more snug to cosy up in when the big day is suddenly all over and we are wondering where the time went. This is why The White Company’s twinkling Christmas brochure is so successful – it wraps everything up in cashmere and gorgeous baubles.

4 The puffer coat There’s a time and a place for everything. Come Boxing Day, I’m reaching for my puffer jacket, which I’ll hibernate in for the rest of the winter. Nothing feels more right than walking around in your duvet in dark January, dreaming about the first buds of spring.

5 The brand new diary I look forward to buying mine every year. My favourites are the leather ones from Smythson. It’s thrilling – and terrifying – flicking through the blank pages wondering what life will have in store for us.

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