Opera coats! Brocade! Velvet! Big glamour is back for party season

Tis almost the season to up sticks from the sofa and drag yourself to a party or two. Obviously, the only way to survive it is to have an arsenal of increasingly fabulous outfits at your disposal. This year, the key is to embrace faded glamour, bohemian spirit and a little eccentric aunt energy.

The (somewhat niche) poster girl for party season 2026 is Auntie Mame, the comic film about an orphan who goes to live with his madcap aunt in Manhattan during the Depression.

Mame teaches her nephew to make martinis while wafting around in outré ensembles: embellished bodysuits, feather-trimmed gowns and floor-length crepe robes.

For a contemporary take, look to Alexa Chung’s recent Reformation collaboration, which featured a rich velvet “red carpet scarf” in shades of chartreuse and electric blue.

Other relevant reference points include anything and everything from Dries van Noten’s glistening AW26 offering and Taller Marmo’s Noir collection, modelled by Erin O’Connor.

Reformation

“Pure nostalgia is setting the tone this season,” say Taller Marmo’s founders Riccardo Audisio and Yago Goicoechea. “We are looking back 100 years, decoding the Roaring Twenties and seeing a lot of fun and curious resemblances to our own 2020s. Cocoon shapes, butterfly sleeves, low waists, sequins, feathers, evening coats and opera coats are back.”

Leaning into this cinematic glamour needn’t mean entering costume territory. On the high street, there has been an influx of beaded dresses that nod to flapper style without going full Gatsby (the best are to be found at Zara).

The embellished velvet jacket will be another frequent sight; try one with silky trousers, or reverse the formula and pair a silk shirt with a velvet slip skirt. Failing that, look out for asymmetric, draped and caped silhouettes in rich fabrications.

“Velvet has been a real standout for us, while satin is proving extremely popular in bold pops of colour such as emerald green, chartreuse and plum,” says Brigitte Chartrand of Net-aPorter. “Jacquard, fringing and beaded tops are also doing extremely well.” She names Colleen Allen, Vivienne Westwood, Dilara Findikoglu, Heirlome and Emilia Wickstead among the designers that have perfected party dresses.

Net-A-Porter

Another key piece in any great going-out wardrobe is a statement coat and this year, long, luxurious outer garments have come to the fore. Think sweeping opera coats, brocade beauties, fur-trimmed duster jackets and plenty of contrast collars.

All this is epitomised by the silk-satin Conner Ives robe coat that debuted in the designer’s AW25 show and has since been snapped up by Kate Moss, Kendall Jenner and Sienna Miller, who made a splash by wearing it to the Serpentine Summer Party mid-heatwave. The real thing will set you back £6,500, so if you want to make it to January you’re probably going to have to turn to something slightly more accessible.

Reformation’s £498 Stella style comes in a reversible shearling iteration (good for cost-per-wear), although you’ll need to join the waiting list, while Rixo’s sell-out £395 embroidered Micah jacket won’t restock until January (though a fabulous leopard print version is currently on pre-order). Will M&S put one out in time for Christmas? They should.

The great thing about a statement coat is that it does all the talking for you. By the time your host has taken it off you to add to the mounting pile on their bed, you’ll have impressed everyone enough that you can wear any old black dress underneath and still take home the prize for best outfit.

Last but not least are the all-important accessories, which can take the most generic party wardrobe and make it feel eminently on-point. The best thing to carry this year is a pouch bag — it could be velvet, satin or embroidered, as long as it has a drawstring closure and ideally a tassel or two. The same goes for belts; if you haven’t tried the season’s cummerbund trend yet, party season is the moment to experiment.

Ancient Greek Sandals

As for shoes, it’s mercifully easy to save on Uber fares by avoiding torturous heels this party season. Stilettos and kitten heels have stepped back to be replaced by mules with small wedge heels and glam satin slippers, both of which can be found in jewel-toned abundance at Ancient Greek Sandals.

For bows and extravagance, try Loeffler Randall (which has opened its first UK outpost on Chiltern Street if you want to shop IRL), or for something more budget-friendly, look to Charles & Keith. The latter’s fur-trimmed dark brown Mary Janes are almost certain to sell out before Mariah Carey fully defrosts for another year.

So track down your long-lost nephew to stir up a martini, drape yourself in a feathered gown and dance like the oddball aunt you really are.

Zara Beaded midi dress

Zara

Hayley Menzies Satin coat