Party Season Outfit Inspiration - The Black Sequin Midi
The £45 dress we’re building an entire evening around
A sequin dress, a red lip and somewhere to be. Our party-season outfit starts with a £45 M&S find — and yes, it comes in petite.
With the nights drawing in and party plans starting to fill the diary, we’re ready for a little sparkle. This black sequin dress is the starting point: we’re adding silver-tone earrings, black slingbacks, a sequin bag and a faux-fur snood. A spritz of Soft Iris and a swipe of red lipstick finish the look.
Meet your next going-out dress
£45
A little black dress with a party-season upgrade. The sequins bring the sparkle, and the midi length gives you plenty of room to play with shoes and accessories.
This is why we keep coming back to M&S: pieces that let us have fun with fashion, with petite options in the mix. This dress comes in petite, regular and tall, with sizes 6–18 listed in our edit. Check your chosen length for current sizes.
Added stretch is a welcome detail for an evening that starts with dinner and ends on the dance floor. And at £45, it’s a dress we can see coming out for plenty more than one party.
Shop the dress at M&SOne dress. The whole evening sorted.
Black sequins, a flash of silver and that red lip. Here’s how the pieces come together.
- The dressSequin lace square-neck midi cami dress · £45
- The shoesStiletto-heel peep-toe slingback sandals
- The bagSequin grab bag · £26
- The jewelleryStatement cupchain ball drop earrings
- The extra layerFaux-fur snood
- The red lipEstée Lauder lipstick in Berry Red
- The final spritzSoft Iris eau de parfum, 50ml · £16 · 50ml
How we’re styling it
Stiletto-heel peep-toe slingback sandals
Black slingbacks keep the focus on the dress while giving the whole outfit a sharp finish. We love the peep toe with red nail polish, picking up the colour of our lipstick.
They’re also an easy pair to bring back out with tailored trousers, a slip skirt or your favourite jeans when the sequins are taking a night off.
Shop the shoes at M&S
Sequin grab bag
£26
Yes, we’re wearing sequins with sequins. Keeping both the dress and bag black makes the pairing feel considered, with texture doing the work.
At £26, this grab bag is a fun finishing touch for party season. It would also bring a little sparkle to a simple black trouser-and-top combination.
Shop the bag at M&S
Statement cupchain ball drop earrings
With this much sparkle in the outfit, we’re keeping the jewellery to one focal point: silver-tone ball drop earrings.
Wear your hair tucked behind your ears or swept up and let them catch the light. We’d leave the neckline bare so the square cut of the dress gets its moment.
Shop the jewellery at M&S
Faux-fur snood
A faux-fur snood brings a soft contrast to all those sequins, plus a little warmth for the journey there. Slip it on with your coat and the evening look feels complete before you’ve even arrived.
There’s plenty of life in it beyond party season, too. We’d wear it with a simple knit and coat for the office, weekend plans and everything in between.
Shop the extra layer at M&S
Estée Lauder lipstick in Berry Red
A red lip is the colour this outfit calls for. We’re choosing Estée Lauder in Berry Red to bring a bold finishing touch to the black and silver.
Add matching red nails if you’re in the mood, keep the rest of your make-up how you like it, and you’re ready.
Shop the red lip at M&S
Soft Iris eau de parfum, 50ml
£16 · 50ml
The last thing before heading out: a spritz of Soft Iris. At £16 for 50ml in our edit, it’s an affordable way to try a different fragrance for the season.
M&S describes iris and jasmine with a bright touch of bergamot, orange blossom, and a base of vetiver, amber and patchouli. We like the idea of making it part of the getting-ready routine, whether the plan is a big night out or dinner for two.
Shop the final spritz at M&SSame dress, different plans
You don’t need a whole new set of accessories every time you wear it. For dinner, try the dress with a blazer and the slingbacks you already own. For a bigger night, bring back the sequin bag and earrings. For a more relaxed plan, throw a soft knit over the top and add boots.
That’s the appeal of a black sequin dress: you can change the mood with a few pieces from your wardrobe and still get all the fun of wearing something that sparkles.
A quick petite fit check
M&S designs its petite range around a height of 5ft 3in (160cm), with cuts that take petite proportions into account. Having this dress in a petite option is a big part of its appeal: the same sequins, the same party plans, with a fit designed for a shorter frame. This dress still works beautifully for women under 5'3" and the midi style gives us lots of room to play with. Try the dress with the shoes you plan to wear so you can check where the midi hem sits on you. Use M&S’s size guide to help choose your desired fit.
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