The fashion experts' guide to Christmas style

Rebecca Haynes, personal shopping manager, Harvey Nichols

What she'll be wearing on Christmas Day
'I'll be wearing a pair of Christian Louboutin heels for sure, they work with everything! And I always rely on a great pair of jeans. At the moment, J Brand wide leg jeans are my favourites, with a cashmere cardigan or polo neck, great for mixing and matching.'

Christmas party must-haves
Shopping for the perfect party outfit at Harvey Nichols is a difficult job, but Rebecca agreed to do it. Talk about fashion heaven...

• For day to evening: 'It's got to be Lanvin jewellery, which looks just as fabulous with jeans as evening wear.'
• For a cocktail party: 'This great Zac Posen black cocktail dress (pictured), with some jewellery to mix and match, hoop earrings, cuffs, and an Anya Hindmarch clutch.'
• Forever: 'Great heels make an outfit really special. Go for Miu Miu, Jimmy Choo or Christian Louboutin and wear with Christmas spirit and attitude!

Dress from a selection by Zac Posen, www.shop.harveynichols.com (020 7235 5000)

How to look party fabulous
'If you want items that you can wear throughout the season, stick to more classic cuts and block colours. Red, pink and purple are key colours. Wear them as a full outfit by introducing accessories or by something as simple as your nail colour.'

'The three things that will instantly make you feel more groomed, even if your outfit is simple, are a great blow-dry, a manicure (short nails in dark colours are key for winter) and a tan, real or fake, to give you a Christmas glow!'

'Always carry a small kit with you to touch up make-up throughout the evening. Carry lip gloss, YSL Touche eclat and pressed powder to keep your look polished.'

And what to avoid...
'Glitz, embellishment and sequins are great but less is more.'

What she wants for Christmas...
'Where do I start? Louboutin heels, Alaia, anything from the new RM collection, Chanel Nail colours, the new Prada perfume, Nude Skincare. I could go on...'

Emma Whitehair, head of press, Reiss

What she'll be wearing on Christmas Day
'My Reiss long-sleeved bubble hem cashmere knitted dress with opaque tights and 'Newport' patent ankle boots to toughen the look up a bit.'

Christmas party must-haves
We asked Emma to scour the rails at the Reiss showroom to pick out this season's top three party pieces. Here's what she found:

• For a date with mates: 'The 'Sonny' blouse in nude is a pretty and ultra-feminine chiffon and satin blouse that works best with skinny jeans and heels.'
• For full-on glamour: 'The 'Josephine' strapless sweetheart neckline cocktail dress is perfect for Christmas parties and will certainly get you noticed. Victoria Beckham wore this dress in her TV programme, giving it the 'Posh' seal of approval!'
• For that Christmas Eve big night out: 'My favourite piece is the 'Joyenne' silk tunic in electric blue (pictured). It looks fab with stirrup leggings and heels. The bright high-shine fabric gives a pop of colour to an otherwise dark winter palette and is quite an edgy look.'

Joyenne tunic, £79, www.reiss.co.uk

How to look party fabulous
'The trend for opaque black tights is a Godsend for me as I have such pale skin. But I still like to plan what I'm going to wear in advance so I can regularly exfoliate and moisturise, and gradually build up a light fake tan. Make sure your skin is glowing if you're going to be wearing a revealing dress.'

And what to avoid...
'American tan tights! And, don't wear your day bag with your evening dress...invest in a clutch. Or check out the Reiss 'Stepney' wrist bag with dome shaped studs, to add a rock chick vibe to your party look.'

What she wants for Christmas...
'Black mesh Christian Louboutin stilettos.'