We’re living for party season and to get us even more hyped up for it, we hosted an evening with two of our favourite mummy bloggers, Pascale Banks (@style_mum) and Katie Impey (@themumlife_styled) in our Style Studio to talk all things partywear, hangover cures and mum’s gone wild! Read on to see what they wore (Pascale in the polka dot maxi and Katie in the gold suit), what their pre-party rituals are and what party piece they can’t do without...
Do you have any pre-party rituals?
Pascale: Apart from a glass of prosecco which I’m sure we both do, one of my pre-party rituals before putting my makeup on, is to have a shower obviously...and then I’ll put on a sheet mask on for 10 minutes just before putting my makeup on - it just gives you a glow. It works every time.
Katie: I would love 10 minutes to just do that. I’ve got a 3 and an 8 year-old and I’m lucky if I’ve got 10 minutes to do my makeup. Time is of the essence for me.
Pascal: So it only works if you’ve got older kids.
Katie: So I’ve got another 7 years to wait until I can wear a sheet mask while drinking a glass of prosecco. I don’t really have any, I just get ready as quickly as I can.
Pascale: So Katie is effortlessly this gorgeous.
Katie: No, absolutely not.
Pascale: You are!
Katie: I’ve managed to condense my routine into about 15 minutes especially as my hair is shorter too.
What’s your perfect party look?
Katie: I love a sequin look but I like to tone it down - so a sequinned trousers with an oversized T-shirt - mens preferably so you’ve got that glam slash casual look.
Pascale: I think our looks are quite different which is good. So my areas that I find more different to dress would be this area (points to derrière) which Katie doesn’t struggle with. I’m not saying I struggle, I’m happy with my derrière but I would tend to wear a dress like this - something with voluminous sleeves, in at the waist and nothing clingy. I like to eat 3 course meals and I can’t if I wear a body-con dress. I like a statement shoe too like these boots.
How would you amplify your look from going out to out out?
Pascale: I’m going to steal one of yours actually, I would steal the tights that you arrived in.
Katie: Yeah and River Island have some great socks so I’d go with a sock and sandal look - something sparkly. I think my go-to for a day-to-night look is a blazer. So I would wear this blazer quite happily with a t-shirt and a pair of jeans.But for the evening, I would either match the blazer with the trousers or take the trousers and wear it with the t-shirt and no blazer.
Pascale: Or I love a suit and trainers look.
Katie: Exactly, I think it’s quite easy to dress up or down.
Pascale: And I would wear this dress during the day but instead of the statement boots, which you can wear during the day, I would wear it with a chunky hiking boots or high top trainers.
Comfort or style?
Katie: Both
Pascale: I’m not, I’m so into comfort now. I can’t walk in heels. I can do a heeled boots but I can no longer do a strappy heels. My strappy heel days are completely over especially since I skateboarded and broke my ankle.
Katie: I am one extreme or the other. I literally look like a homeless person - on the school run, you wouldn’t recognise me. It’s all about the oversized hoodie and activewear.
Pascale: She thinks she looks homeless but she still looks really fashion.
Katie: I don’t at all! But if I’m going out out, I’ll go all out. Pain is beauty, I’ll wear the highest heels.
Pascale: I’m more about things like this (points to headband) I’ll add a sparkle here.
Katie: I get such a headache from wearing headbands.
Pascale: I just wear mine really far back. I just can’t wear a strappy heel.
Kids party or adults only?
Katie: Adults only
Pascale: Adults only. Is that an actual question.
Katie: The only good thing about a kids party is when you’re hungover, the food at a kids party is the best hangover food ever.
Pascale: To be fair, my kids are 11 so it's a whole lot easier for me. But now they don’t go to bed, so it’ll get to about 1am and they’ll still be up.
What would make your next party the best ever?
Pascale: Good friends
Katie: Yeah always the company
Pascale: Just going to a dinner party.
Katie: Yeah I always say if you have the best company is key.
Pascale: But saying that, fashion-related, if I didn’t like my outfit, I probably wouldn’t have such a good night.
Katie: I’m a much nicer person when I’m happier with what I’m wearing.
Pascale: If I was wearing an outfit that I wasn’t comfortable in, I wouldn’t enjoy my night.
Katie: It’s the same when you’re makeup isn’t right - you just feel like crap. If you’re feeling yourself, you’ll have a good night.
When do you know the night is over?
Katie: When the bar closes
Pascale: That’s usually a call for me to say, everyone back to mine!
Katie: I’m always the last one standing. I think it’s because we don’t get out much lately.
Pascale: Yeah - mums gone wild. And then we don’t go out again for weeks, so when we do go out, we go out out.
What are your parent hangover hacks?
Katie: So as mentioned, kid’s party food.
Pascale: Mine’s screen time, xbox all day for my boys. I wouldn’t normally let them do that so it’s a one off. I’m not condoning screen time all day long but on a hangover, anything for an easy life.
Katie: If we’ve both been out together then we’ll do a family movie day, we’ll get the blow-up mattress out and lots of snacks.
Pascale: Yeah they think it’s a treat. I’m now at that stage where I have to be in the room with them. Xbox all day? Sure thing. Three bags of crisps? Yeah that’s absolutely fine.
Katie: Help yourself, literally!
Early night or up all night?
Pascale: I’m up all night but then I like to have a lie-in in the morning.
Katie: Yeah I think I’m one extreme or the other again, if I’m out, I’m out, I’m committed. I’ll be the last one standing. Then I need plenty of early nights in between.
Pascale: If my husband is reading this, he’ll vouch for that fact that I’m not good at getting up in the morning.
Katie: I’m better in the morning, I’m a morning person. I’ll get up and do my yoga and have a tea. That quality time on my own in the morning is key.
Pascale: I will go downstairs and press that espresso machine button before I’ve done anything else.
Katie: Yeah no one talk to me before I’ve had my tea in the morning.
What’s your kids party style?
Katie: So I love the mix of pretty dresses and sparkles with a chunky boots or trainers and my girls go for that too, especially my eldest. She loves pretty dresses but wants to look cool. So I’ve got two girls and I’ll coordinate their looks but not too much so they look matchy matchy. But they’ll have a similar print or colour.
Pascale: My boys are a little more difficult because they’ve got their sense of style now. They tend to wear a branded t-shirt but will also wear a shirt from the high street. Or they’ll wear a hoodie with a smarter jacket. And they’ll pair it with big chunky boots and skinny jeans.
What is the one party piece you can’t live without?
Katie: I think a good blazer, I’m all about a blazer. A tuxedo blazer will take you anywhere. I’ve even done a tuxedo and cycling shorts look.
Pascale: I can’t get away with that. Mines definitely a dress, a fuller dress. That special dress - when you’ve got one party or event to go to and you know you can turn to that dress.
Katie: I’ve got blazers in my wardrobe that are years old, and if in doubt, I’ll go blazer and jeans.
