November 30, 2023

Looking for a Christmas Day dress?

by Taleeta Founder, Janine Leghissa

Growing up, I was always encouraged (or instructed) to look nice for Christmas Day. Mum just insisted — it was the ‘done thing.’ And when I had kids, I carried on the same tradition. Even if it was just us at home, dressing up for the day made it seem extra special.

These days I still treat myself to a Christmas Day dress

I love a Christmas Day dress because:

it keeps the tradition that my mum insisted on (she’s not well at the moment)
it signifies the importance of the day
there will be photos, and I want to look nice
it’s a nice present for myself
it shows my children and grandchildren the importance of dressing for occasions
I love it
it’s fun to dress up

But now that I’m (ahem) a little older, and a grandmother, I demand comfort and style for my Christmas day dress. Often I am the one running around on the day, preparing meals, last-minute cleaning, tidying up all the wrapping paper and being grandma to an active toddler.

So I need a Christmas Day dress that I can move around in, feel comfortable in, flatter my shape, and look great in photos. And that’s what I created with my Taleeta dresses.

Not into cheesy Christmas Day dresses?

When I invest in a Christmas Day dress, I want something I can wear again. I’m not into fast fashion or novelty stuff that is uncomfortable and cheesy. (No judgement—if you love that stuff, go for it)

Taleeta’s Christmas Day dresses - my top picks

These are my favourite Christmas Day dresses from the Taleeta range — check them out if you want something special to wear on the day.

Christmas Day dress #1: Off shoulder dress in various colours

We launched this dress in our first collection in just one colour, indigo, in November 2022. And it was a big hit! It quickly became our bestseller and many customers snapped it up for Christmas Day 2022.

Since then, we’ve released several more colours: leaf green, white, blue and a fabulous blossom print.

This off-shoulder dress makes a great Christmas Day dress because it’s a little bit fancy. Showing off your shoulders is not an everyday look, so it instantly elevates your style. The cut is very flattering, emphasising the narrowest part of your body—under the bustline. The length is not too long and the skirt is not too voluminous so you can rush around on Christmas Day without the hem getting in the way. And the shirring means you can wear it low or hike up the sleeves for a more covered-up look. A winner of a Christmas Day dress!

Christmas Day dress #2: boho breeze dress in white or indigo

This new-season release has sold very strongly, and customers love it!

Gaylene: “Nothing short of stunning! Thank you for making me feel fabulous in this dress”
Kristine: “Beautiful dress to wear, I always get compliments when wearing it”
Kelly P: “Fabulous quality and fit - absolutely love the fabrics and design. Flattering and the indigo is a gorgeous colour.”

The boho breeze cut is truly different to anything else on the market. The neckline, cutout sleeves and careful placement of seams is designed to skim over your lumps and bumps and create a lovely silhouette. No matter your size, (we go from size XS-4XL) it’s going to look fabulous on Christmas Day!

This dress is a winner if you have a forecasted hot day for Christmas, or if you’re the type to get a hot flush due to ‘that time of life.’

Christmas Day dress #3: Hibiscus Jungle Dress in purple, blue or yellow

The purple hibiscus jungle dress started it all—the foundation dress for our first collection. The fabric is a stunning combination of animal print, floral and batik trim that somehow comes together looking amazing. Finished with gorgeous hand-dyed cotton lace trim, this dress draws the eye to the right areas and skims over everything else.

You will feel extra special in this dress, no matter what colour you choose. Though I must give a special shout out to the newest release yellow hibiscus jungle dress — the colours are so bright, golden and summery, making it a perfect Christmas Day dress.

What customers who’ve bought this dress tell us:

Kate: “I get complimented on this dress whenever I wear it - it’s fabulous! I love the purple so much I got myself the yellow as well.”
Cara: “The best dress I have ever had. The fabric is soft and flowy, and the quality is really good. It is very flattering to my older figure”
Lainie: “This dress is the best thing I ever got. I love the fit, the feel, the flattering shape!”

What you need in a Christmas Day dress

Christmas in Australian summer is likely to be quite warm. So a natural, breathable fabric will make you feel comfortable all day. Avoid anything artificial that will make you feel sweaty and scratchy.

Our fabrics are all natural, making our dresses all perfect to wear on a hot Christmas Day. And our linen is enzyme-treated to make it super soft and smooth, so it’s as comfortable as it is flattering and stylish.

Likewise, with all the rushing around you’re wise to avoid anything clingy. You want to be able to move around with comfort. Longer, fuller skirts that touch the floor look amazing but aren’t great when you’re dashing about all day. Instead a mid-calf skirt will give you more freedom of movement while also being incredibly flattering for all body shapes. An extra split in the skirt, as with our off shoulder dress, will give you even more comfort of movement on the day.

Planning on eating yourself silly? I always treat myself on Christmas Day and eat all the carbs, chocolate and sweets my heart desires. (I hope that’s not just me.) If you’re planning to indulge in your favourite foods without restriction, you need a relaxed fit around your waist. Our dresses skim over your tummy so if you have a little food bulge on Christmas Day it will be perfectly disguised!

My Christmas Day dress must haves

My essentials are:

hot weather (and hot flush) friendly
natural breathable fabrics
super comfortable
freedom of movement for rushing around
not restrictive on the tummy area
flattering to your figure so you look great in photos

Not a fan of dresses? Try our lovely shorts, pants and tops for Christmas Day

If you’re not into wearing dresses, don’t force yourself into something you don’t like. You can still look polished and gorgeous while staying true to your fashion persona.

Try our lovely linen pants or shorts for Christmas day comfort or style. Pair them with one of our gorgeous tops and you’ll be looking fabulous on the day!

Try these combinations:

White linen pants with our yellow free spirit top

Taleeta - linen pants for christmas