A charitable option for the party season

What does every busy career woman need to see her through the festive party season?

A well-organised diary, an iron resolve to stop overindulging before she’s even got to Christmas Day - and an LBD.

Jewel toned sequins and silks and Ice Queen-white satins may be vying to dazzle on the dinner-dance floor, but the Little Black Dress is the go-to evening piece in the working woman’s wardrobe. It needs to be a classy classic and look glamorous without hogging all the limelight. But it also needs to be on-trend.

You may have found your perfect LBD a few Christmasses ago, but the ugly truth is that there are only so many times you can slip into it without feeling like Cinderella. But does its replacement have to be new and expensive?

“We don’t think so,” said the head of retail at Rotherham Hospice.

“Because we’re a local charity and the hospice is so close to many people’s hearts in the town, our nine charity shops scattered throughout the Rotherham area receive a huge number of donations of fabulous evening wear all year round.

“We’ve selected the very best party pieces to adorn the pre-Christmas rails,” said Kim Loughborough.

“There are party shoes, sparkling accessories, evening and cocktail frocks of all hues and from all manner of designers and high street names - and a wonderful selection of little black dresses.”

The hospice challenged three businesswomen from Barnsley and Rotherham Chamber of Commerce to head to the charity rails with a budget of just £25 each and exit with a perfect little black outfit.

This is how they fared...

Jackie Freeborn

* Mum Jackie Freeborn is MD of Skin Care Yorkshire. The 57-year-old is co-founder of local charity Work-wise Foundation, which helps young people transition from education into adult and working life.