Need a Christmas party look? Update your clothes with these hacks

Feeling the pressure of getting Christmas ready but can't justify buying a new outfit for the big day or your work party? We’ve got you covered with a load of suggestions to spruce up your existing clothes for Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Instead of trekking through the shops this close to Christmas, why not challenge yourself to upgrade an old dress, headband or jumper and turn it into something truly unique and festive? We all know that most of the sparkly, sequinned pieces we buy at Christmas sit in the wardrobe for 11 months of the year, so creating your own piece can be both sustainable and affordable.

If you have a jacket or shirt you're looking to revamp, raid your Christmas tree and add tinsel to the cuffs. You don't have to be a brilliant sewer to do this: if you can thread a needle you’ll be grand, as tinsel covers all bad sewing.

You could also add tinsel to the bottom of a dress, skirt or trousers, and if you wanted to be really creative you could create designs with the tinsel. I once covered a whole charity shop jacket in tinsel and I get compliments every time I wear it.

If you're someone whose Christmas tree decorations have reached their max, you can turn old Christmas tree decorations into a pair of earrings by adding new and clean earring hooks into where the string used to go, or string them onto a necklace to make a Christmas-themed necklace or bracelet.

For something that you want to last a bit longer, gather up your or your granny's brooch collection to transform a basic handbag into a fab talking-piece by pinning on a load of different brooches. This also looks fabulous on jackets.

Christmas decorations with clips can also be used to clip onto your hair, onto a beret or hat, or onto a jacket lapel. If you have two the same you can even use them as shoe clips.

If you're feeling adventurous you can paint old shoes red, green or gold. There’s special leather paint you can buy online cheaply, or many shoe repair places will colour shoes for you. I like to add glitter to mine after I’ve painted them. The same paint works on handbags. If you have a favourite handbag but want to change the colour this can be an inexpensive way to pimp your bag.

If you have a hot glue gun you can make a small arrangement of baubles and Christmas tinsel or flowers, add a clip to it, and use it in a variety of ways. I’ve made several of these and I’ve worn them pinned to a jacket lapel, clipped into my hair, or attached to a handbag.

For something really showstopping, a piece of tinsel makes a great headpiece. If you have a hot glue gun you can add some to an old headband, but it isn't necessary for this upgrade. If you have a few bobbypins you can secure the tinsel in place.

If you really want to impress, a Christmas tree skirt makes for a wonderful capelet. You can leave as is, or add some flowers and bows to the skirt/cape.

Making a statement doesn't have to involve a lot of effort, either. Sometimes the simplest change can work best. Change your shoelaces to make your shoes more festive. Red, green, gold or silver ribbon works just as well as a shoelace and looks much more festive and fun.

And, as always, a little bit of colour goes a long way in revamping an old piece. Use accessories in Christmas colours to make a neutral outfit feel more Christmassy. Add a red scarf and gloves, a pair of green socks, or a gold handbag.