Not since 1999 have we had such a memorable New Year’s Eve. Before you start to despair about the thought of spending it in partial lockdown, take a moment to consider some of the positives of an ‘in-in’ celebration. First of all, there’s a good chance you’ll take less of a hit to your designer wallet. Then, of course, there’s the distinct absence of queues for the bar; hard to avoid however sophisticated the drinking establishment. You can forget braving the Arctic blasts and dispense with the stress of the errant Uber you booked well in advance. On balance is a New Year’s Eve cosied up in your faithful luxury bathrobe such a chore after all? The good folk at designer dressing gown brand, Bown of London, think not, and what’s more, we’re here to share our top tips for a stylish New Year’s Eve you’ll remember for all the right reasons.

What to Wear

A typical British New Year’s Eve is built around two key decisions. Where to go and what to wear? With the former taken out of your hands, all that’s left to consider is the dress code. While the list of Covid pros may be short, loungewear lovers will be forever thankful for the year that made it acceptable to don a dressing gown all day long. Perhaps you’ll opt for a relaxed two-piece lounge suit or maybe a decadent dressing gown with a little silk or Lycra beneath? Here at Bown of London we clearly have a weakness for a designer gown. There’s something about our British-designed bathrobes that ooze class, and while you’ll still look the part, you’ll be able to enjoy the festivities in total comfort. If you’ve been uber organised you might even have gone as far as a personalised bathrobe, arguably the next best thing to a tailored tux.

Mr Bown is known for his displays of decadence so will likely start the evening in a smoking jacket or his favourite lightweight cotton bathrobe. After an aperitif or two, he’ll no doubt select his go-to super soft Arbroath, a quality bathrobe crafted from the finest Egyptian cotton and with a distinctive navy and Claret chevron design.  As the evening begins to gain momentum, we’re anticipating a swift costume change for the killer outfit. If fireworks are not physically on the agenda you can still make the new year arrive with a bang in the dazzling Rhyl, a riot of vibrant zig zags to chase away the woes of 2020.

Dress the Venue

It’s no secret that style is part of your DNA, so why stop at just your own ensemble? You may not be able to go to the party, but you can certainly spruce up your home with some fun decorations. String up some fairy lights or tinsel curtains for a touch of club couture or invest in a helium machine and create a spectacle with an arc of black and gold balloons.

Don’t forget to deck out a Zoom corner for those virtual meetups with friend and family, and you might want to create the perfect backdrop for social media snaps with an Instagram wall. We love this DIY holographic balloon backdrop complete with tutorial at studiodiy.

What to Drink

Nothing says party quite like a drinks trolley, and depending on your current Tier level, there’s still time to pop down to your local B&M or Argos and pick up a Great Gatsby-esque serving cart. Long gone are the days of hiding away your Tanqueray’s and Henessey’s in the back of the cupboard. Opt for a two-tier vessel and channel your inner interior designer. Not only is a drinks trolley a functional bit of kit that doubles up as an in-home bar, but it can also be dressed to impress. Pick up some styling tips from The House Beautiful team here.

It’s tradition to ring in the new year with a glass of Champagne, but if you’re looking for a little mixology inspiration, you’re sure to find your perfect tipple among Country Living’s menu of more than 35 tailor-made toasting cocktails. https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g2872/new-years-party-champagne-cocktails/

If you’re a Casablanca fan, you’ll know all about Mr Bown’s favourite. The Pomegranate French 75 is a classic, elegant champagne cocktail given a seasonal wintery twist with pomegranate. We rather like the sound of the fig honey thyme prosecco smash. Is it too early to start?

What to Eat

The menu you choose will largely depend on your catering prowess, the amount of time you’re prepared to invest in prepping and cooking and to some extent what time the bar opens at your establishment!

Finger food presents by far the most straightforward option, leaving you free to Zoom, Skype and work your living room like the social butterfly you are. If you’re going for nibbles, make sure you go big on presentation. Bring out the best tableware and mix and match styles for an authentic tapas-style feel. To coin a popular British household chain phrase, ‘there’s party food, and there’s M&S party food’. Take the stress out of the organisation and buy in a selection of bite-sized treats. Think mini mac and cheese with lobster, Spanish pigs in blankets, truffled salmon on crostini and vegan steamed mushroom buns.   

If you’re craving a more formal sit-down affair you can still keep it simple but stylish with a fillet of steak, half lobster tail and triple-cooked chips – just don’t forget the garlic butter sauce!

Dining in your Bown bathrobe? Remember to adjust your foldback cuffs to keep things clean. You might also need to use that double belt loop to adapt your waist fitting post-dinner.

Get Mindful

The promise of a new year is typically the time to contemplate changes for the better and think about ways to live a healthier and more mindful life. Why wait until 1 January? Limber up for your NYE celebrations with a virtual yoga class. It’s been a stressful year and one that’s taught us all the importance of self-care and mental health.

Head to YouTube for a spot of free-flow or maybe try something more dynamic with a little Vinyasa. Either way, you’ll be training your brain to adopt new practices before the new year arrives.

Other ways to look to the future include making a 2021 vision board. It’s a great way to spend a couple of hours with your favourite style and fashion magazines and a tube of glue. Villeroy & Boch flute in hand, you can plan your new look or perhaps lay the foundations for a home or room makeover. Include your career aspirations and goals and make sure you place your board somewhere prominent, so you keep on track and focused. If you’re more of the tech persuasion, there are a raft of online resources and apps to help you construct a vision of the future you desire. https://liveboldandbloom.com/11/passion-in-life/vision-board-apps

Watch a Movie

Virtual calls and early Auld Lang Syne’s out of the way you can grab the remote and take up residence on the sofa. The dress code for this one is definitely comfort so if a dressing gown was not your choice of attire for the first part of the evening, now’s the time to slip into something a little more relaxed. Lady Bown’s gown of choice is the hooded Azealia, perfect for snuggling up into and a longer length to keep the chills at bay.

You might want to build your Netflix or Prime viewing schedule around some of the annual TV programming. Much like Christmas Day, some of the billed shows have become a permanent fixture, signalling NYE’s arrival as much as London’s annual fireworks display. Talking of which, you can see the musical pyrotechnics on BBC1 at 11:55 pm. Before that join the legend that is Jools Holland for his annual Hootenanny (11:20 pm on BBC2) with guests including Ed Sheeran, Jessie Ware and Ruby Turner. If disco is more your party vibe tune into Nile Rodgers and Chic on BBC1 before and after the midnight fireworks.

Not since 1999 have we had such a memorable New Year’s Eve. Before you start to despair about the thought of spending it in partial lockdown, take a moment to consider some of the positives of an ‘in-in’ celebration. First of all, there’s a good chance you’ll take less of a hit to your designer wallet. Then, of course, there’s the distinct absence of queues for the bar; hard to avoid however sophisticated the drinking establishment. You can forget braving the Arctic blasts and dispense with the stress of the errant Uber you booked well in advance. On balance is a New Year’s Eve cosied up in your faithful luxury bathrobe such a chore after all? The good folk at designer dressing gown brand, Bown of London, think not, and what’s more, we’re here to share our top tips for a stylish New Year’s Eve you’ll remember for all the right reasons.

What to Wear

A typical British New Year’s Eve is built around two key decisions. Where to go and what to wear? With the former taken out of your hands, all that’s left to consider is the dress code. While the list of Covid pros may be short, loungewear lovers will be forever thankful for the year that made it acceptable to don a dressing gown all day long. Perhaps you’ll opt for a relaxed two-piece lounge suit or maybe a decadent dressing gown with a little silk or Lycra beneath? Here at Bown of London we clearly have a weakness for a designer gown. There’s something about our British-designed bathrobes that ooze class, and while you’ll still look the part, you’ll be able to enjoy the festivities in total comfort. If you’ve been uber organised you might even have gone as far as a personalised bathrobe, arguably the next best thing to a tailored tux.

Mr Bown is known for his displays of decadence so will likely start the evening in a smoking jacket or his favourite lightweight cotton bathrobe. After an aperitif or two, he’ll no doubt select his go-to super soft Arbroath, a quality bathrobe crafted from the finest Egyptian cotton and with a distinctive navy and Claret chevron design.  As the evening begins to gain momentum, we’re anticipating a swift costume change for the killer outfit. If fireworks are not physically on the agenda you can still make the new year arrive with a bang in the dazzling Rhyl, a riot of vibrant zig zags to chase away the woes of 2020.

Dress the Venue

It’s no secret that style is part of your DNA, so why stop at just your own ensemble? You may not be able to go to the party, but you can certainly spruce up your home with some fun decorations. String up some fairy lights or tinsel curtains for a touch of club couture or invest in a helium machine and create a spectacle with an arc of black and gold balloons.

Don’t forget to deck out a Zoom corner for those virtual meetups with friend and family, and you might want to create the perfect backdrop for social media snaps with an Instagram wall. We love this DIY holographic balloon backdrop complete with tutorial at studiodiy.

What to Drink

Nothing says party quite like a drinks trolley, and depending on your current Tier level, there’s still time to pop down to your local B&M or Argos and pick up a Great Gatsby-esque serving cart. Long gone are the days of hiding away your Tanqueray’s and Henessey’s in the back of the cupboard. Opt for a two-tier vessel and channel your inner interior designer. Not only is a drinks trolley a functional bit of kit that doubles up as an in-home bar, but it can also be dressed to impress. Pick up some styling tips from The House Beautiful team here.

It’s tradition to ring in the new year with a glass of Champagne, but if you’re looking for a little mixology inspiration, you’re sure to find your perfect tipple among Country Living’s menu of more than 35 tailor-made toasting cocktails. https://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g2872/new-years-party-champagne-cocktails/

If you’re a Casablanca fan, you’ll know all about Mr Bown’s favourite. The Pomegranate French 75 is a classic, elegant champagne cocktail given a seasonal wintery twist with pomegranate. We rather like the sound of the fig honey thyme prosecco smash. Is it too early to start?

What to Eat

The menu you choose will largely depend on your catering prowess, the amount of time you’re prepared to invest in prepping and cooking and to some extent what time the bar opens at your establishment!

Finger food presents by far the most straightforward option, leaving you free to Zoom, Skype and work your living room like the social butterfly you are. If you’re going for nibbles, make sure you go big on presentation. Bring out the best tableware and mix and match styles for an authentic tapas-style feel. To coin a popular British household chain phrase, ‘there’s party food, and there’s M&S party food’. Take the stress out of the organisation and buy in a selection of bite-sized treats. Think mini mac and cheese with lobster, Spanish pigs in blankets, truffled salmon on crostini and vegan steamed mushroom buns.   

If you’re craving a more formal sit-down affair you can still keep it simple but stylish with a fillet of steak, half lobster tail and triple-cooked chips – just don’t forget the garlic butter sauce!

Dining in your Bown bathrobe? Remember to adjust your foldback cuffs to keep things clean. You might also need to use that double belt loop to adapt your waist fitting post-dinner.

Get Mindful

The promise of a new year is typically the time to contemplate changes for the better and think about ways to live a healthier and more mindful life. Why wait until 1 January? Limber up for your NYE celebrations with a virtual yoga class. It’s been a stressful year and one that’s taught us all the importance of self-care and mental health.

Head to YouTube for a spot of free-flow or maybe try something more dynamic with a little Vinyasa. Either way, you’ll be training your brain to adopt new practices before the new year arrives.

Other ways to look to the future include making a 2021 vision board. It’s a great way to spend a couple of hours with your favourite style and fashion magazines and a tube of glue. Villeroy & Boch flute in hand, you can plan your new look or perhaps lay the foundations for a home or room makeover. Include your career aspirations and goals and make sure you place your board somewhere prominent, so you keep on track and focused. If you’re more of the tech persuasion, there are a raft of online resources and apps to help you construct a vision of the future you desire. https://liveboldandbloom.com/11/passion-in-life/vision-board-apps

Watch a Movie

Virtual calls and early Auld Lang Syne’s out of the way you can grab the remote and take up residence on the sofa. The dress code for this one is definitely comfort so if a dressing gown was not your choice of attire for the first part of the evening, now’s the time to slip into something a little more relaxed. Lady Bown’s gown of choice is the hooded Azealia, perfect for snuggling up into and a longer length to keep the chills at bay.

You might want to build your Netflix or Prime viewing schedule around some of the annual TV programming. Much like Christmas Day, some of the billed shows have become a permanent fixture, signalling NYE’s arrival as much as London’s annual fireworks display. Talking of which, you can see the musical pyrotechnics on BBC1 at 11:55 pm. Before that join the legend that is Jools Holland for his annual Hootenanny (11:20 pm on BBC2) with guests including Ed Sheeran, Jessie Ware and Ruby Turner. If disco is more your party vibe tune into Nile Rodgers and Chic on BBC1 before and after the midnight fireworks.