Pippa Middleton's sparkling boucle midi dress and cranberry-red accessories is the Together at Christmas outfit to beat

Anyone who loves admiring royal fashion is in for a treat this month as the countdown to Christmas means plenty of appearances - including at the Princess of Wales’s Together at Christmas carol service. It’s being filmed at Westminster Abbey on 5th December and usually has a big turn-out of royals, as well as of Catherine’s own family.

Her parents and sister Pippa have never missed the event and they go as all-out as the Royal Family with their festive outfits. Pippa’s look from last year is still one of my top outfits since Together at Christmas was first held in 2021 - and it’s subtly seasonal.

She stepped out for the service wearing British clothing brands head-to-toe, opting for a Karen Millen dress and Emmy London accessories. Guests usually wear smart coats, but she went without and let the shimmering black boucle frock do all the talking.

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The metallic thread ran through the woven material, catching the light without being in-your-face sparkly at such a meaningful occasion. If you’re ever unsure how to wear metallics or embellished or glittering items, styling them with black or other dark neutrals like grey or navy helps to balance them out.

They tone things down, creating a sophisticated finish. Pippa Middleton’s dress also had plenty of texture to soften the sparkles and boucle fabric naturally feels traditional and wintery. This suits the festive season perfectly and her red accessories also nodded to the time of year without screaming "Christmas" so much they’d be difficult to wear outside December.

She carried one of Kate’s best handbag styles - the Emmy London Natasha clutch - and coordinated this with her red velvet Emmy London Claudia shoes. Like boucle, velvet is a fabric that always surges in popularity in the colder months.

Incorporating so much texture into her outfit was a clever move from Pippa, as it gave it dimension and contrast. This is especially important if you’re wearing one colour where the pieces could start to blend into one, but it also lifts other minimal looks.

The Princess of Wales’s sister didn’t overdo things with 2024’s Together at Christmas ensemble and I love how pared-back yet bold it was. The sparkly boucle and red velvet complemented each other and she took a few more fashion risks with this look than she has in the past when she’s worn simple tailored coats and tall boots.

These items are all staples in a winter capsule wardrobe, though having a few more stand-out pieces and accessories you can re-wear every party season is a good idea too. Even if you’re not sold on the sparkly boucle, you can take inspiration from Pippa in smaller ways.

A boucle jacket would work well with trousers and a jumper, or you could make a boucle dress a little more casual with flat knee-high boots. Red accessories can also look lovely with so many different outfits and add a pop of festive colour to a monochrome look.

It’ll be interesting to see if Pippa Middleton brings out her velvet Emmy London pieces at this year’s carol service, as she’s sure to attend once again to support Catherine. She’s sadly never re-worn the same Together at Christmas clothing and I’ll be keeping an eye out to see if Pippa’s new outfit surpasses my love of this 2024 one.