In the (ever burgeoning) world of high-street fashion brands, Mango is a – if not the – favourite among the masses. Championed for its finger-on-the-pulse drops, and simultaneously its vast collection of basics, the Spanish store will have exactly what you’re looking for every time you step through its literal or virtual doors.

It suddenly dawned on me this week that I was one outfit short for the festive season – arguably for the most important event, too: New Year’s Eve. The solution? A browse of my favourite online clothing stores from the comfort of my own sofa. The problem? I was at work.

In the midst of audibly complaining at my desk, my work wife Sophie Cockett turned to me and said “I don’t have an outfit, either.” A sentence every girl dreams of hearing their friend say. Braving Oxford Street on your lunch break (or, indeed, at any other hour this time of year) is truly nightmare inducing, but doing it with a pal and making a fun outing of it? Much more bearable.

With two different plans for the 31st December – mine being a posh dinner and drinks out with my other half, and Sophie’s being a house party – we embarked on our adventure with Mango in the back of our minds.

AW25 runways have brought everything from faux fur, all-black outfits, pops of scarlet and ‘80s tailoring to the forefront of party season, all of which we’ve recently spotted at Mango.com thanks to the nature of our jobs – so what better place to set off to? Here’s how we got on…

Welcome to our Mango Dressing Room Diary

I instantly felt good in this dress, the second I put it on I knew it was coming home with me. I’m such a sucker for good tailoring – anything with a nipped-in waist, strong shoulders and a fun sleeve will have me sold – so it was a real bonus that it was also long enough on my 6ft frame. Next time I would style it with some on-trend burgundy lace tights to make it look more festive, but I know I’ll rewear this time and time again throughout the year.

“I also loved this balloon-sleeve Mango blazer dress. Perfect for party season, it has a lapel-collar, v-neck and a playfully-short cut. I didn’t try on the right size – I needed a large, really – but I also loved it as a blazer in its own right. Atop jeans and a crisp white t-shirt, it proved that the NY party purchase could work in my wardrobe well beyond the sparkle season,” Sophie adds.

Being someone who’s not that into sequins, festive dressing can be quite tricky. My solution is usually to either jazz something up with twinkly accessories or opt for jewel-toned satin pieces like this mini dress. It still says Christmas/New Year’s, it just doesn’t scream it in your face.

“The fashion set are loving an asymmetric cami top right now: flattering in cut, with a soft, 90s romance lace trim,” Sophie says. “I loved this Mango iteration, mostly, I think, because it’s chocolate brown. The deep hue has always been a winter staple, but from The Row to Saint Laurent and Victoria Beckham, chocolate brown is more prevalent than ever right now. It feels only right to incorporate the shade into my NYE wardrobe.”

“I’m not really one for sparkly Christmas dresses, so rhinestone jeans are my go-to during party season. I had a pair last year which I still wear to death – but an upgrade is always welcome. These fit like a glove, had a flatteringly high-waist and on-trends bootcut silhouette to the legs. I’ll wear them with a white shirt in the office during the final few days of the year, then with a sparkly top on NYE,” says Sophie.

“I wanted to love this fun sequin velvet jacket and shorts co-ord so much, but it just didn’t work with my figure. I don’t think I’d ever be daring enough to wear the jacket open and with nothing else underneath (and in a lunchtime rush, I couldn’t find a plain top to work with it, either) – plus the shorts were a bit too short for me to wear confidently,” Sophie says. “The colour is great, the sequins are fab, and the way the set is styled with chocolate brown tights on the Mango website is such a vibe. Just not for the plans I have this year.”

Unfortunately this outfit didn’t work on me, but it absolutely would on someone shorter. The short-sleeve sweater washed me out and the skirt cut me in the wrong place and made me look all out of proportion despite fitting me nicely elsewhere. I loved the crystal trim hem, though; it’s a more subtle way of ticking the sparkle box.

Save when you shop with these Mango discount codes at checkout. For more from Glamour UK’s Senior Commerce Writer Georgia Trodd, follow her on Instagram @georgiatrodd.