Not somewhere you’d expect to find your next party shoe, but Peacocks’ festive edit has a few surprises - By Emma Kate Miller

Peacocks isn’t usually on my radar, but the new Christmas collection might change that. From bow-topped slingbacks to budget-friendly outerwear, a few of these pieces are genuinely worth a second look.

Hands up, Peacocks is not a place I shop. No hate, but there used to be a “boutique” tucked in the corner of the Kirkgate in Leith and when I was a kid it was where my mother liked a browse. It was stacked to the gunnels, floor to ceiling, roasting hot, and I’m not sure any of the stock rotated from one month to the next. My three younger siblings were allowed to run around and hang off the anchor (one for the oldies). I was dragged in to give an opinion, usually on things that “could come in handy.”

Anyhoo, I digress. Peacocks took that site when Kirkwoods closed, stripped it out, fitted those bright overhead lights, and I haven’t been in since. Louise Redknapp’s been fronting their campaigns for a few years now, and lately they’ve drafted in Dani Dyer too. Bless those women. They work hard. I get the press releases, wince a little, and usually file them straight in the bin.

Now, this is not the arc you’re expecting. I’m not saying the Peacocks Christmas collection is good. But, and it’s a surprising but, there are a few things that could come in handy.

Those cute block-heeled slingbacks, for a start. They come in black, burgundy and leopard, each topped with a neat little bow (£24). How festive. Louise’s take on the camel coat (£55), her herringbone blazer (£45) and the chocolate Borg jacket (£50) are genuinely fine — useful pieces, style them up, and very purse-friendly. Dani’s got a couple of cardis that might see you through December, and that olive faux fur? A bit different, and actually on trend.

There are still a few Peacocks stores dotted around Scotland, including the Kirkgate in Leith apparently. Might pop in.