Holiday Party Looks

Need a little inspiration for what to wear for this holiday season's round of social engagements? Can do, loves! Grab a beverage and settle in for a fierce little lookbook of what’s on our radar right now.

It’s tough to go wrong with a little black dress.  When your fashion brain has the style version of writer’s block, it’s a great place to start, when you do a cozy turtleneck sweater version or an on-trend flared-sleeve silhouette. For the holidays, spike this classic with statement shoes. Sequins and crystal naturally come to mind and work flawlessly, but don’t forget about floral-embellished pairs or the luxe jacquard fabrics that are rocking the fashion world right now. They’re unexpected, gorgeous and an opulent take on the outfit-making shoe concept. Add an extra bit of glitter via your jewels – light-catching jet beads in a long pendant, crystal statement earrings or a go-big-or-go-home ring.
It’s hard to get me away from flannel during the cold weather. It just feels inviting! This year, add blue or black denim for a casual vibe and then kick up the fanciness quotient with a velvet blazer. I especially love this combo of black over red – the black grounds the bright color and makes the look breezily chic. Throw a little extra trend into the mix by going with pearl-embellished denim if you’ve gone to that oh-so-yummy place. (If you haven’t yet, but want to dip your toe in, add a pearl brooch or two to your pockets, belt loop(s) and/or cuffs). Leave the top two buttons undone on your blouse (three or four if you do a fancy cami below – think velvet, satin, lace-embellished) and add a pearl choker. Or, do a pearl statement ring. Finish with velvet pumps (suede will do nicely as well) or fun flats with tassels, embroidery or faux fur pom poms. I adore sparkle, but it can sometimes get overwhelming this time of year. This look is festive without being super-shiny, which makes it refreshing.
This year has seen a resurgence of the duster coat and it’s a glamorous look to wear to a holiday event! The swirl of a long coat always has a powerful magic to it. Consider pieces in velvet (I love corduroy as an alternative, too!) satin or suede.  Layer them over a simple neutral turtleneck and denim (distressing allowed, if your occasion is casual enough :)). Bring some fierce to the look with OTK boots and add a sprinkling of statement gems to elevate the ensemble for night-out events. A formal bag – velvet, sequins, metallic – completes the casual opulence.

The pleated metallic skirt is a key piece this season. The metallic makes it quite formal, so dress it down by pairing it with a chunky knit or oversize sweater. (If your piece is one of the less formal iterations with an elastic waist, consider a graphic-free polished sweatshirt in a boxy or cropped silhouette as well.) Finish the look with statement earrings and an ankle-strap pump or suede ankle booties. (For the sweatshirt variation, the ankle booties will work nicely. Alternatively, swap the pumps for pointy flats). Pink and red has been a hugely important color combination recently; I love this softer (and less tricky to find coordinating colors for) variation of burgundy and blush.
Continuing in the vein of metallics for day, the shimmering sweater is high on this year’s list of eligible trends. They’re laidback and easy, but totally party-ready. Pair one with slim denim or leggings and top with a full or calf-length trench or duster coat. Add a shot of fancy with unexpected, super-formal shoes (bring on the bling, babes! ;)) in a bright shade and coordinate your eyeshadow palette with your shoe hue to carry the color upward. Statement earrings or a ‘Y’ necklace round out this breezy cool-girl ensemble fabulously.
Red is the color or the season, so why not go all out for it? A red monochrome look is as classically holiday as it gets! Pair a shoulder-bearing blouse with wide leg pants for an on-trend ensemble. Don’t worry if your reds don’t match precisely; include enough of them (don’t forget about your jewels, bag, lips, nails) and they’ll meld together. Alternatively, include a piece that incorporates a variety of different reds to bridge the color gap (floral print anything, multi-toned scarves and jewelry are perfect for this!). Finish with a red shoe, or soften the look a smidge with nude footwear and hints of gold jewelry.
I hope you party your fashionable hearts out, loves, and enjoy every minute of the holidays! Happy styling :)