HOLIDAY EDITION; the dress

Among all the activities this festive season, New Years Eve tops the charts with bubbly champagne, sparkly decorations, and an anxiously awaiting crowd for the midnight countdown.

NYE signifies the wrap-up of the holiday high, so go out with a bang, splurge a little, and look like a knockout this year with the perfect NYE dress.

SOMETHING BLACK; the little black dress, dressed up for NYE…

 

SOMETHING BACKLESS; conservative front, party in the back…

 

SOMETHING SPARKLY; glitter may be just the thing to catch your NYE kiss’s eye…

 

SOMETHING METALLIC; glisten, rather than glitter, in the limelight…

 

SOMETHING BRIGHT; pick a playful, unexpected color…

SOMETHING WINTRY-WHITE; stand out like snow amidst the typical black attire…

SOMETHING FUNKY; throw a pattern or ruffles into the mix…

In the weeks leading to NYE, don’t worry about what your plans are, focus on the dress.
Use these style categories to find your most fashionable outfit yet, this holiday season. 

All dresses can be found at Banana Republic or Shopbop.

HOLIDAY EDITION; meet the parents

The holiday season is the “happiest time of the year” – The person that coined that festive phrase, obviously didn’t have to meet their significant other’s side of the family; maybe then, happiness would be replaced with ‘most stressful’.

For those of you that must meet and greet with family and friends of your loved one, never fear. Take these few simple tips, and when it’s all said and done, you will be stress free and Botox will no longer be necessary before the big day.

Whether the occasion is Hanukkah, Christmas Eve, or Christmas, a first impression is important, and what you wear is the first thing seen. You must dress according to the setting, and always remember to be the two C’s: Conservative and Classy.

      1. Relaxed Relatives

The lowest of the formal totem pole, is the laid back family, where anything goes. However, just because jeans are standard among the crowd, doesn’t permit you to be extremely casual.

      Pair your jeans with…

-       A comfortable blouse, cashmere vest, and necklace close to the collar.

-       Layered tee’s, with a heavier cardigan, and a longer, sparkly necklace. 

-       A silky top that comes close to the neck, and doesn’t reveal too much.

Any of these would be appropriate for a daytime function, as well as lounging into the evening.

 

         2. Festive Family

Middle ground of formality, a family that mixes it up with an array of jeans and holiday tops, or sparkly skirts and t-shirts.

-       Get your pair of darkest skinny jeans, or cute black pants, and pair them with a silky top and fun necklace. (Great for an evening look.)

-       Go for the in-between of jeans and skirts, a pair of corduroys. An untraditional color of pant, with a silky top and cardigan belted at the waist, is perfect for wintry warmth and tastefulness.

-       Take a metallic skirt and dress it down with a simple and neutral tee. Add a waist belt and necklace, for accessories.

These options are best fit for attending a service and family function to follow later in the day or night.

            3. Private Party

This includes the fabulous families that attend services, and dine upscale for the holidays. For this occasion, you want to be dressed to the t (and I don’t mean t-shirt).

-       Nothing screams the holidays like a bright, candy-colored dress, especially in red or green. Add accessories that complement the dress, a necklace close to the neck would be most suitable, as well as a close-toed, medium high heel.

-       For those that are slightly scared of immense color, pick a patterned dress instead. Pair this pattern with a waist belt that mimics one of the colors shown in the dress.

-       Another option, metallic. A shiny, metallic dress is very appropriate for the holidays, especially for an upscale experience. Pick a dress with an interesting neckline, or detailed bust, for something a little extra. Accessories and their hardware should go with the tone of metallic.

 For this family experience, a dress would be the most appropriate, with or without tights, for formal attire. Remember: if the dress is strapless, and you feel too revealing, always wear or bring a sweater.

After coming to the conclusion of which category you fall under, the rest is simple. Pick any of these holiday combinations and you are left without the anxiety of wondering what you should wear. Instead, the focus is now on what to say…

All images are courtesy of, and can be found at, JCrew.

(Also, check out my previous post for a holiday gift to bring when meeting the family and friends!)

HOLIDAY EDITION; gift guide

With Thanksgiving already under our belt, the Christmas season is upon us, thus marking the beginning of the holiday shopping season.

The number one cardinal rule of holiday gift giving is: give something from the heart. Time and time again, people break this rule, and resort to giving gift cards. There is nothing more impersonal than a little piece of plastic that took two seconds to go pick up, from somewhere as equally as uncongenial, such as Starbucks or a department store. So, do something heartfelt this year, give an actual gift.

MOM;

-       La Mer: the miracle moisturizing cream (1 oz $130, 2 oz $230)

-       Longchamp “Le Pliage Large” Large Tote Bag  ($145)

-       Michael Kors Ladies’ Chronograph Resin Band Watch ($225)

DAD;

-       UGG® Australia ‘Ascot’ Slipper ($99.95)

-       Burberry Billfold with ID Window ($250)

-       UGG® Australia Toiletry Case ($148)

BROTHER;

-       Burberry Exploded Check Cuff Links ($175)

-       Polo Ralph Lauren Velour Robe ($110)

-       Jack Spade ‘Warren Street’ Duffel Bag ($225)

SISTER;

-       Tory Burch Semi Glazed Continental Wallet ($195)

-       Chloé Holiday Gift Set ($135)

-       Michael Kors ‘Gold Catwalk’ Chronograph Watch ($250)

GIRLFRIENDs;

-       MARC BY MARC JACOBS Printed Nylon Pouch ($58)

-       Essie Winter Mini 4-Pack ($17)

-       Philosophy ‘holiday spice & everything nice’ duo ($20)

PETs;

-       Juicy Couture Velour Dog Dress ($55)

-       Nordstrom Pet Bed ($65-$75)

-       Nordstrom Double Strand Crystal Dog Collar ($55-$75)

IN-LAWs / FAMILY FRIENDs;

 

-       Jo Malone Candle Collection ($85)

-       Pandigital Digital 8″ Picture Frame ($139)

-      Barefoot Dreams® Cozy Chic Twin Blanket ($175)

There is officially no excuse to supply family and friends with a gift card this season. Opt for something stylish off this list of ideas, and relish in delight of gift giving.

And, for those of us that fear the mall this time of year, online shopping is key.
All of these items are courtesy of Nordstrom.