Holiday Style Guide
As we inch one day closer to Christmas, inevitably the holiday parties and festivities begin - that’s if they haven’t already started for you! During the holidays, I try to make the absolute most of it. My mom and I were lucky enough this year to score tickets to our local Arts Centre to see The Nutcracker, and I’ve mentioned previously in my A Week In My Closet post, I love any excuse to get dressed up, so of course, going to see this ballet gave me the perfect excuse to get a little fancier than usual, and I loved every moment of it.
However, I know finding the right outfits for the right occasions can be a challenge for people, especially when you’re not sure how dressed up you should be. What’s too dressed up? What’s too dressed down? That’s why I decided to create this simple guide for four of the most common events during the holiday season - your office holiday party, your friends holiday party, going to an event (like seeing The Nutcracker) & a formal holiday dinner.
Office Holiday Party
1. Turtleneck | 2. Statement Necklace | 3. Long Blazer | 4. High-Waist Pants | 5. Set of Rings | 6. Bracelet Set | 7. Clutch | 8. Gold Heels | 9. Leopard Print Flats
One occasion that can be a challenge to dress for is your office holiday party. As simple as it may seem, sometimes you don’t feel like your work clothes are very festive. And if your office is anything like mine, we have a very casual dress code, so wearing dress pants and a button down is not in our everyday look. This all being said, I’d venture to say most offices do have a business-casual dress code, and this outfit was created with that in mind.
I also find that most office holiday parties take place after work, and obviously, no one wants to drag around a whole other outfit with them - most people just want to swap out a few accessories like your purse, your earrings and maybe your shoes and get going. Wearing something festive to your office holiday party that is also good for your work attire that day is as simple as trading in your plain black pants for some festive-coloured pants like these High-Waist Pants from H&M. Pair them with a plain Turtleneck, Long Blazer & Leopard Print Flats for the perfect day time work look. Once it’s time to head out to the party, swap out your big purse or backpack for a Clutch, add some accessories like Bracelets, some Rings & a bold Statement Necklace, and if you’re someone who likes to wear heels to parties, change your flats to some shiny Gold Heels for the perfect holiday office party look!
Your Friend’s Holiday Party
1. Chunky Pearl Turtleneck | 2. Earrings | 3. Faux Fur Coat | 4. Shimmer Skirt | 5. Clutch | 6. Hair Clips Set | 7. Bracelet | 8. Red Ankle Boots | 9. Set of Rings
So you’ve been invited to a friends holiday party - but now comes the fun party, figuring out what you’re going to wear. I often find myself not knowing whether I should go full-blown-dressed-up with a dress, and tights and heels, or if my friend is throwing a more casual get together - this is where I try to put together an outfit that feels dressed up, but not too dressed up.
By combining dressy clothing items with more casual pieces, you can easily create a look that you will feel comfortable in if you arrive and everyone is wearing jeans and a blouse, or if they’re wearing dresses & tights! Start with a casual item, like a Chunky Pearl Turtleneck, tucking the front of it into a black mid-length Shimmer Skirt, and pairing it with some holiday red heeled Ankle Boots to balance the dressy with the casual. The boots having a heel provide a dressy element, and the bright red embodies the holiday season! The rest is really all in the accessories, and depending on how much you want, you can add a couple of pieces like some sparkly dangle Earrings with a simpler piece like a stacked Set of Rings. If you want to add a little more, throwing on a jewelled Bracelet and some pearl & jewels Hair Clips can add some holiday glitz, as well as compliment the pearls on the sweater. Finish off the outfit by throwing on a Faux Fur Coat with a shiny gold Clutch to make for a great dressy-but-not-too-dressy look for your friends party.
Going To An Event
1. Dress | 2. Polka Dot Stockings | 3. Coat | 4. Clutch | 5. Statement Necklace | 6. Ring | 7. Earrings | 8. Lace Heels | 9. Faux Fur Leather Gloves
Like I mentioned at the beginning of this blog, I was lucky enough to score tickets to see The Nutcracker this year. My mom and I have been saying for at least five years that “next year we’ll get tickets”, well I decided I was going to surprise her by actually buying us the tickets this year. It was a great surprise for her, and the show was incredible - as I knew it would be. But here’s the thing, unless you attend these kind of events on a regular basis, you don’t always have the right attire just sitting in your closet. Luckily, from a couple of years of working at Kate Spade, I did, but for those of you who don’t, here are some suggestions!
When you go to these kind of events, there sometimes could be a dress code that in enforced by the arts centre. Now, the one I went to, doesn’t have an official dress code, however, you usually don’t show up in leggings and a sweater unless you’re a high school student doing a tour during the day. When you attend a show at an arts centre, especially around the holidays, you usually want to get at least a little dressed up - that doesn’t mean you go full blown floor length gown, but wearing a festive coloured knee-length Dress, with some Polka Dot Stockings paired with some glitter or Lace Heels is a great place to start. Adding some gold accessories like a Ring, Earrings & Statement Necklace will add some sparkle & brighten up your outfit. When going to a show, what you wear out in the cold is just as important as your outfit itself! Throw on a long white Coat and some Faux Fur Leather Gloves to stay warm & stylish - finish the outfit off with a patterned Clutch to contrast against the plain colours!
Formal Holiday Dinner
1. Two-Toned Faux Fur Coat | 2. Dress | 3. Earrings | 4. Y Necklace | 5. Bracelet | 6. Clutch | 7. Scarf | 8. Stockings | 9. Glitter Heel Shoes | 10. Ring
This is probably the look that I have the absolute least personal experience with - what can I say? I’m in my 20’s and my friends ideas of parties are definitely not inviting people over to snack on a charcuterie board while sipping wine, haha. But for those who will attend the holiday dinners, whether it be with friends, or maybe your workplace throws a pretty fancy dinner instead of an office party, this one is for you guys!
Starting with a fun & festive metallic silver Dress, with black Stockings and pairing it with some red Glitter Heel Shoes makes for a great starting point in your overall outfit for the evening. Having a more plain coloured dress allows you to add some more colourful accessories like a multi-coloured Ring & Earrings, and to tone down all of the colour, add a couple of simple, daintier pieces like a Y Necklace and Bracelet. Since the dress is more on the plain side, as you head out the door, opt to grab a more bright & cheery coat from your collection, like this Two-Toned Faux Fur Coat and pair it with a red & silver glitter Clutch. To balance all of this colour, add a plain coloured accessory like this white Scarf to keep you warm, and the white gives you a little representation of the falling winter snow.
And there it all is for you! I’m sure everyone is going to take part in at least one of these kinds of celebrations this holiday season. Let me know in the comments if you end up using this post for some outfit inspiration. See you again this Friday! Xo.
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