A Fashionable Holiday

It is weird how time is flying. Is it really Christmas in less than a week?

This time of year is filled with holiday parties, may they be close family get-togethers, joyful Christmas celebrations, exciting New Year's Eve bashes, reminiscent Hanukkah Seders, or even a winter wonderland school dance. No matter what the occasion, many pictures will be snapped and many impressions will be made, so I'm thinking that a classy outfit to make a statement is now more than ever of the utmost importance. With all of the other craziness that comes along with the Holidays, it may seem impossible to fit in time for some personal shopping, but what's the harm in treating yourself to an early present? Hey, get a manicure while you're at it! Looking good is feeling good and there is nothing like feeling confident and self assured at a party. Sound like a good plan? It sure does to me!

An essential part of picking a holiday party outfit is determining how it will make feel at the affair. From experience, I can say that an uncomfortable and awkward outfit definitely can be a night ruiner. The first dance of my High School career was the Mischief Masquerade on cabbage night. Being one to love an opportunity to dress up and also one to not get many chances, I was rather excited about this excuse to flaunt a fancy red dress that had been sitting in my closet for quite some time, dying to get out. As I arrived, fully clad in a faux fur jacket, shiny silver gloves, high-heels and of course, my red dress, I noticed a vast difference between my outfit and everybody else’s. The main separation between my new classmates and me is that I looked like I was attending a wedding in the 20’s while they appropriately looked like they were at a school dance. I ended up stuffing my furry coat and elaborate accessories into my friend’s first floor locker and zipped into her hoodie.

If you don’t want to end up like me on that awkward night of speedy clothes swapping, make sure you find out if the party is black tie, semi-formal or casual or ask some friends what they are planning on wearing beforehand. I don’t know which is more embarrassing, showing up to a party filled with ball gowns in a tank and jeans or arriving to a backyard barbecue in elbow gloves and a tiara. If you can’t figure out the appropriate attire, there is always a happy medium: a skirt and blouse. Just in case your outfit needs a heavier dose of the fancy factor pack some statement jewelry, such as sparkly chandelier earrings, and red lipstick in your purse. Either way, you come off cool and collected, and save yourself a lot of stress!

Now that you know what kind of party you are dressing for, it is time to hit the mall! The easiest and most comfortable base of an outfit is a simple holiday dress. Lulu’s Fashion Lounge (only found online) has an extensive and varied list of holiday dresses that goes on for 35 pages. If you are looking to purchase at a store, Urban Outfitters at GSP, although a little bit more expensive, has a wonderful variety of flattering dresses. For a put together look I suggest picking up a pair of opaque tights, perhaps in a warm holiday color, from Target (range in price from about 4 to 7 dollars), some expensive looking jewelry for an unbelievable price from Charlotte Russ (2 for $8), and an elaborate headband from J.Crew (most around $20).

I wish you a merry, classy and confident holiday party season (and a happy New Year!)