I attended my first Holiday Party of the season this past weekend. It was a mixed crowd ranging in ages but leaning heavily toward to the 25 to 40 range. Overall, I would call it a conservative crowd. Dress code was cocktail attire. Suits for the guys and dresses for the gals. Most were dressed to impress and boy did I have my eyes peeled! From the moment I walked in, I thought, this is going to be a great people watching event.
I chose to wear a simple navy on black knee length dress with cap sleeves and deep v-neck in front (nothing crazy…. I was keeping it classy and conservative to fit with the crowd). My standout piece was my new pair of shoes.
Badgley Mischka navy open toe pumps with crystal embellishment. I happen to love Badgley Mischka shoes. As my husband and I were walking from the parking garage to the event, a lovely lady walking toward us looked and me and said “Your shoes are absolutely gorgeous! I love them!” I was flattered and my husband was floored. He couldn’t believe that a random lady to stop to comment on my shoes. But I wasn’t surprised at all. This is something I would totally do! When a piece is flat out fantastic, it’s worthy of an out loud compliment! I was smiling before I ran into her but beaming after her compliment. It’s the best feeling!
So there were plenty of fashion hits and misses at this weekend’s party. I started thinking about how we should approach dressing for holiday parties this month as many of us can be invited to events we might be unsure of how to dress for. So here are a few things to think about as you plan out your party outfits for the month ahead!
NOTE: Don’t feel like you have to rush out and buy a new dress! That’s not what this is about. I’m all about re-purposing the items we are already have in our closets. A classic LBD can go a long way. Instead of spending too much on a new dress, think about adding a new accessory piece. A new necklace, earrings, shoes or bag can change a look in an instant. If you’ve spent your holiday shopping allowance, try combining different items that you might not have paired together before. And if you have a trusty gal pal who happens to be close in size to you, BORROW! I’m all for sharing special occasion dresses. You use them so infrequently that it makes sense to lend them out. Or RENT them! You have lots of choices, ladies!
1. Consider the accessories: When we are planning what to wear for a night out, the first item we think about is the dress (or skirt/pant/sweater). But once we decide on the apparel, it’s important to take the time to pick accessories that will complement your apparel choice. Believe it or not, these accessories choices can make or break an outfit. This includes our choice in jewelry, bag, shoes, coat, even hair & makeup! Think through the whole look. It will pay off.
I’m going to make a specific note here about shoes. I saw quite a variety of shoes at this party. Everything from basic flats and pumps to strappy sandals and sequin heels were on show. Now I’m all for comfort BUT, that doesn’t mean that you wear your everyday ballet flats with your black cocktail dress. Put in the effort ladies. We should all own a nice pair of evening shoes that are special for such occasions. And because you only wear them a handful times every year they will last!
Example 1. A girl in a cutout black dress that fit her great. She was carrying a red leather clutch. Then I look down and under her floor length dress I could see a deep pink open toe leather shoe. The shoes and the bag simply did not match the dress. You want to try to get the outfit to look cohesive. If you’re going to go all out on a gorgeous dress, you need the accessories to match.
Example 2. A girl in a lace cocktail dress. Her hair looked like it had been professionally done in an up do at a salon. Then I looked down and saw a pair of rounded toe black leather shoes with a thick heel. The shoes simply did not live up to the expectation.
Example 3. A girl in a very fun fit and flare cocktail dress with strappy sandals that strapped half way up her calf. They matched the fun of the dress perfectly. She nailed it!
Example 4. A girl in a gold lace cocktail dress with ivory T-strap pumps with a black cap toe. My description is not doing these shoes justice. They are gorgeous. (Happen to be Channel, by the way – I had to ask!) Again, the shoes matched the dress. Perfect.
2. Color coordinate: Fashion today is a lot more forgiving about combining different colors. My mom’s generation had rules about fashion: no white after labor day, you wear black or brown, not both, and your shoes had to match your purse, ect. Today we have free range to style the way we like. With that said, I think there are some guidelines to consider when putting our outfits together. This goes beyond just the holidays. I personally love a statement piece (my shoes, for example). However, if you want to combine colors or have a multicolored/print dress that you love, go for it. But try to make sure that your other pieces fall into the overall color palette that you are creating. If there’s too much going on the eye doesn’t know where to look and you’ll wind up drowning in your outfit. If you happen to go the other way and only ever wear all black, this can be a very classic look. But don’t underestimate the power of a little color. A pop of any color can really stand out with a black base. This is probably why the LBD is such a staple. And the fact that black is slimming, probably doesn’t hurt either!
3. Factor in your comfort level: There is nothing worse than standing all night in shoes that are killing your feet! You will be miserable and that will ruin your night. In addition to your shoes, your dress and undergarments should be comfortable as well. Make sure you can breathe comfortably. If it’s a new dress, make sure you try sitting in it. These are things we don’t think about until it’s too late. (I once had a strapless bridesmaid’s dress that was fitted so tight on my chest so that it wouldn’t fall down that half way through the reception I had to unzip it so that I could catch my breath!) A comfortable dress means you won’t be pulling and adjusting it all night long!
4. What you wear should make you feel happy and confident: Your smile is your best feature. It’s going to make your outfit. Trust me, if you want to walk around beaming ear to ear all night, wear something that makes you feel strong and confident. You will walk taller and own the room. And every guest will notice because a confident lady is a presence at any event.