I took a no-shopping vow from Oct. 1 to Jan. 1—so, I’m in the final stretch! The last big hurdle? The holidays!
By now, I’m getting antsy and my wardrobe could use a good dose of holiday cheer. But I am sticking to my vow. With several special events, plus Christmas Eve looming in the not-too-distant future, I need to come up with two special occasion outfits (no candy cane earrings, giant embroidered Christmas trees or reindeer antlers for this fashionista!).
Here’s what I discovered in shopping my closet for holiday outfits. You can make just about any basic black dress, or a black pencil skirt and top, say “holiday” by adding any of these key items:
Rich textures—velvet, lace, sequins—and shine. Try a sequined clutch, velvet wrap, and lacy hosiery. My black satin skirt, which admittedly goes unused much of the year, will be getting a workout. I’ll pair it with a sparkly short-sleeved turtleneck sweater, patterned tights (these are black micro-fishnets from Hue), and my red patent leather handbag. There’s one flop-proof holiday outfit ready to go!
Jewel tones—deep purple, cobalt blue, fuschia and emerald green—all say “holiday.” I’ve got a cobalt blue Edwardian-style turtleneck that works beautifully with a black pencil skirt. Add a big, sparkly necklace (from Banana Republic, last year), tall, black-heeled boots and a winter white coat, and voila! Flop-proof holiday outfit #2—this one, a little more casual.
Here are some ideas for you— these items weren’t in my closet, but they may well be in yours!
Anything red: Red wrap, red fingernails, fire engine red lips. A little red dress would be killer—not in my closet currently, but I might put this on the January shopping list.
Faux fur: All the rage this season. Too bad I didn’t get in on the trend, but maybe you can. My personal favorite is faux leopard print—imagine wearing a leopard print bolero over your little black dress. So chic!
Multiple pearl bracelets tied with a metallic or red ribbon: Instantly festive.
Sparkly brooch: I own an antique marcasite and onyx Christmas tree brooch. Pin it on and you’ve got instant holiday!
Naughty Santa-themed panties: That can be our little secret.
Does anyone else have an easy way to turn an ordinary outfit into a holiday outfit? I’d love to hear it! Meanwhile, happy holidays to all of my non-shopping fashionista friends.
See “Could You Shop Your Closet for Three Months?”
See “Shop Your Closet: Facing a Family Photo Challenge”
