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| Courtesy of Guess Marciano |
Wow. Times fly when the seasons change! Fall is officially here with Thanksgiving only a few days away. Just when I thought I was done dolling up for charity gala season, tonight I head out for the beginning of a sleuth of holiday parties. For many of us, the holidays are a festive but stressful time of year because there's so much going on. The last thing anyone wants to worry about is what to wear. With the range of parties that one might be obliged to appear at - from corporate holiday parties, to family gatherings to cocktail parties at friends' homes, manuvering in your closet to decide what to wear from event to event can get overwhelming.
For some, your natural inclination may be to resort to wearing the same outfit to every event in name of being efficient. My response: don't you dare. Not for fear of being caught wearing the same outfit twice (although for some of us, this may THE single most important thing to consider), but because I'm here to tell you today that it's not that hard to put yourself together and look festive and fabulous!
Corporate Holiday Functions: Just because a company adds "party" to the event title does not mean the rules of work attire become moot. Practice erring on the safe side versus wild side when it comes to corporate functions. Do not under any circumstance, literally bust out the "girls", wear spandex, or something inappropriately short, even if you think you can because you "look and feel young". Remember, these people will see you again on Monday morning and if your career means anything to you, you'll want them to continue to see you as a serious professional rather than the office tart. Equally important in this crowd is your behavior. For the love of Prada, please do not get wasted. Perceptions can change very quickly and stay for the long haul. Look for dresses no higher than 2-3 inches above your knees. Choose a top that keeps your cleavage a secret between you and Victoria. Tea-length, A-line LBDs with a beautiful brooch, full skirt dresses or crisp winter white slacks with a metallic top and a cute sweater, shawl or scarf would be great combinations. Feel free to play with accessories and shoes to create the drama that you want for an evening affaire.
Family Gatherings: If your family gatherings tend to be more formal, I would suggest dressing as you would to a corporate event. Unless of course, you like it when good ol' Uncle Frank checks out your rack over the turkey on the table. If your family gatherings are more casual, then jeans, boots, and a cute top with a sweater wrap and you're ready to go!
Cocktail Parties at Someone's Home: At holiday cocktail party, I would give you more license to sass it up just a bit. And this is really up to you and how well you know the host and their friends. If everyone tends to doll it up, then by all means have fun with it! There are so many great dresses this season in metallics, sparkles, royal hues, and winter whites. I love it all; just not all in one dress, so choose wisely. Remember this isn't a lounge, a club or a gala so keep it simple...if you choose to go with a sparkly top, pair it with slacks or a black skirt and a boyfriend blazer and great heels.
New Year's Eve Parties: I love New Years Eve parties. What's not to love? Guys look incredibly dashing in suits and tuxedos. Women have amazingly decadent party dresses. There's a lot of champagne and oh, there's a lot of champange! And there's the countdown when you draw the closest person to you at midnight for a kiss, whether they came with you to the party or not! I only have one rule for you to remember when dressing for NYE: Choose only one part to show off. What does this mean? If you choose to go with a dress that highlights your chest, then keep the leg and back baring to a minimum. If you choose to show off your back, keep your chest and legs tastefully covered. If you choose to go all legs, then keep everything else simple. You get the picture. The goal here is to create a fun but classy look, not a trashy one.
In general, other things to keep in mind: Don't drink and drive. If you do drink, call a town car, get a room, or have a designated driver. Always bring a small gift for the host if you're attending an event at someone's home. If you bring a date, don't forget to introduce them to everyone if they don't know anyone there. It sucks to be a plus one and be forgotten...better to show up solo if you plan to drop your plus one off at the door with your coat. Ask the host if they need any help before, during or after the event. Putting together events is a huge undertaking so even if it just means picking up after yourself, it would be a great help to the host.
And of course, eat, drink, laugh and be merry! Happy holidays!!!
