Feel Fa-la-la-la-LOVELY with these 3 Holiday Looks

unnamedWith the holidays right around the corner, it’s time for decking the halls and decking yourself out too. We get into frenzy mode making sure everything is in order for the holiday season, but sometimes we fail to think about what we can utilize from our own closets, or our friend’s closets in order to take away the stress of our “outfit looks” for the holiday season. Once we see how full the calendar is with events, we get stressed and end up not liking how we look, what we are wearing, and wish we would’ve thought of this ahead of time just like we did the food, the schedule, the house being cleaned, the cookies being baked, etc. You can absolutely utilize a lot of the same key pieces in your closet for each event and make them uniquely stylish with just a few things added per event. It’s important to think about how your outfit will “picture” too.

A plethora of pictures are taken during the holiday season:

  • Take a little bit of time to look at some pictures of yourself, and pick a few where you liked how you looked in the picture and look at the type of outfit you had on.
  • Once you find a few pictures where you looked fabulous, chances are you had on an outfit that “pictured” well, which is one of the reasons why you liked how you looked in it.
  • Some outfits look fabulous in person but don’t picture well, be aware of that. How will you know?
  • Ask anyone in your home if they will please take a picture of you in your outfit and you’ll be able to see if it “pictures” well or not.
  • Create a clean and lean silhouette by simply placing one hand on your hip with your fingers closed (no crab hands) to create a gap/space to create a waist line, and then stand with your legs crossed, one leg over the other.
  • Search ways to pose on Pinterest! It’s worth it and it’ll become second nature when someone wants to take a picture of you. It seems silly at first, but you will thank me later.

Here are 3 ways to get festive for the holidays and look fabulous without the stress.

Holiday Look #1 – Simple, Flattering, & FestiveScreen shot 2015-10-30 at 2.29.30 PMIf you do not own an a-line tunic dress in your wardrobe, then borrow one from a friend, or go buy one. It’ll be your best friend. Let’s get real, we eat and drink at holiday events, A LOT. Wearing elastic around our waist isn’t comfortable or stylish, but an a-line tunic dress gives you the silhouette you want no matter what size, height, or age you are. Make sure it’s not a flowy, billowy, or blowing-in-the-wind kind of tunic dress. I would also steer away from sweater material, satin, and solid tunic dresses. {Only because a printed one will get you through so many more parties, and the solid ones tend to show panty lines, bra back fat, stains, sweat, wrinkles, etc.} I like sticking to black and white personally, because it’s classic and timeless, and can be dressed up with anything.

Ladies, PLEASE add big statement jewelry. If you are a minimalist with your every day jewelry, or the “look” of statement jewelry isn’t “you”, for the holiday season you will want it because it makes an entire outfit festive without having to try. (Borrow a necklace from a friend if you aren’t willing to buy one, or buy one from Wal-Mart. Wal-Mart has a great selection of bold necklaces that are lightweight for $10 each.) This isn’t the time to keep it little. Go bold, sparkle, and shine! It brings a sophisticated and festive element to a holiday outfit. There is absolutely a time to be a minimalist and embrace simplicity with style, but this isn’t the time. Also, red lipstick for the holiday season is a must, and if you aren’t a woman who wears color on her lips then find a light red that you are willing to wear. I assure you that when you don’t have color on your lips during the holidays, it washes you out. You get the “Oh, she looks kinda tired, I guess she was cooking and sweating, so she looks drab” look. No one wants that look in person or in a picture.

Holiday Look #2 – So “PLAID” You Came to Our Party

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This look will be my go-to outfit this holiday season! For those of you who are on the smaller/petite side, you will tuck in any of your plaid shirts into the black skirt, and for those of you who are on the curvalicious side, you will keep the plaid shirt untucked, but you will tie it in the front. This outfit speaks for itself. It’s classic, comfy, and easy. Adding VERY BOLD jewelry is KEY in making it festive! Also, when you wear a collared shirt like this, it’s best to always wear your hair up, pulled back, or in a side messy bun (unless you have short hair, then you are good). I can’t stress to you enough:: BOLD jewelry is key, a red lip is key, and the pop of leopard mixed with plaid is on point. This kind of outfit can be worn over and over again, just switch out your plaid shirts each time you wear it! The end.

Holiday Outfit #3: Sensual, Sparkle, Simplicity

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This is your saving grace outfit if you do not wear dresses or skirts. Black tailored, polished, nice skinny pants or jeans. EVERY single size, shape, height, and age can wear this outfit! I highly encourage women who are a size 10 and up to buy and invest in some great black skinnies, or black straight leg skinnies. Yes! You can wear them, the curvier you are the better. A little tip:: high waisted and stretchy is nothing to be scared of – it’s extremely flattering. I am a huge advocate of High Waisted Extra Stretch American Eagle Black Skinny Jeans. No muffin top, no mom jean pockets, no weird butt formation, just pure stretch and comfort and so flattering. One more quick tip, if you are a size 14 and up, Vera Wang curvy jeans are great, as are The Loft Curvy Jeans.

The key for complete style in this entire look is 3 things:

  • Jewelry
  • Hair
  • Lipstick

If it fits in your budget, please treat yourself to a fresh blo out. It’s a completely different ball game when you have a professional stylist wash, blow dry, and style your hair for you. Keep it classic with some volume and a straight look (no flat iron), or keep it fun with some soft curls. It genuinely feels like you’re a new woman when you get a fresh blo out. I have heard women say, “I am not paying someone to wash my hair for me, I can do that myself.” Oh darling, it’s just not the same. I highly encourage every woman to get a fresh blo out for one of your parties, you will feel like the belle of the ball. Now, back to the outfit … borrow a white or cream blazer from a friend if you don’t own one, or wear a black one, either works fine. Add a heel that has some pop or print is a festive touch. Like I said though, the 3 key elements that make this entire outfit festive is the bold sparkle jewels, fresh polished hair, and again the red lipstick.

(Tip on red lipstick: Sonia Kashuk brand at Target makes these great lip crayons called Velvety Matte Lip Crayon. Easy to apply and she makes a Rosey Nude, Poppy Nude, and Berry Nude, etc. They are fabulous and are all Patty approved colors for you.)

I hope these tips and fabulous holiday outfits inspire you to shine your brightest this season. You are worth the effort, thought, money, and time. One last little push of encouragement, if your littles are dressed nicer than you, take some time for you … You are worth it!

 

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Patty
Patty is a Texas gal who relocated to Oklahoma in 2005 with her now ex-husband and two kids. She became an instant mom when she met her ex-husband in Austin, TX. Her kids were 4 and 6 at the time, they are now 21 and 23! She loves her blended & diverse family dynamic and her sweet French Brittany bird dog named Harper. After being happily married for 12 years, and now venturing through being happily divorced, you can bet her life is quite the adventure. She Style Coaches professionally, enjoys coaching women in refining and defining their style, drinking a well made latte, living by the golden rule of “no talking before 10am”, craft beer, charcuterie trays, true breakfast tacos, bread, the fall season, tattoos, and saying “YES” to any adventures. Get tips and inspiration by following her style coaching on Instagram & Twitter @pattystylecoach, and Facebook – Patty Rankin Style Coach. Check out her business at www.pattystylecoach.com

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