5 Fashion Rules for Getting Through the Holidays with Style

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Let the countdown to the holiday festivities begin! Soon, our calendars will be packed with cookie exchanges, Friendsgiving dinners, Christmas movies, cocktail parties and get-togethers, and the challenge of trying to find something to wear to all these events will undoubtedly take up far too much brain space. To make things a bit easier for you this year, I’ve put together a list of five rules for holiday dressing (don’t worry, they’re really more like guidelines) so outfit planning is far less stressful. This way you can focus on what really matters instead: finding the perfect gift for your incredibly picky sister.

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1. Pair Your Holiday Staples with Chic Basics

Everyone loves a good ugly Christmas sweater (or kitschy Santa earrings, candy cane-striped handbags or other overtly holiday-theme items), but there is a way to make them feel polished and festive, rather than just, well, ugly. The key is to pair your holiday-theme pieces with upscale basics, like a little black dress or wide-leg trousers. The two opposing aesthetics blend together surprisingly well to create a look that’s both fun and chic.

2. Hold Off on the Super Sexy Outfits

There are absolutely exceptions to this “rule,” but your office holiday party or dinner with Grandma and all your nieces and nephews isn’t the place for super-low necklines and micro miniskirts. Save the va-va-voom pieces for New Year’s with your friends or date night with your partner and instead embrace comfier styles with a bit more coverage—think midi skirts and blazers, matching knit sets, slip dresses with cozy cardigans—for the family get-togethers.

3. Don’t Hold Back on the Glam, For Day or Night

Velvet and sequins and feathers, oh my! If ever there was a time to go all in on sparkle and shine, it’s now. There’s also no need to reserve them only for evening events. To make these luxe pieces feel more appropriate for day, try balancing them with very casual basics. I’m talking plain white tees worn over sequin trousers, a denim jacket worn over a feathered frock or jeans worn with an embellished blouse. Then, for a nighttime event, just swap in some heels or more tulle, tartan plaid or other embellished pieces and you’ll be looking fabulous and feeling festive.

4. Prioritize Comfort

A lot of the holiday season centers around eating—Thanksgiving dinner, cookie exchanges, New Year’s drinks, etc.—so I can pretty much guarantee you will be infinitely happier if you choose clothing that is comfortable both before and after a big meal. If the waistband is pinching before you’ve even left the house, consider changing into something else, like a sweater dress, a pair of wide-leg trousers, a cozy matching set or a swingy tent dress. That way you can focus on catching up with your loved ones and not get distracted by your outfit.

5. When In Doubt, Go for (Mostly) All Black

It doesn’t matter whether you prefer a little black dress, a coordinating suit or a cozy sweater and some Audrey Hepburn-inspired cropped trousers, wearing head-to-toe black is a surefire way to look chic and elegant. And, as an added bonus, it serves as the perfect base to play around with kooky accessories like shoulder-grazing statement earrings, rainbow beaded handbags or feather-adorned heels. Of course, you also can’t go wrong with some pearl studs and a simple wristwatch either—it’s totally up to you.

Also Read : The 11 Rules for Wearing a Mini Skirt in 2024