It’s nearly that time of year again. I love the excitement
of upcoming holiday parties, but I’m usually longing for a night at home by the
fire place by mid-December. Part of the stress comes from uncertainty over what
to wear, so it helps if I have a few pieces in my wardrobe to make at least
that part easy.
A few years ago, I had a friend who was invited to the White
House Christmas Party. She was looking for something to wear, but any of the
more formal dresses I could loan her were sleeveless, and she needed something
with sleeves for the party. (Knowing
Mrs. Obama’s penchant for baring her buff arms, I wonder if that restriction
went out with the previous administration.)
This Renee Arnez dress would fit the bill perfectly—completely covered
up but still alluring and beautiful. Better than that, it was on the sale rack!
(I’m not entirely sure it will still be on the sale rack, I’m thinking I might
need to own this one!) Even though it’s
a fairly simple black dress, I feel like the drape of this piece is the true
statement, so a small, sparkly pair of John Wind earrings was really the only
accessory it needed.
Sadly, I don’t have an event requiring a floor length gown,
so even though I might need this beautiful sale rack find in my closet, it’s
not going to meet my holiday party needs.
I tend to choose something more versatile when I’m holiday party
shopping. While it’s totally appropriate
for the office, this red Trina Turk dress has enough presence to be a standout
after hours, too. A golden Alexandra
Satine clutch takes it from professional to party, and a bracelet, also
from Trina Turk, and a pair of ADMK earrings add just enough sparkle.
While the red dress is a versatile party piece for someone
who works in a corporate environment, I usually choose to go with separates
that I can use in my (not so corporate) everyday life. These black rosette jeans from Red Engine are
a staple piece with a little added flair, and I am in love with this aubergine blouse from
Rebecca Taylor. I have a feeling that
I’d have to put this one on a schedule so that I didn’t wear it all the
time! Throwing on this furry blazer from
Velvet makes the outfit extra special. Finished off with some more ADMK
earrings and a deep lip gloss from
Haughty, I’m ready to head to the party.
