2018 holiday party fashion tips
Fringe benefits: Santa may not approve of this saucy fringed top in brilliant holiday red but what a great way to amp up black pants. Great for a house party or out at a restaurant. $49.90 at Zara stores and zara.com. Credit: Zara
So many parties, so little time. Holiday dressing got you in a tizzy? You’re not alone. According to a just-released survey conducted with 1,000 women ages 18-65 by Finery -- a wardrobe app designed to help people organize their closets and styles for various occasions -- more than 66 percent of women feel stressed before getting dressed for a holiday event.
Actress Brooklyn Decker, who co-founded the site with former CNN and ABC news anchor Whitney Casey, says the numbers make sense because “it can feel like whatever you wear needs to be ‘special,’ which is why many opt to purchase new clothing” -- 67.5 percent -- “rather than pulling from what they already own.” Holiday parties are also the type of events that can amp up the stress. “If it’s a work holiday party, you want to walk the fine line of looking festive and your best, while still feeling work appropriate,” Decker says.
But celebrity stylist (and Seaford native) Phillip Bloch maintains that "stress is in your head." For an office party or friendly gathering, festive dressing can be as simple as "putting on a big jewelry piece with a black turtleneck," he says. Or ditch your big utilitarian handbag and carry a little jewel box of a bag. For women who want more, Bloch suggests affordable sparkly things at stores like H&M and Zara.
Decker, meanwhile, says feeling comfortable and confident is key to holiday dressing success. “If you put something on and you feel neither of those, don’t wear it out.”
On-trend this holiday season: Red, gold, metallics, sequins and animal prints, according to Bloch. For office parties and more subdued affairs, “you want to look upwardly mobile and like you belong in the big league. You’re not out on a date,” Bloch says. For those more fun, let-loose holiday affairs, go ahead and be bold, he says — but center your outfit around a single trend.
