I came across this article about Joan Collins and when she said that women should dress for Christmas, it really struck me… have we started to dress down too much at the holidays?
Dressing fancy is making a comeback!
December is quickly filling up with holiday parties, from office gatherings to black-tie dinners and
Ladies, choosing clothes for holidays can be a nightmare! You have to find something that shows you’re polished and not boring, attractive not provocative, and that you’re looking to be promoted not propositioned. And if you’re dressing for a work party go ahead and be glamorous but be careful… you are still representing work and don’t want to show too much skin.
Does it really matter what you wear?
Dressing festive can be lovely, makes you feel special and beautiful allowing you to bring a little holiday sparkle in your life. You can be indulgent and cosy, if you prefer the less exposed or difficult or provocative look. If you’d rather opt out of dressing super fancy you can save anything that requires spanx or a fussy strapless bra for New Years Eve. The very best party clothes don’t change you completely, they just make the normal work “you” into the more “festive sexy” version of you.
I really believe it depends on the situation. By taking the time to dress a little bit nicer than you normally do, you’re showing you care. It shows gratitude to who’s hosting the party, shows that you’re invested and a gracious guest when you dress to impress.
What NOT to wear!
You’ve seen them. Perhaps you’ve even BEEN them. The over-the-top-Christmas-dresser. Don’t be that person. An ugly Christmas sweater with lights and music and all the trimmings might be cute on a wee child, but not so much on us grown folks. Here are some Christmas Fashion Faux Pas:
- Christmas sweaters with Santa or reindeer or both on them — they are shapeless, bulky and cheesy.
- Leave the mistletoe off of your body, hats or otherwise. There probably will be mistletoe hanging from someone’s ceiling. And if there isn’t any there you probably shouldn’t be kissing a random stranger. Plus you don’t want to be mistaken for a plant, someone might think you need watere.
- Wearing red and green together is not only unattractive on most skin types, but it is also a bit of a cliche. Red or green is lovely if those
colours actually looks good on you and you mix them with metallics and neutrals. The trick is to wear clothing that you could wear in any season for a party and invest in pieces that you will be able to wear more than once a year.
Lippy
I LOVE what Joan Collins said about how women are afraid of lipstick. I just can’t do without my go-to red lipsticks from MAC. MAC Ruby Woo in the evenings or Mac Rebel in the day. This is the perfect time of year to feel glamorous and the right Christmas red can make your outfit. Watch this space for more on Holiday lipsticks – I’m heading to the shops to try on ALL the things!
No matter what, it’s important to dress authentically. You need to wear what makes you feel like your best self. And that’s going to be different for all of us. What makes me feel confident might not make you feel confident. Heck, maybe you feel most powerful and put-together in yoga pants and a ponytail.
No matter what, dress like yourself.
How do you feel about dressing up for Christmas? Would you rather just wear a Chrimbo jumper or get all sparkled up? I’d love to talk about this with you on on Facebook Twitter and Instagram.
