Kimberly Jarman Photography

How many of you have been having holiday party outfit panic attacks since November?  Your company is having a party, your husband’s company is having a party, your girlfriend’s company is having a party, and everyone in between is having a party that you’re supposed to look fabulous at, just like last year and the one before, and it never gets easier…right?  Sigh, I feel you my friend, I feel you. You don’t know how dressy to go, you hate the way your legs look, you have no idea how to hide your post-baby middle, your husband is wearing a pair of pleated Dockers thinking it’s ok….I’m here!  I’ll help!!  I’m going to make this super easy.  Dressing both women and men for the holiday parties of 2010 stylishly and easily.  After a long year like this one, who has time to make this difficult anyway??  Just follow these steps, and you’re golden.

Step 1:  Pick the base and make it black, red, or white.

I’m serious, this just makes the whole thing easier.  It’s a holiday party, don’t show up in blue, just find something in one of these three colors.

Women:  find a solid colored dress, or monocolor wide-leg-pants-fitted-top combo.  Make it ALL one color. (trust me, everyone can find this and look good)

I do love a holiday dress. It makes me smile and I want to hug every girl at the party in one!

Men:  You’re going to find a suit, black, or if it’s not too dressy, a pair of black dress pants and a long-sleeved button-up shirt in white, red, or black (just make sure your blacks match)

Exclusive tip: these are the Producer Pant from Express. Hands down best men’s pant style around.

Step 2: Add an embellishment in a holiday color

This year, I’m digging gold, but any holiday color is going to work for this.

Women: A wide belt, a snazzy pair of heels, a broach you clip on your hip as a part of your dress, a lacy camisole poking out of your top–you get the idea.  I don’t mean an accessory (not jewelry), I mean an embellishment on your clothing, on the whole look.

Sparkles on your shoes and a broach as a piece of your dress, somewhere fun like the nape of your neck? You’re one hot chick.

Men:  The easiest way for you to do this is your tie, your socks, or being SUPER fab and rockin’ a matching vest under your jacket.  3-piece suits just do something to me, I LOVE them (but black vests are safest…we’re not all Justin Timberlake you know).  I like way funky socks, I like minorly funky ties. If you’re at a law firm, don’t be the dude in the Frosty tie, be the guy in the tie James Bond would wear for Christmas.  Think that way…

Black vest (the kind that buttons up HIGH) and a red tie?  Be still my heart.

Step 3: Accessorize

This is where your little pretty touches make you fancy.

Women: earrings that dangle, a necklace that breaks up your solid color, classy wide-net fishnets, and a purse that is a little bit glitzy.  Small touches go much farther than a jewelry show on your body.

Glitzy glammy girlie fun stuff.  Love.

Men: cuff links, tie clip, belt buckle, and shoes.  Make them all count.

I die for male accessories. Cuff links kill me, a tie clip is almost wholly responsible for my dating my boyfriend after we met!

Step 4: Be warm in style

It’s cold and you’re going to want a coat or wrap at the very least, and you never know when someone might have planned part of the night outside.

Women:  Borrow a great coat from a friend if you don’t have one, there’s no reason to purchase one if you wear it once a year.  If you are going to purchase one, make it fun.  A red coat makes me smile for days, and I always want to be the one woman that walks in wearing a fab white coat.  I love her every time.

Don’t you want to wear all of these, at once?  Hit H&M right now–coats so cute and SO cheap!

Men:  You need a black coat, the manly kind. Pea coat, single breasted trench, suit jacket, whatever, again, think Bond. If he’s cold, what’s he got on? (Pssshhh as if Bond is ever cold!)

Ahem, guy in the middle, I know I have a boyfriend  and you only have half a head, but um, I’m loving your look….

Step 5: A big holiday smile

Shiny, clean hair, makeup that took you more than 4 minutes, and a clean shave go a long way, as does a big, happy smile. Enjoy yourself, this is a PARTY you know!  In the end, the stressing over your outfit never turns out to be such a big deal.  Just don’t be the person that drinks too much and hits on the boss/falls in the punch bowl/dances on a table/tells an annoying coworker just how awful their “phone voice” is/etc. (Yep, been a couple of those……Ahhh capricious youth…)  Just have a great time, it’s always good looking, always in style!

Happy Holiday Partying Loveys!

xoxoxox

Have you ever been going on a trip where you need to look incredibly adorable as you go to bed?  Ahhhh me too.  Tomorrow actually.  I leave for the east coast for 5 days (!!!!) and I know there will be much activity at night, in the house, but before bedtime.  Thus, I need super cute jammies.  So let’s look at my favorite nighttime looks! (Most of my pictures are from Victoria Secret, if you’re looking to shop, they’re my FAVORITE for jammies)

Flannels

Classic and perfect and I love.  Flannel jammies are a no-brainer, but there are some ways to make them look adorable, as opposed to frumpy.  First off, no one wears tight flannels, the pants should fit you like wide leg pants and hit the floor. Also, while it’s very cute, to also wear a boxy matching shirt isn’t especially cute so I prefer to pair wide bottoms with a tight top (my rule in normal clothing as well). Two slouchy pieces just makes you look bigger than you are, and shapeless.  A thermal top, a tank top, or a fitted t-shirt is a good way to look adorable, while also being comfy!

So cute.  SO cute!!!

One-Piece Jammies

I received a paid of Jumpin’ Jammerz footed pajamas for Valentine’s Day once (hilarious take on “lingerie”) and they are pretty much amazing.  While they’re not everyone’s first idea on being adorable at bedtime, there is much to be said for being adorable funny! They also happen to be super warm, and if you’re headed to somewhere cold, like I am, they are worth a try!  You might hate them on, but you also might be surprised!  They’re fun, they’re cute, they come in a plethora of patterns, and they add some smiles to sleepy time.

Yup, those are my beloved footies, in my room, just reading.  Classic.

Thermals

Oh my goodness I didn’t realize that thermals had become SO cute!  Last night, at Target, I was awakened to the extreme stylish fun that is now the world of long underwear-who knew?! With a bunch of fun patterns and styles and the fact that they are pretty functional, these are moving up on my winter jammies list!  I bought some pink-and-gray ones last night that I’m fairly obsessed with now. Loving them, everyone should go buy some! They’re cute paired with a comfy t-shirt or the thermal top itself!

Victoria Secret does it all right, all the time.

Sweats

I am a total sweats girl, but man you have to walk a fine line with them in keeping them cute, and not schleppy.  I like the fitted kind that mirrors cute pants, with a flare at the bottom.  I also like the cropped ones you scrunch up at the bottom from Victoria Secret.  I do NOT like the traditional Hanes ones with elastic everything and a crotch the length of my entire leg.  No thank you.  And again, like with thermals, baggy on bottom means tight on top!

Love them!!!!!!  I need to go buy these exact ones…now

All in all, I packed my ASU sweatpants (Go Devils!), a new pair of red plaid flannel pants, and the new cutie thermal pants.  I’m feeling pretty good about these choices! And yes….I am planning pajamas.  I do this, OK?  Here’s a picture of my night’s planning, hope it makes you smile today!  Annnnd…now I’m off!

Yup, those are also sparkly slipper F-Uggs (fake Uggs).  I’m sure lots of grown women do this on a Tuesday night!

xoxoxo