I guess you’re rushed off your feet with Christmas looming on the horizon and wondering how you’re ever going to fit in time to buy an outfit for the festivities. Why bother? Surely you can think of better ways to fill your waking hours between now and then – like putting up the tree, wrapping presents for your loved ones, and making sure you have everything you need to feed them!
My guess is that you’ve got something in your wardrobe already, that, with a little bit of imagination, will look wonderful for the holiday celebrations.
Take half an hour out of your hectic schedule for yourself. Tell the family you are not to be disturbed and lock yourself in your bedroom.
Write down all the events you intend to attend: the office party, Christmas lunch at Great-Aunt Esmeralda’s, the Nativity play at your local school, your best friend’s New Year’s Eve party…. Saying no to one or two this year will help keep the stress levels down and give you more time for yourself… worth a thought!
Bottoms up
Most wardrobes have a pair of black trousers or a long skirt in them (only one?) so put on whichever you feel most comfortable in. Black will go with virtually every colour under the sun but, if you prefer, choose your darkest neutral according to your seasonal colouring:
- Spring – chocolate brown
- Summer – navy
- Autumn – deepest brown
- Winter – charcoal
This one item will see you through most events and then you can add different tops, jackets, and accessories to ring the changes.
Just make sure that you have a back-up pair of trousers or skirt in case some fool spills gravy down your front!
Top it up
Then, try on all your pretty tops – those that always make you feel dressed up will be the first on the list:
• A silk blouse, for instance, will take you to a restaurant or more formal occasion
• For something more cosy, pop on a camisole underneath and use the silk blouse as a jacket
• If it’s especially cold where you are, layering like this will help you keep the icicles away, too.
And ignore the jacket that you automatically wear with the trousers or skirt you have on – try all your other jackets instead.
Dress it up
Raid your jewellery box for eye-catching pieces that will dress up your tops and jackets. My wife has just bought an amazing piece which is hand-made from a soft downy white feather and a wine-coloured rose in the middle. This will look fabulous on all her dark jackets and is certainly something for the festive season.
Get out your glitzy earrings, necklaces and bracelets – unless you’re a Dramatic, this may be the only time of year that you wear them, so flaunt them like mad!
And this could be just the moment for a good ferret around in the bottom of your wardrobe to re-discover those 63 pairs of shoes that you’d completely forgotten about. Add coloured or textured hosiery (maybe some black seamed stockings if you’re feeling particularly outrageous) and shoes that haven’t seen the light of day for years, and you will feel incredibly dressed up, and in the mood for enjoying Christmas.
The bottom line
Which brings me to your bottom line (if you’ll pardon the expression). Wearing your most slinky underwear will make you feel fabulous and then you will look even better.
Once you have a selection of tops and jackets to add to your trousers or skirt, the final step is to prepare your body to look good. Start by treating yourself to a face mask and a manicure.
Add a little glitzy eye shadow:
• silver for Summers and Winters
• gold for Springs and Autumns
…on top of your usual eye shadow and lipstick colours and you will be ready for anything.
I hope you and yours have a really fabulous Christmas, and that Santa brings you everything on your list – you have remembered to send him your list, haven’t you?
Brad x
Stylist
