Holiday dressing: First impressions come but once a year                                Back to columns list

It's that time of year again—buffets with relatives, get-togethers with friends and parties at your new boyfriend's parent's house. (Ugh!)

Whether the event is dreaded or looked forward to, the holiday season obligates you to attend. You should look your best, especially when you are bound to see people that you may not see again for another year. Consider the holidays a time for first impressions. Don't leave anyone with a picture (mental or digital) of you dressed in a Bridget Jones snowman sweater or plaid jumper.

This time of year, every fashion maven's four-word mantra should be, Pictures will be taken. This phrase, repeated over and over again in one's head, will save a girl from a fashion faux pas of the holiday kind.

To pull through the next two months successfully, a girl needs three basic looks: the buffet-with-relatives outfit, the dinner-party-with-friends ensemble, and the party-with-bf's-family garb.

 

The buffet-with-relatives outfit:

Beware of this outfit. This is one time you may feel lazy since half of the fam really did see you naked in the bath tub at four years of age. Resist the urge to throw on yoga pants and a sweatshirt before heading over to Aunt Ethel's for turkey dinner. Although you may not feel the need to impress your family with your style prowess on Thanksgiving morning, the minute you walk through Aunt Ethel's door and see cousin Jennifer (a.k.a. your nemesis) with her new boyfriend, you'll certainly wish you had put some thought into your outfit. Trust me, when this happened to me, I was newly single and my cousin had invited about half of the Air Force Academy to dinner. Dressed in less that flattering (stained) sweatsuit, I swore never to attend another family function with my fashion guard down.

Some useful tips:

• Wear a chunky knit sweater over a fitted, rouched lightweight top. This way, you are prepared for cute and cuddly niece or sophisticated, on-the-go cousin.
• Flattering corduroys—either pants or in skirt form—are perfect for the season. The smaller the cord, the better. It makes them look like velveteen without all the fuss.
• Two words: Ballet Flats. Comfy yet feminine.

 

The dinner-party-with-friends ensemble:

This is your time to shine. Take advantage of holiday parties like this to express your inner diva. While you may not want Uncle Jack to see you in a red satin halter dress that screams va va voom, you will want to make an impression with friends. Most likely many pictures will be taken, so get ready to be the star of the show. Forget any conservative thoughts and don a fabulous cocktail dress and strappy heels. My faves of the season are in satin but any luxurious fabric will do. And contrary to popular belief, it is okay to wear red (especially for Christmas parties) as long as you leave the Santa hat at home!

Some fun tips:

• Add a broach to a simple dress.
• Put a beautiful poinsettia in your hair.
• Wear red heels, no matter what.

 

The party-with-bf's-family garb:

Okay, this always conjures up the red carpet celebrity couple entrance. Will and Jada Pinkett Smith are the epitome of clothing collaboration on the red carpet, and so should you and boyfriend be. I'm not saying that if you wear pink, his cummerbund should match. I am just suggesting that you are both dressed on the same level. There is nothing more embarrassing than dressing up in a foo foo outfit only to show up at your boyfriend's house and find out Thanksgiving is an annual Football_a-thon where everyone dresses in their favorite jersey and sports cheesehead paraphernalia with foam fingers and beer hats. This is not the time to wear a cashmere bunny sweater and a kicky pencil skirt. On the other hand, you also don't want to wear jeans if his family does black tie optional. My point is, you must find out what your bf is wearing and gauge your outfit accordingly.

For example:

• If he is planning on jeans and a Bears sweatshirt, go no frills with a plain sweater and cords.
• If he wears khakis and a button up, you wear a fitted top or sweater with girly detailing and a skirt.
• If he wears a suit (hey, it happens back East) wear a dress, but not the slinky one you wore to your friend's holiday party. Bring a cardigan to cover up in front of your worst critic, "Mother Dearest."

 

Good luck, good cheer, and remember, Pictures will be taken !