Sequins, sparkles and velvet galore. Eleven months out of 12, fabrics of this nature cause me and many others to keep scrolling or choose a new rack of clothes to paw through. However, not in December. It seems that for at least a few weeks out of the year, it is all of a sudden unquestionably appropriate to dress in a senior prom throw-back fashion. Yes, I’m talking glitter, too much makeup and obnoxiously high heels. But, there are ways to wear these pieces without looking like a disco ball and to be utterly festive without being tacky.
Between family dinners, holiday parties, high school reunions, Christmas and New Years, there are a lot of upcoming occasions to dress up for. Every holiday season, I contemplate whether or not it is really worth it to go out and buy something new. It is true that buying an ugly Christmas sweater has been one of my best purchases thus far, but most of the time I find it hard to justify spending over $50 on an over-the-top holiday dress I most likely will wear three times.
As for sequins, sparkles, velvets and furs, it is totally possible to rock these fabrics in a tasteful way – and be able to actually get use out of them for more than just an annual holiday get together. Here is how to shop within your closet, and with a few fun and reusable pieces, make you look fabulously festive.
Sequins and Sparkles
Wearing sequins and sparkles can definitely be tricky. Especially in a way that looks classy and polished. When done right though, the risk pays off for a perfect holiday look. Try looking for sequins and sparkles in neutral colors, like blacks, dark blues, greys and silvers. This not only will make the fabrics easier to match with other pieces, but will tone down the otherwise flashy (literally) material.
Photo courtesy of asos.com
Photo courtesy of topshop.com
Photo courtesy of topshop.com
Photo courtesy of nordstrom.com
Velvet
Velvet is probably the thing I am most excited to wear come the holiday season. Not only does it automatically dress up any outfit, but also provides a little bit of warmth due to the thicker fabric in comparison to others. I also find that it is easier to wear velvet more frequently than other fabrics (like sequins or fur).
Photo courtesy of store.americanapparel.net
Photo courtesy of store.americanapparel.net
Photo courtesy of nastgal.com
Photo courtesy of hm.com
Fur
It seems that in the past few years, faux fur has found common places in many young and aspiring fashionistas’ wardrobes. Faux fur is one of the ultimate ways to play dress-up, even if you would rarely wear it outside of a celebration setting. With faux fur, it’s important to find a happy medium between a quality piece that won’t fall apart, but you definitely don’t want to spend a lot of money on something that you won’t wear super often.
Photo courtesy of tobi.com
Photo courtesy of zara.com
Photo courtesy of us.aritzia.com
There you have it, a few holiday pieces all under $80.00 that ensure the perfect mix of festivity and elegance. May your holidays be full of friends, family and artfully placed sequins, velvets and furs.