Holy countdown—Christmas is almost here!
As in every year before, December is about to creep in like a deceptive mist, and now all of us procrastinators who thought we still had time to shop and plan have hardly enough time left at all. Hope you’re ready for the madness—because I’m betting today is the starting point of your Christmas party marathon.
Tell me—have you got all your outfits lined up in a row? Here’s a confession: I don’t. Not one!
Every season, as we brace ourselves for a glut of party-going, reuniting, and all-around merrymaking, we fashion-lovers find ourselves in what I call a “dressing deficit.” In other words, we peer into our wardrobes, rifle through every piece of clothing that lines it, and find we have absolutely nothing to wear (at least, that we want to). Then we go into panic mode.
Only a few unruffled girls can stare a series of nonstop shindigs in the face and shrug it off like it’s no biggie. You can pinpoint who they are at any event, because they seem to be dressed the simplest and yet appear to be the chicest. I imagine their thought process goes something like this: LBD, check. Pumps, check. Lipstick, check. Clutch, check. Done, done, and done. It makes a lot of sense, any which way you look at it. If I could streamline every fashion problem so that it could be solved by this four-piece formula, I’d be a much less frazzled woman.
Alas, I’m a fickle one. My choice of dress is often dictated by my mood and current obsessions, be it a red-carpet darling or a beloved TV show (three more weeks ‘til Downton Abbey’s Christmas Special!). Like any working girl, I’ve got a closet stocked with practical, versatile, little-black-everythings, but there are times when they just won’t do. During the holidays, especially, I find myself wanting to dress fancier than usual—whether or not I’ve got somewhere to go. The Yuletide season is just the perfect time to dig into my special occasion stash, and that’s one of the things I love most about it (that, and the food).
In any case, before I brave the traffic for an ill-advised shopping spree (serves me right!), here’s a last-minute rundown of what to wear to every party you’ve pencilled in. Combine these staples with existing pieces in your closet, and they will bend to the will of any dress code. Happy (hectic) holidays!
(All photos via Polyvore, unless otherwise stated.)
