With Ginger Burr
You can look great this holiday season without spending a lot of money or hours shopping.
You have a couple of holiday parties to go to and, of course, New Years Eve is approaching. Although the holidays seem to come and go so quickly, you still want to look beautiful and feel special without breaking the bank. You just don’t know where to begin. Yes, you could wear the same thing you’ve worn the past two years — your little black dress with a pendant necklace, or your velvet skirt and shimmery blouse — but that doesn’t feel special anymore. How can you spice it up without spending hours fighting the crowds at the mall or buying an entirely new outfit?
Add sleeves to your LBD. So many dresses are sleeveless and yet, at least here in the northeast US, it is freezing! You have good intentions of wearing your favorite little black dress and then the temperatures dip and you realize you have to cover your arms or you’ll shiver through the entire party and dream of being home in your pj’s. So, you throw a sweater or jacket on over your dress and completely obliterate its beauty. You’re now warm, but you’ve lost that special feeling about how you look.There’s a new, very simple solution. Add sleeves! No sewing experience necessary! There’s a terrific creation called Amazing Arms. It adds a sheer sleeve to any sleeveless black dress. It comes in black and black lace so I recommend adding it only to a black dress (or a dress that has black in the pattern), otherwise the focus will go to your arms instead of the dress. You want it to look as much like a natural part of the dress as possible.- Sparkle always works. You are going to a party, but think a LBD would be over the top. It’s a casual get-together to celebrate the holidays so a great pair of pants or dark wash jeans will be perfect. You just want to add some pizzazz to an otherwise basic, every-day outfit. You also want to avoid holiday theme sweaters and crop tops or split back tops — you’ll leave that to the teenagers. So, what’s left? Jewelry!Let’s say you’re wearing your favorite pants and simple jewel neck top. It’s nice but lacking any fun or holiday cheer. Add a stunning statement necklace and you’re done. Here are two ideas. There are SO many out there. Find one that speaks to you. I even have an entire Pinterest board with beautiful, exquisite jewelry.
- Change your shoes. You’ve been at work all day and there’s a party you’d love to stop by for a bit, but you don’t want to go all the way home to change. You know that once you walk in the door of your house, you’ll get comfy and cozy and not want to leave again. You’re wearing a simple sweater and a pair of skinny pants with ballet flats or a flat boot at work. How can you spice it up? Add a heel and you’re all set to go. It doesn’t have to be 4″ (or anywhere near that). Choose a pretty heel that says “party” to you and you’re on your way.Here’s a pretty and unusual dressy heel:
And, here’s a pretty, sparkly wedge (very comfortable):
Perhaps it’s really cold out and you want to stay well covered (even your feet), but you don’t want to feel clunky and like you’re ready for a blizzard. There are still fun options like this (even if you have to carry them with you and put them on when you get there):
As you can see, when you have the basics (that LBD, velvet skirt or skinny pants, for example) there is no need to buy an entirely new outfit to look and feel special. A tweak here or there will add a smile to your face and a spring in your step. Plus, your version of these items above are great ice breakers as you get compliments on how beautiful, unusual or festive they are.
What are you adding to your holiday wardrobe this season? Leave a comment below sharing what you’ve done to make an old outfit new again! You will inspire other women to do the same.
Every item shown here is vegan and cruelty-free.
Over the past 26 years, Ginger Burr, believing that your image is about representing the best of you (not making designers happy), has built a remarkable career as an expert personal image consultant working with women from all walks of life and from all over the world. A notable leader in the fashion world, Ginger’s adroit understanding of personal style has been celebrated by Fox TV, MORE Magazine.com, Bloomberg Business Week, and Women’s Health Magazine and her new book, That’s So You! Create a look you love with beauty, style and grace is now available in bookstores and on Amazon.com. Learn more at www.totalimageconsultants.com.
