Dec 29, 20215 min read

Fashion Diary: Affordable Holiday Style & Inspo

The holiday season is upon us and on its way out at the time of this post, but I wanted to share some of the style ideas I came up for this year that consist of items I already have in my wardrobe as well as an item or two that I acquired to seamlessly work with what I already have in my closet.

While others are decking themselves out in head-to-toe glitter and sparkle, you can keep things festive without doing entirely too much. All it takes is a hint of bling to get your shine on. If you're still in shopping mode and planning to pick up something last-minute, feel free to use these ideas as a guide as you shop.

Most of my looks are designed for comfort and keep things classy. My style isn't overtly sexy and that's not because I'm a woman of a certain age, but even in my youth, I opted for a subtle sexy vibe. I think the ensembles, below, reflect that.

To see these items in motion, check out my YouTube Look Books at the end of this post.

THE WHITE SHIRT

The white shirt isn't just for workwear or sleeves rolled up for casual wear. It's versatile enough to be transformed into formal wear - not just with a tuxedo - as an item of elegance...even with the sleeves rolled up. Designer Carolina Herrera has mastered the art of taking the white shirt from daywear to nighttime sophistication. It's her trademark and I've always been an admirer of her style. The level of of admiration is clear when anyone takes a look at my wardrobe and sees a rack dedicated, solely, to my many white shirts in various styles. It can be dressed up or down and manages to elevate even a pair of denim shorts with a touch of class. Sharon Stone once wore a basic button-down white shirt from the Gap with an elegant satin skirt to the Oscars and was at the top of everyone's best-dressed list for the night, despite being in the company of hundreds of elegantly cut and bejeweled gowns. It's also my go-to when I want to feel put together or elegant. It makes getting dressed fairly easy because it goes with, literally, everything!

Here's how I styled a couple of white shirts in my wardrobe to create these holiday looks:

*click on the arrows to the right and left to slide to the next or previous photo; Clothing items shown (where available) are linked in the description box of the videos at the end of this blog post:

ITEMS WITH A SPECIAL DETAIL

For a special occasion, going for something with a little sparkle and shine always feels necessary. For some, they want to sparkle from top to bottom and they do it well. For others, like myself, just a hint of bling is more the style. I like for it to be an item of interest, but not necessarily the whole enchilada. A sparkle here and there catches the eye and flirts with the brain of those who witness it versus being a gleaming headlight that makes the viewer want to shield their eyes.

For that reason, when I peeped a pair of purple metallic pants on Asos I was immediately drawn to them. They were purple, my favorite color, and shiny. The cut was flattering for my body shape and I knew a white shirt would be the perfect fashion companion for an understated, but glam outing. New Year's Eve seems like the perfect opportunity to get them out.

I also picked up these black sequined joggers (last year), which -while giving BIG SPARKLE- the jogger detail means they can be toned down for a more casual or edgy look. In the photos below, I styled them up for a sophisticated glam look as well as something on the casual glam side (pant legs pushed up to below the knee). The studded face mask was a fun item I couldn't pass up when I saw it. It fits with the times we're in and can be work over a medical grade mask since it's only meant to be an article of decoration and not actual protection (it's thin). What do you think?

On another note, not all items of interest have to sparkle. There could be some other detail that's unexpected or unique; a cut-out, a piece of lace or embroidery that makes an item special. Feathers are also a detail that can make an item stand out. In putting a Look Book together for the holiday season, I wanted to include a bling-ed out sexy dress as an option, but ran out of time. Since I tend vibe with pants for the sake of comfort, I wanted to have something that gave a little leg, so I settled for a skirt. I wanted it to sparkle, but none of the ones I was drawn to would have arrived before I filmed my video, so I settled for another detail that turned out to be the best fashion detour I could have made. The feather skirt was something I remember worked well for a fashion influencer I used to watch years ago. It wasn't something I gravitated towards at that time, but the way she put it together was always in the back of my mind as an option for getting gussied up. Her skirt was on the sexy, mini side, but I wanted to go for something more classic/lady-like and I found it on Amazon. Thankfully, it also came with a great delivery time. Check it out, below, using the same white shirt I wore with the purple pants; just unbuttoned and wrapped around my waist:

SPARKLY CAMISOLES

Again, sometimes you just need a small portion of your outfit to shine. And that's where a beaded or sequined cami comes in. If you have a work suit, a camisole with some sparkle instantly takes it into evening, with or without the jacket. With a pair of leather pants or a leather skirt, the juxtaposition of toughness and elegance makes for an interesting fashion combo; edgy. You can even wear one with a pair of jeans for a date night or girls night out. It's a way of dressing things up without getting overly dressed up. I paired these two, a gold and silver/gray version under jackets for a peek-a-boo sparkle look.

ACCESSORIES

One of my favorite ways to add sparkle as a highlight (that whole flirting with the brain thing) or in conjunction with another sparkly item is to add a shiny accessories. In the case of the outfits I put together for the Look book, I opted for a pair of glittery shoes from Amazon. I was in the market for a pair of sparkly/silvery shoes and this was the perfect opportunity to finally acquire a pair. They came fairly quickly, after failing to find an affordable pair in-store. Shiny gold-toned heels and black patent leather fit the bill for other outfits. I also relied on a few jewelry pieces and handbags/clutches. In my casual Christmas Day look, I brought out a pair of thick-soled sneakers with gold-colored bands and a coordinating wristlet. Subtle, but shiny accents to the outfit.