In my last holiday post, I shared the options I created for our holiday party. If you missed the post, check it out here. Thanks for your comments everyone!
I chose B! This stretch velvet VINCE CAMUTO jumpsuit was the absolute right choice for me. Almost everyone was wearing a dress. From sequins to lace to something very simple. I felt the way I styled the jumpsuit gave the same formality as a dress and it was MUCH more comfortable! That is worth a lot!
When I started my search I really thought I was going to wear a dressy pair of jeans/top. I didn’t want to wear a dress and with jumpsuits so popular I started leaning that way. I’ve shied away from those with a wide leg because if you’re my height (5’4) you need a heel to really pull this off. I liked the silhouette of some of the cropped styles, but in the end they did me no favors. I need all the help I can get to balance the weight around the middle; the wide leg does that. It was not a perfect fit right out of the gate. It needed alterations. Many women would have put this right back in the box. I’ve seen the magic of good alterations when I worked at Nordstrom. I advise asking an alteration specialist for an opinion if you really like a piece. A few pins can give you the visual and influence your decision. It’s worth it.
Accessories: I don’t follow any rules and often try a couple different things to compare before I make a decision. When it comes to jewelry, I almost always wear earrings, necklaces and sometimes a bracelet. Typically I find one to make a statement . Other times all of them might be equal delicates. No right/wrong. Some personal taste is involved. Some outfits and necklines dictate the jewelry. In this case the neckline wasn’t open enough for a statement necklace. My focal point was the earrings and bracelet with a smaller necklace. I could have skipped the necklace altogether but usually I like something at the neck.
The earrings and bracelet are sold out. Here’s another earring that would work well with this outfit or with outfit C. Similar bracelet. The Baguette Blitz necklace is available.
Shoes: Unless you have height or long legs, a heel looks best with this silhouette. I knew this was going to be challenging with my feet, but I found 3 pairs! You don’t need 3 inch heels. Anything with a kitten heel and pointed toe works. I went with the Rockport. I spent a fair amount of time on the dance floor. My feet were happy! I have a new found hope about wearing high heels again for special occasions. Rockport and Naturalizer continued to impress me and Naturalizer in particular offers Narrow and Wide widths.
- Rockport// 2. Naturalizer//3. David Tate
Zappos has all of these options and often faster shipping.
Wrap/Jacket: I loved this gold wrap that still had the tag. It was a gift last year for being part of the Independent Stylist program at Nordstrom. It’s a great piece to pull out when you want to dress things up. You can use it as a wrap or it’s light weight enough to tie as a scarf which would look nice with any coat time of year.
I went with the jacket option. I’m kind of “over” the wrap. HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean that I don’t still see it as a good option to cover arms and give warmth. I think that over the years I helped so many women looking for formal occasions that I personally have grown tired of it. It is the perfect solution to cover arms. I took the wrap in my bag just in case it was cold in the room and it was!
Clutch: I received this as a freebie last year from Stella & Dot. I didn’t use it then so how fun it was to pull it out. Here are similar styles.
Many of you chose outfit C. I liked a lot, but the Paige velvet jeans came from Amazon one day before we had to leave. They were just a little too big. I may re-order and keep for next year. The sequin top is still available and greatly reduced. I got it on the Black Friday and it was a steal. Here it is untucked, which suits me better. The shoes are going back but I’d love to find this same brand/style in a neutral if I work with this outfit next year.
Its a good time to discuss whether to tuck or not. The partial tuck has been around for a few years. Now we are seeing more and more things tucked in again. I prefer the partial tuck but I know some women tell me it looks “sloppy”. Honestly some of the shorter tops look better tucked or partially tucked. Tucking in and styling with a wider belt is a look that is growing on me for sure and you’ll probably be seeing that here in future posts.
I kept the same earrings.You could easily go with something that is not as bold. I would definitely downplay the necklace. Mine is very delicate because the sequins make the statement. I also switched bracelets to something more simple but they still had a bit of sparkle.
Then there is that white faux fur jacket. I loved it. It’s identical to the black one and I can’t say enough about these cropped jackets. Elegant, comfortable, affordable, warm –simply the perfect complement to almost any dressy outfit. Faux fur is everywhere so I just had to try it. I can’t tell you how many formal holiday parties I struggled with which coat to wear with a dress.
It only received one vote because it appears more casual. I’ve already worn it once time and everything about it is a keeper. I’ll write about it next time because the different styles of denim are a common question among clients that I want to cover in more detail. But here is one link you may want to check out….
NOTE: The jacket from A. is suede and fur. I found it at Nordstrom Rack for 36.97! It’s still available but will go fast. Although I prefer the formality of the all fur one with the jumpsuit, the price of the Rack find won out and that’s what I wore. I don’t need two similar black jackets
Thanks again for your comments! It was fun to read your opinions.
