There’s the warmer season, the cooler season, and then there’s the holiday season. A season filled with social gatherings, endless festivities, and enough cheer to make the world go ‘round. But for area fashionistas, the holiday season has a mind and a wardrobe all of its own – filled with glitter, glitz, glam, and sophisticated holiday style.
To help you with your party-perfect holiday looks, Belk’s new VP of Trend Merchandising and Fashion Direction, Cynthia Washburn-Nester, dished her top trends for the social season and some simple ways to go from drab to fab for your own signature holiday style.
Go for a festive blouse: This season, there is a decadent twist to blouses with Victorian-inspired silhouettes boasting higher collars, fun and dramatic sleeves, ruffles, strings and ties. The fabrics add some tactile touches with overall lace or insets, velvet, burnout fabrics and sheer chiffons. Pair one of these feminine blouses with your favorite black slim pant or trouser. For a more relaxed party, opt for black or dark indigo denim in skinny shapes or black leather leggings.
Get laced up: Footwear is also taking a cue from the Victorian trend with booties and pumps with laced-up details. Suede gives an almost velvet-like texture in a rich matte black. Open cutouts around the lacing keep the footwear feminine and light. Booties work with skinny bottoms and also give any dress or skirt a modern update. Switching out a shoe is an easy way to amp up a look!
Statement earrings: There are so many new silhouettes in earrings! Try out a “climber” silhouette that follows the shape of your ear with gemstones and pearls — the look resembles that of multiple piercings. Another new earring shape is the “jacket” which has a stone or cluster at the front of the ear and another motif dropping from the back of the ear. Add color with multicolored stones that take a vintage approach to holiday glamour.
For true dress-up affairs, look for a dress to make your party statement with ease: Fringe continues into the holiday season by pairing it with allover sequins. Velvet and lace are also key fabrics. Lace goes glam with gold over-embroidery on bodices and skirts. Pair with a laced-up bootie for an instant update.
Images used courtesy of Belk.
