A Guide to Elevating Holiday Outfits
Written By Halle Kory
Photography By Britney Spangenberg
Modeled By Halle Kory, Mana Kanda, & Liz Garcia
As the temperature drops and the holidays draw near, navigating the world of seasonal parties and events transforms into an art of its own. The first thought after receiving an invitation is, “What should I wear?” Or, perhaps more significantly, “How can I transition my existing wardrobe into an outfit that exudes the spirit of the holidays?” To help solve this age-old question, here are three ways to elevate your holiday outfits this season.
Bows
Bows, bows, and more bows! Incorporating bows is the simplest and trendiest way to infuse a sense of uniqueness into your outfit. I’m not simply suggesting adding a basic hair bow– to fully get into the spirit of the season, we need to take it one step further. Sandy Liang, master of bows, knows how to take this accessory to the next level. Sandy Liang started her eponymous New York fashion brand to draw inspiration from nostalgia, the experiences of girlhood, and the influence of grandmothers in Chinatown. For Liang, bows symbolize childhood, and she incorporates that nostalgic sentiment into her creations. In her Fall 2023 presentation, models’ hair were adorned plentifully with mini bows cascading from their roots to their ends, adeptly capturing Liang’s beloved sense of nostalgia and girlhood. Achieving this look is easily done at home with just a few steps. I replicated this style by taking around 25 mini bows and attaching them to mini alligator clips. From there, all that remains is to place them in your hair!
Patterned and Colored Tights
Tights are one of the simplest ways to change the entire personality of an outfit. They have the power to inject life into an otherwise ordinary ensemble. While many stick to black or nude tights, why not venture into the world of patterned and brightly colored tights? One of my favorite choices for the holiday season is wearing bright reds! Sporting bright red tights complements a wider range of outfits than one might envision. Its bold hue stands out strikingly against blacks and whites, contrasts well with greens and blues, and seamlessly integrates into monotone outfits for those who adore all things red.
Up next, patterned tights! The array of patterns available for tights is vast. My top choices include cable knit sweater tights, polka dot tights, and flocked tights that add texture and vibrancy to any outfit. A simple method to create your own patterned tights is to repurpose leftover bows from the oh-so beautiful Sandy Liang hair and sew them onto a pair of tights alongside pearls for a girly, and dare I say dreamy, D.I.Y! I opted for white tights with matching bows and pearls to create a monotone outfit that makes one feel as if they are in a winter wonderland themselves.
Dreamy Pastels
As winter approaches, individuals often stow away their pastels, leaning towards darker, moodier tones and neutrals. Yet, in my view, pastels are exceptionally well-suited for winter, infusing a light and refreshing mood into the season. My favorites include pastel pinks, blues, greens, and purples. While reminiscent of the classic holiday colors such as red, navy, dark green, and deep purple, these tones introduce a sense of brightness into what can be an otherwise cold and dreary season.
The most effortless way to do this is through wardrobe staples like sweaters and outerwear. Perfectly illustrating the infusion of pastels into everyday essentials is the Bow Puffer Jacket from My Mum Made It. This pastel pink puffer jacket is adorned with delicate bows along the sleeves, collar, front, and back. This look would be quite simple to replicate by finding a pastel jacket and sewing monotone bows all around.
Now equipped for any holiday invitation that comes your way, the initial question shifts from, “What should I wear?” to “How soon can I wear this?” By incorporating these three simple ways to elevate your holiday outfits comes an endless rotation of ways to capture the spirit of the season.
