5 Fashion Rules to Get You Through the Holiday Season in Style

Everyone loves a good ugly Christmas sweater (or kitschy Santa earrings, candy cane-striped handbags or other overtly holiday-theme items), but there is a way to make them feel polished and festive, rather than just, well, ugly. The key is to pair your holiday-theme pieces with upscale basics, like a little black dress or wide-leg trousers. The two opposing aesthetics blend together surprisingly well to create a look that’s both fun and chic.

There are absolutely exceptions to this “rule,” but your office holiday party or dinner with Grandma and all your nieces and nephews isn’t the place for super-low necklines and micro miniskirts. Save the va-va-voom pieces for New Year’s with your friends or date night with your partner and instead embrace comfier styles with a bit more coverage—think midi skirts and blazers, matching knit sets, slip dresses with cozy cardigans—for the family get-togethers.

Velvet and sequins and feathers, oh my! If ever there was a time to go all in on sparkle and shine, it’s now. There’s also no need to reserve them only for evening events. To make these luxe pieces feel more appropriate for day, try balancing them with very casual basics. I’m talking plain white tees worn over sequin trousers, a denim jacket worn over a feathered frock or jeans worn with an embellished blouse. Then, for a nighttime event, just swap in some heels or more tulle, tartan plaid or other embellished pieces and you’ll be looking fabulous and feeling festive.

A lot of the holiday season centers around eating—Thanksgiving dinner, cookie exchanges, New Year’s drinks, etc.—so I can pretty much guarantee you will be infinitely happier if you choose clothing that is comfortable both before and after a big meal. If the waistband is pinching before you’ve even left the house, consider changing into something else, like a sweater dress, a pair of wide-leg trousers, a cozy matching set or a swingy tent dress. That way you can focus on catching up with your loved ones and not get distracted by your outfit.

It doesn’t matter whether you prefer a little black dress, a coordinating suit or a cozy sweater and some Audrey Hepburn-inspired cropped trousers, wearing head-to-toe black is a surefire way to look chic and elegant. And, as an added bonus, it serves as the perfect base to play around with kooky accessories like shoulder-grazing statement earrings, rainbow beaded handbags or feather-adorned heels. Of course, you also can’t go wrong with some pearl studs and a simple wristwatch either—it’s totally up to you.