TheClick

Dressing up - or down - for the Holidays

Let's face it – unless you're traveling for the holidays, the real excitement of Christmas and New Years is that you can sleep late, see a lot of good movies, eat a lot – and dress up.

To those of us who love clothes, dressing up is an occasion in and of itself. I don't know about you – but I'm betting that if you're female, the feeling of velvet, pearls, and anything furry – teamed with a great glistening pair of heels – can get your heart racing even without that first glass of bubbly. It also probably gets the hearts racing of those around you. A great visual presentation is filled with energy and excitement. It says, "I believe great things are going to happen tonight!" because you are dressed for them – and then, very often, they do. If you present an image of "I'm feeling festive," it certainly draws people to you. It radiates energy and expectations.
         
And, equally, a wayward visual presentation can easily repel people. Remember Bridget Jones' hideous Christmas sweater her parents preferred her to wear? It made people think she was a giant nerd – except for Mark Darcy, the geek-charming barrister played by Colin Firth in the movie. He was wearing a Christmas "jumper" with reindeer on it when she met him at her parents' turkey curry party on Christmas day. The two looked so sheepish, she were immediately drawn to each other. Maybe not such a bad thing after all.

If you're feeling "reindeer sweater," I suppose there ARE places they might not look wrong –like any ski village. TheFind.com makes it very easy to find them: just type in "Reindeer sweaters," and all kinds come up – for good or for bad! The best one  - the only one I could wear – is by Ralph Lauren, and it's red, short-sleeved, fitted and belted over a long black skirt. For $245.00, you can be a very chic Bridget Jones.  But for children, there is a hoodie Fair Isle style by Gymboree for $32.50 that is adorable, and another cute one for $7.50 at IseeSpots. The silliest one I saw has multiple reindeer heads (North Style, $79.94) with Donner and Blitzen looking a lot like  Bullwinkle. But if you're seeking your own Mark Darcy, it might not be a bad way to go . . .

To me, texture looks right on Christmas and New Year's – particularly black velvet, plaid, or bright gold. These are festive fabrics that you just don't see everyday.

I found some great plaid jackets and coats on TheFind.com that would look fab over a black turtleneck and pants, or a great black dress and boots. The best overcoat is by Mackage, and it's a plaid asymmetrical coat at Saks.com with a princess cut – going in at the waist, and then flurrying out – for $748.00. Mackage has a shorter style with wide, short sleeves for $550 at Bloomingdales.com. A fab one for the price is by DKNY – a grey plaid trench with all the trench sharp tailored details, at Bloomingdales for $279.99. Paired with a beret, it can't be beat. And there's a very charming plaid jacket at The Gap for $59.90.

There's a wide array of black velvet dresses available for all kinds of figures and ages.  The Gap has an empire sleeveless style for petites at $69.50. Chinatowner.com has a black Gothic babydoll for $49.95. Eddie Bauer has a more grown up one, with long sleeves and a long stretch wrap body, for $98.00. And one of the best bargains on there is at laceandfrills.com, a vintage website – there's a black velvet fade out gown for $19.99 – but there's only one of them! One of my favorite fashion shopping sites, Net a Porter.com out of London, has a Paris velvet mini dress with 3/4 length sleeves for $460 – and their packaging alone is worth the price. One of L.A.'s chicest small stores, Satine, has a black velvet empire dress with lycra for $550.00. "I got it  from Satine" goes a long way at the right party.

For New Year's Eve, a gold dress is as bubbly as champers; the shine equals the promise of a bright new year. Nine West has a gold sequined dress for $112.50 at Macy's, and Nordstrom has one on sale from Lisli – the "Bailey" tux dress is a very pale gold with a ruched body and a mohair skirt, that was $320 and is now down to $189. There's a stunning draped sleeveless gold dress at Bergdorf Goodman for $395. The most reasonably priced gold dress is by Twelfth Street: it's embroidered and has sleeves (there are SO many sleeveless dresses this year, this is rare) and is in an interesting rust shade. It's only $75 at Revolve Clothes.

And because your new winter holiday is so festive, you might not get another chance to wear these pieces for a while – which is fine – because you can wear them on Christmas and New Year's next year, and no one will remember!!!!

Let your manicured fingers do the walking! AND Christmas shopping!!!

We may all love a bargain – especially when it comes to buying a quantity of gifts this time of year. But, here's the irony: when it comes to gifts, we are ALL – and I mean ALL – label snobs. I don't just mean in that "it's a Gucci card holder" or "that's a YSL evening bag" way.

I mean in that, "I got it for you at Barneys!" way. Or, "it comes all the way from Bergdorf Goodman, the chicest store in the world!"  You could get somebody the smallest thing – but if it's from Tiffany's – remember Holly Golightly's engraved keychain? – or Saks Fifth Avenue – or Armani – well, it's much more exciting. To be able to tell your relatives you traversed the virtual golden pavement of Rodeo Drive or Fifth Avenue and Madison – the greatest shopping streets in America – in search of their gifts, well – even if you live close to LA or NY, they're going to be impressed. The further away you live, the more impressed they're going to get. Hey – you braved the shopping crowds to go to the best stores in the US! For them!!!!

Well, much to my excitement, I just discovered that TheFind.com added "mini malls" to your search options.  So instead of just searching for the best trench coats for three hundred bucks or under, now you can refine your search. You just punch in the item ("trench coats") and then a bunch of tabs come up above all the items. If you hit Rodeo Drive or 5th and Madison, selected items from Michael Kors, Barneys, Bebe, Bergdorf's, Giorgio Armani, Saks Fifth Avenue, Brooks Brothers, DKNY and much more come up.

So, let's try it, shall we? This is MY first time trying this, too – letting my fingers – my nails still wet from one coat of OPI's "Russian Navy" drying at present - do the walking down the great shopping boulevards at 9pm when everything's closed on both coasts – and I get to turn on "Nip/Tuck" in a little while –WHILE I'm shopping Rodeo and Madison!!!!!!! This is multi-tasking at its finest. And I've got the new Bob Dylan sound track from the movie "I'm Not There" playing on iTunes while I'm shopping. So join me on my little bi-coastal virtual jaunt.

I think I could get used to this.

Okay, I type in "nightgown," something I love to buy my friends because I know I love getting them – you can never have enough. I select the 5th & Madison tab.  Bergdorf's has a pale blue beauty, all in soft pleats, for $125.00. And the Disney Store has all variety of princess nightgowns for princesses large and small, for $24.50. After you and your kids see "Enchanted," there's going to be a run on these or anything related to a princess.

I know a beret is a gift I'd love to receive – and it's the chic new look of the season. I select the Mall stores tab.  Banana Republic sells a cream wool beret for $32.00. Saks has a Helen Kaminski black wool one for $98. And if you want a sequined one – flashy for New Years! – Bebe has them in all colors for $49.00. Brooks Brothers has a cable knit camel one for $98.00. And Coach has a terrific patchwork beret – utterly unique – with no price listed, in white, grey and beige.

Now let's try "slippers" – a great gift for women, men and kids – (and the dogs love 'em, too, but only to chew). Browsing around in 5th & Madison, Saks has a lamb leather pair in the palest cotton candy pink for $30. But if you want those tootsie-tickling comfort fabrics, go for the suede UGG slippers for $60 at Saks. Your friends in cold climates will thank you every chilly morning. Frette, the fabulous luxury bedding store, has a suede pair for $250.  And if there's a man you really really love, Brooks Brothers' crocodile slippers at $998 are a whole lotta love – and luxe.

What girl doesn't need a new makeup bag? I've got Lancome lipstick all over my current one. Again on 5th & Madison, Saks has a Trish McEvoy cutie in pink for $85. And Pierre Deux, the great French fabric store in New York, has a great travel quilted cotton one for $79.99 – these Pierre Deux ones last forever and are roomy. But if you have a lady in your life who likes her makeup bag to double as an evening clutch, Jimmy Choo has one in purple silk satin for $595 that is dead chic.

Now what female friend wouldn't want a gift from the perfume counter at Barneys in LA or NY? Their perfume counter is quite simply Ground Zero of great scents from all over the world – the veritable Grasse, France of America. They have an exclusive on the brand new Serge Lutens perfume, "Chene" (it means "cedar") for $130 – grab it while you can, it's a limited edition. They have Emilio Pucci's Vivara in a great Pucci designed glass bottle for $110. And the Balsam Perfumed Agraria candle for $50 is a steal. Get several. Get a dozen.

Earrings are another perfect gift, and all the better that they hail from Rodeo Drive or Madison Avenue. Saks has Juicy Couture "crown"earrings for $52; Bebe has rhinestone hoops for $34 (even better than the real thing), and the best bargain I've seen ANYWHERE are the Judith Ripka crystal and diamond (YES DIAMOND) drop earrings for $150 at Saks. If you want a friend for LIFE, get them these.

Now time for a second coat of Russian Navy – and some sunglass shopping. Did someone say boutiques? I hear Dior Homme has great ones for guys  . . . . .

Warm and not fuzzy!

Warm and fuzzy are a good combo – as describing a dog, or even a friend. But they are not a good combo on your body unless they are on your feet in the form of Ugg boots or fuzzy furry slippers on a wet and freezing day.

Okay, we all love cold-weather clothes – and there's almost nothing more delicious than a sweater in the wintertime. It's like wearing a fireplace or your favorite blanket out of the house. It's toasty, it's soft, and the smell of wool probably takes you in that Proustian way back to hot chocolate and sugar cookies in the third grade. But sweaters can be sexy, too. Texture is sexy – touching cashmere and angora is very sexy, ask any man. In the forties and fifties, actresses Jane Russell and Lana Turner were dubbed "The Sweater Girls" for the form-fitting ways their woolens fit them and complimented their curvaceous figures. (In the days before pilates.)

But that's because they weren't wearing sweaters that were warm and fuzzy – just warm. It's tricky attempting to stay warm – and willowy – at the same time. I once owned what was referred to lovingly as "a monkey sweater" – angora with knots that was vaguely gorilla looking. It must have had a plush a few inches thick. Yes, it was fluffy and puffy – but when I saw myself wearing it in a photo I nearly took to a career in airbrushing. My torso looked like a bush – not a tree.

So the question is – how to wear wool, stay warm, and still look like a woman, and not an Eskimo? Or even worse, a Polar bear.

This is what I've learned, of course, from making all the classic mistakes: (and everything listed is available on TheFind.com.)

Buy thinner sweaters – cardigans or pullovers – and layer them with camisoles (Target has great ones, looking oh so lacy peaking out of your cardi) or thin jersey t-shirts, especially by James Perse (Shopbop, Yoox, Bare Necessities, Target). Thin t shirts come in long sleeved and sleeveless versions, and add barely a millimeter of width to your sweater and your waistline – buts tons of tons of warmth. If you live in one of those REALLY cold climates or are going skiing, I suggest long sleeved silk t shirts (and leggings) available at Patagonia, Paragon, or any ski or sport goods store. This has been the best-kept secret of skiers for years – and have you ever seen any fat skiers? No, they all look ultra lean. Also, the newer sweaters are cut thin for the precise purpose of layering. And those older short sweaters – those Irish fisherman styles, crew necks from J. Crew, and Ralph Lauren cable sweaters (these look great in white or pastels) can look very new – even hip – worn over long stretchy thin t shirts by James Perse. Layer the look – even with two mis-matched colored t shirts – and throw on leggings or skinny jeans – and you've got a hip sleek look that only needs a parka or coat to top it off for a windy day on the slippery slope of life. (check out the thin sweaters on Banana Republic, Nordstrom, Brooks Brothers, Saks, and Shopbop, using TheFind.com)

If you buy waist length sweaters and you put on two pounds – well, don't, is all I have to say. So if you want to eat, buy longer sweaters and knits – and there are so so many this year. There are turtlenecks nearly to your knees and sweater tunics and oversized boyfriend cardigans (Nanette Lepore) that even have sequins. The oversized sometimes-called "grandfather cardis" can double as inner-wear under your coat, or outer wear over a dress or jeans when the temperature goes above fifty. (One great long turtleneck is by Bray Steve Alan at Yoox for $70.00)

If it's cold enough to wear a coat over your sweaters and tees, go for one that is shorter: from thigh grazing (Burberry's princess peplum skirt peacoat, $1295.00, and starting to go on sale), to just under your hips. A parka or shorter coat or long jacket will leave room for your skinny jeans, sleek black trousers or black tights under a dress to prove how shapely your legs are. So even if your upper body is padded down a bit, your lower body's shape is still on view and now widened to the size of a Mack truck. High heeled or mid heeled boots can even slim you more.

If you choose just to do a sweater coat (the Joie cherish long sweater coat for $355.00 at Saks.com is a pretty one) with no topper, layer it well, and bring out those old pashminas to add on extra warmth. They are so so out now – that they are actually back in. Even in mint green. I like the periwinkle on for $69.00 that's a silk blend at Pashmina Boutique, and the mustard colored 3 ply for $219.99.

The Seasoned Shopper

As a seriously seasoned shopper, I’ve always found November an optimum month to shop. We all know there are rounds of parties and dinners coming for the next seven weeks. 

BUT: there are two things to take into consideration when shopping this time of year, and grabbing up every cute party dress you see in the store or online – and that is, THE SEASONS.

1.The Spring Collections have just been shown in New York and Europe.
So if you have your eye on adding to your wardrobe pieces that might have a longer closet life – take a look at the colors and styles of spring 08 and purchase accordingly. In brief, here’s what will look right this spring: THE DRESS; BRIGHT COLORS LIKE YELLOW, PINK AND PURPLE, UNUSUAL PRINTS, AND FLUID CLOTHES IN SILKY, LOOSE PLEATED FABRICS.

2. Even more importantly: The SALES are coming!!!!! 
November 23, the Friday after Thanksgiving, is the biggest shopping day of the year. Many major stores like Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys, Macy’s and Bloomingdale’s will be marking merchandise down forty percent that day. From November 23 to mid January is when most fall season clothes are marked from forty to even seventy percent off. Last year, Marc Jacobs’ stores even had ninety percent off sales at the tail end of the season. So if you can hold out a few weeks, you can do amazingly well snagging that great winter coat, designer dress and party-worthy shoes at almost half off.

But: Many sales have already started - they are happening online!
Saks Fifth Avenue has marked merchandise down early for its online customers – the percentage of which is increasing all the time. 
For instance, Saks online has a TSE cashmere  grey sweater dress marked from $795.00 to $477.00.  Another chic holiday dress is a dark green, silk georgette dress by Ports 1961 (described as “olivine”) that would flatter any figure, and is now $315.00, from $525.00. There is a blue and black long sleeved Temperley London Arisa silk minidress that, instead of being $820.00, is now $492.00. And one of my favorite designer dresses of the season – Chloe’s wool and mohair toile dress, is now $1248.00 from $2080.00.  Any of these dresses can take you straight from Thanksgiving dinner right into April 2008 – if not into summer 2008  (depending on global warming, of course).

Neiman Marcus has begun their FIRST CALL SALE online, marking designer and contemporary lines down forty percent. I like the Diane von Furstenberg colorful wrap dress (now $242 from $345), which can we layered with a sweater now, and worn without this spring. The Anna Sui chocolate knit dress
is a steal at $121 (was $242). Add the Michael Kors D’Orsay gunmetal pumps to any of these looks ($142, from $190) and they get dressier.

And what could be chicer than a pretty holiday dress layered with a trench coat? We have seen the future of fashion AND IT IS THE TRENCH COAT. It is also the past: remember Ingrid Bergman and her chic trench looks in “Casablanca”? Trench coats – whether they’re leopard, silk, patent leather (Tory Burch, Catherine Malandrino), leather (Burberry), or have charming bubble skirts (Target.com – many are fifty dollars or less!) – nip your waist, slim your hips, and are very “boy” from the waist up (epaulettes, military) and “girl” from the waist down (fuller skirts this season). Go on TheFind and type in any price point – and the trench coat of your dreams will show up!  You can layer sweaters under it, add a fur vest over it, or throw a velvet wrap on top of it for some holiday spirit.

Now – let’s start thinking of all the gifts you can buy with all the money you save!!! There are all kinds of shoppers in the world – but smart shoppers are the ones who look chic every day of the year, and still get to go on vacation – in any season they want!   - MG