Stephanie Goh
Want to look fabulous this Christmas? Don’t know what to buy except the same old? Are you bored of looking in the mirror and applying the same beauty look over and over again? Fret not! Here are some looks that will make spice up your wardrobe and look you through the 12 days of Christmas.
Got to hit the office? Try this.
It’s the holiday season and work seems like a faraway part of life even as you’re trudging through the puddles to get to your office or work place. Well, if you happen to work in a place that doesn’t require a uniform, then here’s your chance to make all the girls in the office turn green with envy as you stride in with your Michael-Kors-inspired style.
The Michael Kors’ Fall/Winter collection for 07’ features a colour palette of neutrals such as grey, cream, chestnut and with an occasional splash of yellow. As with most high-end designer labels that design for seasons, this collection is no exception and is filled with coats and furs, which are completely impractical for Singapore’s tropical weather. Thankfully, Kors threw in cotton, flannel and tweed and this means we can be part of the fun.
To spice up your work wardrobe with Kors’ magic, UrbanWire recommends a grey cotton long sleeve turtleneck, a matching coloured scarf and a pair of loose flannel brown pants. Complete the outfit by adding a thin narrow dark brown belt to the pants and if you need to make it even more formal, remove the scarf and throw on a blazer.
If you want to adopt this look but you’re not headed to work, skip the flannel pants, and replace these with dark wash skinny jeans. Throw on some calf or ankle boots in place of pumps and you’ll exude casual chic in every sense of the word.
Lunch & Shopping with the Girls
You’re about to go out with your girlfriends and you’re looking for a simple outfit to wear that’s casual and eye-catching. This Louis Vuitton outfit will help you do just that.
One of the simpler outfits in an array of looks with a Vermeer inspiration after the team’s visit to Amsterdam, this is the perfect ensemble for rainy day of shopping. A white smock dress, slightly reminiscent of those worn by artists, paired with black leggings and shoe-boots (a cross between a shoe and a boot), this outfit is also a stylish outfit to throw on if you’re in a rush. The leggings are also perfect for keeping warm and preventing water droplets splashing on your legs when walking from one mall to another.
Accessorize with a small to medium-sized handbag of your choice and take note that although the original outfit on the runway features a beret, only try this accessory if you dare and if you don’t mind an extremely warm head.
Colour Trends
Grey is an important colour for this Fall/Winter season. All shades of grey were appearing on the runways of Paris, Milan, London and New York as the collections came down the catwalk. Proenza Schouler, Zac Posen, Nina Ricci, Michael Kors are among the many that emphasised grey in their collections.
Prominent local fashion bloggers, Dottie and Stephie from Fashion Nation, feel very strongly that the little black dress is passé for this Christmas so take a risk and try a change of colour. If loud colours aren’t your thing, then light grey would be a safer choice.
One trend that nymag.com picked up was that designers were pairing clashing colours like royal blue and navy blue with black and this was, of course, done in a very stylish way. The designers definitely proved that these colours could work, but only when done properly. This style isn’t easy to copy unless you have a very good eye for colour, so please try these colour combinations at your own risk.
Glamour sashays down the runway
It seemed like the style of the 1940s iss a favourite with the designers this Fall. An old Hollywood glamour air in the look of the models and a very luxurious feel in the clothes were seen at quite a few major labels’ collections. Valentino, Gucci, Christian Dior and Roberto Cavalli showed collections that evidently turned to era for inspiration.
Models transformed into Hollywood sirens sashayed down the runway with luxurious looking hair achieved through large curls at the end of the hair and luscious red lips. A beauty look similar to that of Kim Basinger in L.A. Confidential, this season is also all about eyeliner with occasional winged tips to the eyes as seen in Christian Dior and Louis Vuitton.
If you absolutely have to get a gown for Christmas, go for one with a more glamourous feel and pick full-length dresses but be sure to avoid picking one with a train. The dress shouldn’t be overly embellished but instead simple and luxurious. John Galliano , the designer for Dior, decided to pull out all the stops and produce something truly deluxe and beautiful. If you’d like to add a little edge to the look, wear a pair of sexy high-heeled boots instead of the usual stilettos. Also, experiment with clutches to go for the modern glamour look.
Party!
Last but not least, UrbanWire recommends silver mini-dresses for parties late into the night. Dottie and Stephie also strongly suggest sequins as a choice of embellishment for this Christmas if silver is not your colour or if it’s too plain for your taste. Silver, being a colour that not many people would try to wear, is however a colour that designers like to use to convey a futuristic yet glamourous feel. A good example of this would be Versace’s fabulous mini-dresses worn by current top models Agyness Deyn and Jessica Stam.