Simplifying The Holidays: Easy Accessorizing
I met Allison Czarnecki of Petit Elefant this past summer at the T.J. Maxx/Marshalls event; she’s one of these people who exudes a lot of wonderfully happy mojo, whether it’s in person, through her blog posts, or via Twitter and Facebook. As a blogger, I particularly love Allison’s keen eye for style and her desire to offer ideas for a range of budgets. I’m subsequently thrilled that today, for the sixth installment of my Simplifying the Holidays guest blog series, Allison shares simple guidelines and great ideas for easy accessorizing.
From Allison:
Accessorizing for the holidays can be loads of fun; there's stuff in the stores you just don't see year-round and there are bright and bold colors you might not wear any other time of year. Plus, there’s all of those scarves, mittens, and cable knit hats…what's not to love? Being a stylish mama is a piece of cake during the holidays if you follow a few simple guidelines:
1. Stick to your style. Are you more of a J. Crew girl than a thrift store bohemian? Then go with simple accessories, only glammed up a little. Don't try to be something you're not just because you're getting a little extra dressed up for a holiday party. For example, here are some great J. Crew pieces to kick conservative looks up a notch for the holidays:
2. Don't overdo it with accessories. Unless your signature style is piling it on, don't wear the cute hat and the scarf, plus the 5 necklaces, bracelets, big earrings, huge belt, massive bag, and ultra-tall riding boots. Girlfriend, it's too much. If you add one, maybe two statement pieces to an outfit, that is plenty and there will be more of you to look at, which is the whole point of accessorizing anyway. Here's an example of some inexpensive boho options from Forever 21; you don't need more than one or two of these strong pieces to finish your cool look:
3. Stay within your color palette. Accessories come in a range of colors that may tempt you to go a bit crazy, but don't buy something that doesn't look good on you just because it looks great on the mannequin in the store. If you stay true to the colors you already have in your closet, you really can't go wrong. Even basic color palettes can render swoon-worthy accessories, as with this mix of examples from Gap.com.
Now, with these simple guidelines in mind, go forth and conquer all those PTA teas, company holiday parties, and family gatherings! And have fun while you do it…these are the holidays after all.
Allison Czarnecki is the founder and editor of Petit Elefant, where she writes about traveling with kids, fashion & style for women, recipes and crafts, home & garden…all on a realistic budget. Allison also is the mastermind behind the ultra cool SocialLuxe Lounge. You can follow Allison on Twitter at @petit_elefant.