Hi Neighbor!
It is the most sparkly time of the year! The season when we are encouraged to glow, allowed to be bedazzled, and admired for “bringing it” to any and all holiday celebrations. Yes, I am referring to your holiday attire. It is time to shine!
Sure, our homes are decorated top to bottom in all things attention-grabbing with lights galore and lawns strewn with giant blow-up Santas, reindeer, and sleighs. There are even movies made to celebrate the madness for who can out sparkle whom in the ‘hood. But the big question is, who can out glam the next Main Line mom? Any one of us, that’s who.
I feel like I am finally – yes, finally – coming out of post-pandemic blues and endorsing the holidays for the first time since 2019. I received a few invites for events and parties that require putting on more than my athleisurewear, so I delved deeply into my closet before hitting the stores. Turns out, one pair of suede boots can turn a few select dresses into instant party-worthy wear.
Initially I wasn’t convinced that recycling my outfits was going to work, but I am not a shopper by nature, so rather than bust a move to the mall or make several purchases online that were bound to be returns, I remained practical – and relieved – to recreate my existing wardrobe into this season’s go-to collection.
It was fun creating outfits from within my own boundaries, plus it was stress free. The outfits were pretty basic, but it felt good to use my own “stuff” rather than rush out to buy new, and honestly, I wasn’t done with these dresses yet. I had already purged during the pandemic, so I obviously like what I kept.
Truth be told, I had a little help from a savvy fashionista, the Wardrobe Wizard. I have been working with this Wizard for as long as I can remember, and rather than push me to purchase items I don’t need, she peruses my closet with me to see if in fact I already have something to repurpose for a new function. The work with this Wizard can be done virtually; I snap pictures or have a Facetime call to determine the perfect outfit, right down to the accessories.
The best part? When I went to the first holiday event on my social calendar a few weeks ago, I fretted, felt frumpy, and thus became sullen about my choice. I had a back-up outfit but stuck with my first selection, a dress I hadn’t worn in awhile simply because there were not many opportunities to wear it. However, I was quickly spotted by another woman in attendance as having one of the best outfits that night! But I have to give a nod to my Wardrobe Wizard for giving me the confidence to step out after being dormant for so long!
That felt good. I do NOT have my finger on the pulse of fashion, I am NOT fashion forward thinking or even brave about what I wear, I am NEVER bold, but this woman liked my dress. She really, really liked it!
Receiving a compliment from another woman is a seal of approval. After all, aren’t we dressing to be noticed by one another? 😊
Dig deep like I did with my personal shopper the Wardrobe Wizard or have some fun at the mall searching for something to feel fabulous in this holiday season. Shine and sparkle, my friends. ‘Tis the season!
Always practical,
Jackie