The Clothes In Your Closet #017

Holiday dressing as a way to get over feeling "too much"

When I was younger reading fashion magazines in my high school bedroom, I’d daydream about all the fabulous outfits I’d wear to holiday parties living in New York City. It all seemed so glamorous. “It” being the company of other people who enjoy getting dressed up for the joy of it, not because they have to.

Although I have several friends who like to dress, I realized I haven’t been wearing a lot of the beautiful pieces in my closet because I had this feeling of being “too much” for the people around me. Like if I’m dressed a certain way, it means I want (male) attention. This is (usually) not the case because the putting together of clothes is a creative exercise for me, but style as an art form is a bit more complex than other mediums because it’s so tied to self and the body.

So, with the goal of wearing some of the fancier things that I’d been holding back on, I decided to style capital L Looks for all my December invitations and ventures into Manhattan. Make it an occasion. I also find that “event dressing” helps me figure out how to wear something that’s been giving me grief—something I wrote about in August. Below you’ll find 3 “fancy” looks; 3 dressed, but not fancy looks; and 1 decidedly causal one, starting with my fave. Enjoy xx

A “Cool” Company Holiday Party

I knew I wanted to wear this gold skirt. I bought it five years ago at Halcyon Vintage Clothing in Richmond, VA with my mom and sister. I hardly ever wear it because it’s quite specific, but I’ve held onto it because the color, fabric, and shape feel very holiday. The skirt is actually part of a set, but I don’t wear them together because the blouse + skirt looks too 80s.

I decided to pair it with this Outdoor Voices bodysuit that I recently rediscovered in my wardrobe. I hadn’t worn it in awhile because the material doesn’t breath well, but I’ve started playing around with it again now that it’s cold.

I love the look of a dot tight, so I layered my Sheertex Mini Dot Super Sheer Rip-Resist Tights over the bodysuit. I bought them last year after getting served a bunch of Instagram ads. Now they’re advertising like crazy throughout the city (curious if any non-New York readers have been seeing them too?). I prefer the look of Falke Dot 15 DEN Women Tights because the dots are daintier and the seat of the tights reads sexier, but I’ve been wearing the Sheertex ones because I ruin the Falke ones after a couple of wears.

To tie the top and bottom together, I added this gorgeous MaxMara belt I bought on The RealReal last year—one of my best purchases in recent years because it adds shape to any outfit, and the embossed leather and gold hardware make everything look more expensive.

I was initially stumped on shoes because I wanted to wear a heel, but thought the only thing that’d go are these ridiculously high velvet Gucci slingback pumps that I absolutely adore but need to sell because I take the subway, not cars, and then I realized that I could wear the satin D&G sandals I bought on The RealReal a couple of years ago bc I thought they’d come in handy, but—again—hardly ever wear. I was hung up on how to wear them bc they looked too dainty on their own, but with a sheer tight, they felt more substantial. Yes. Love that feeling of unlocking an item my wardrobe.

Then I topped the outfit with a vintage velvet blazer that I bought years ago with my friend Caitlin when we went shopping during the Superbowl (hehe). It’s another piece that I love, but hardly ever wear. It made the bodysuit look more luxe and balanced out the fabric in the A-line midi skirt.

Lastly, I put on these gold hoops with pearls that I bought at Mujeres Incendiarias in Mexico City and a hand-me-down pearl necklace, and grabbed my grandma’s black beaded bag. I completed the look with a beautiful black wool coat.

The overall outfit felt very “grown-up.” Kinda Christmas in New York circa 1980s. Not something I’d usually wear, but perfect for the occasion.

A “Retro Disco HoHoHo” Birthday Party

The next outfit was inspired by something I styled for Paris last January but didn’t wear bc the blazer was just a smidge too short and the heels not walkable (ugh, I have a problem with buying beautiful shoes that aren’t realistic for the life I live).