When it comes to holiday fashion, there are certain…expectations. Sparkles! Shine! Crystals galore! The number of cocktail parties and seasonal get-togethers might be plentiful, but it’s unlikely that head-to-toe sequins might be the sartorial move for most of those events. (I, for one, have dialed it all the way up to go to my mother’s place, only because I had purchased a handful of festive pieces that would have otherwise gone unworn. The rest of the family wore flannel.)

I naturally tend more feminine with my style—and fancy myself a black-tie dress code—but this winter I started thinking about how impractical most holiday attire is. While incredibly fun, a sequined shift dress is pretty much a single-use item (and it’s definitely not a from-desk-to-bar garment); if you’ve ever tried to sit in jewel-bedecked trousers, you’re aware of how uncomfortable those embellishments can be; statement tops, with their larger-than-life shoulders and sleeves, can feel inconvenient. It all just feels like a lot, at least to someone like me who rarely does the most. Meanwhile, your jeans, the perfect offset to anything overly glitzy, are right there, waiting to temper the beaded blazer, crystal earring, or metallic heel you’ve been itching to wear.

Truly, if you’re attending a holiday party that errs on the side of casual, or you simply can’t be bothered with stepping too far outside your denim comfort zone, build a look around your go-to jeans. I gave my favorite pair the ol’ razzle-dazzle treatment without teetering too far into megawatt territory, to show just how versatile they can be. Don’t worry, these spirited outfit ideas are still filled with merry—just without the stress of being the most dressed-up person at the gathering.

Source link