I love holiday parties

MMarquit — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:26:52 -0600

My husband always laughs and tells me that dressing up for parties is the one "girlie" thing I do. But I love it. I only go out to black tie/party type functions two or three times a year, and that makes it special and fun. This Christmas it's a snazzy jazz concert. Very excited about this.

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Yielding Wealth

Get ready for the holidays - Five things to do RIGHT NOW

Susan Wagner — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 13:01:17 -0600

It's December second, which means that the holidays are NOT HERE YET thankyouverymuch. You have PLENTY of time to finish your shopping (or start! if you're like me). You also have plenty of time to get ready for that New Year's party you go to every year, the one where everyone comes all dressed up and looking great. The one that you always rush into feeling frazzled and disappointed by your outfit and your hair and your lipstick. THAT party.

Here's a thought: if you start planning NOW, New Year's Eve -- or Christmas Eve or Boxing Day or the last night of Hanukkah or whatever it is you celebrate -- won't catch you off guard. Here are five simple things to do now, before the rush starts, so that you can sit back and enjoy the holidays in style. And -- bonus! -- none of these things costs much, and all have benefits that will last beyond the party.

Get a haircut, and maybe some color too. Book your hair appointment now, because if you do not, I guarantee that you will wake up on the morning of your office party/girls' night out/flight home and think My hair looks horrible! Or, even worse, you'll see the photos after the event and wonder why no one told you that your roots were a COMPLETELY different color from the rest of your hair. Need hair help? Peruse the archives at Hair Thursday for advice and tricks. Sarah knows hair.

Try one new makeup trick or strategy. Smoky eye, false lashes, berry red lips -- go all out this season! A new dress might not be in the budget, but I'll bet you can do something special with your makeup, possibly without buying anything new at all. But practice now, when you're not rushing to get out the door. Keep in mind, though, that you only want to do ONE dramatic makeup thing at a time -- if you work the smoky eye, keep cheeks and lips neutral. I really want to do the false eyelash thing this year, and I'll be using Amalah's classic Smackdown post as a guideline. Wish me luck.

Have a manicure. If you're really in the mood to pamper yourself this holiday season, get a manicure; in most places, a mani is less than $20, including a generous tip (and it's the holidays, so be generous!). To make your manicure last longer, choose a sheer shade that won't show chips or dings. And make an effort to maintain your pretty hands -- wear gloves, both when you're cleaning up in the kitchen and when you're out in the cold air, and slather on the moisturizer. Kyl at The Beauty Couch has some simple tips to keep your hands looking great.

Test your outfits. What will you wear to all those functions? Think, in particular, about days where you will be going from one thing (work, say) to another (cocktails with friends). Do you have a versatile black skirt and a pretty sweater? How about a great pin or earrings you can add when the workday is done? And a clutch you can carry instead of your big tote? Then you're all set! In need of accessories? Look at places like Target for good bargains; the idea is to be prepared, not to spend a lot of money.

Reuse, renew, recycle! In the mood for a new dress, but not sure you should be shopping for yourself this close to the holidays? Go green and shop your closet! Look for pieces that you can make over, either by altering them or by mixing them up with something unexpected. I recently fell in love with a very pretty taffeta party skirt at J. Crew, but couldn't justify the expense for something I would only wear once or twice this season. But then I was poking around in my closet and rediscovered a full-length taffeta skirt I bought almost ten years ago for a black tie function and wore ONCE. I'm having it cut off to wear this season -- the total cost will be less than a third the SALE price of the J. Crew skirt, and I'm sure I'll wear this recycled skirt more than once.

Are you going anywhere big this holiday season? What are you wearing? And what are you doing to get ready?

Susan Wagner writes about style at ParentDish and about everything else at Friday Playdate. She's planning to wear her "new" taffeta skirt for Christmas Eve dinner with the extended family.

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I love holiday parties

Get ready for the holidays - Five things to do RIGHT NOW