Thanksgiving Attire and UDPP

So, Thanksgiving. Personally, I think this is a hard holiday to dress for. You have to be cute and put-together, but not too fashion-forward for the fam, young, but not too exposed. I struggle with every year, which culminates in a 10 minute argument with my mom about how short my skirt is and how much I need to wear tights (love you mom). I think you can go two different routes with this kind of holiday dressing: either take a more classic silhouette and modernize it with textures and accessories, or take a trendier silhouette and play down its edginess with girlier accessories.

Example #1: Cute, but chic.

J. Crew Sequin Peekabo Cardigan, $128 at jcrew.com, J. Crew Sequin Slouchy Tank, $85 at jcrew.com, Thread Social Overlay Skirt, $293 at shopbop.com: This silhouette is very simple and extremely feminine. The high-waisted skirt is a classic, and the volume from the peplum-esque overlay takes it from sexy to sweet and fun (and is super flattering). The slight loose cut of the tank is balanced nicely by the sequin detailing, and the light pink hue is much softer than the expected white. An outfit like this, that's fitted at the torso and then goes into a gentle a-line with an exaggerated waist, is really flattering on a lot of body types. It can create curves or play up the ones you already have. Adding a cardigan on top adds a bit more coverage, and the heather gray against the soft pink has such a whismical, ballet-inspired feel (I may have just watched Center Stage) that is perfect against the hard black of the skirt. The sequins on the placket of the cardigan tie back to the sequins on the tank for a polished look.


Example #2: Fashion-forward, but not overwhelming.

Splendid Modal Jersey Long Sleeve Dress, $139 at shopbop.com, Elegantly Waisted Haley Belt, $121 at shopbop.com, American Apparel Opaque Pantyhose, $14 at americanapparel.com: If I had to pick one new silhouette off the runway that was family function appropriate, I'd go for the long-sleeve, body-con mini. Why? Because the mini-length shows off your legs, and all that exposed skin is balanced by the long sleeves and relatively high neck-line. I love this Splendid version because it's affordable, the all-black makes it incredibly versatile for multiple holiday functions, and the zippers (which I'd keep all zipped up for the fam) add a bit of edge that makes it a great party dress. The slight boat-neck is very flattering and highlights the collarbone without revealing too much, and the slight ruching at the sides can hide a multitude of sins. I'd pair it with this belt, which has a bit of a Lanvin vibe. The ribbon and crystals of the belt add a lot of elegant glamor to this edgier dress, the sparkle gives a needed bit of embellishment, and the woven detail on the front is unexpectedly chic. I'd pair it all with these tights because the dress is a little on the short side, and these tights are pretty opaque, but just sheer enough that they wouldn't blend in with the black of the dress.


The Accessories: I'd pair both of these ensembles with the same accessories. They work because these add a bit of edge to the first outfit while adding a bit of girliness to the second outfit (it's all relative).

Victorian Hippie Multi Strand Necklace with Leather Back, $150 at shopbop.com, Felix Rey Nicole Clutch with Snake Trim, $295 at shopbop.com, Dolce Vita Trinity Studded Suede Pumps on Hidden Platform, $215 at shopbop.com: The chains on this necklace give it a bit of an urban edge, so it would balance out the sweetness of the first outfit perfectly, but the delicacy of the layers would add a distinct femininity to the second ensemble. The same goes for this clutch; the bow is sweet and girly to soften up the black mini-dress, whereas the metallic textures add a ton of visual interest and a little bit of cheek to the first look (plus, this clutch has the most adorable leopard lining). I love these shoes. Obviously, the studs add a needed hardness to the first outfit, and the gray ties in with the cardigan nicely, whereas the girly shape, with the rounded toe and thin heel, adds a classic finishing touch to the second outfit.


As for makeup, I'd rock both of these looks with a black cat-eye. It works because it's cheeky, but it's not overtly sexy. So it would add a bit of an attitude to the first outfit, and be much fresher than the expected smokey eye with the second outfit.

Last but not least, I finally got around to dismantling one of my "empty" Urban Decay Primer Potions. I mean, anyone can look at the packaging (left) and see that the straight applicator isn't going to get all of the product out of the curved areas of the container. I knew that some of it was getting wasted, but I thought it was just a little bit. Well. I was wrong. I hacked it open with an Exacto knife (not recommended for the accident-prone), and look at how much I got out! That fills up an entire Benefit Cream Shadow pot. That's more product than I thought was in the entire container to begin with. So yeah, I'm a little annoyed. The packaging sucks. I'm still going to keep buying it, but I'm definitely going to rip it apart again. The Benefit pot is the perfect size, and it's keeping the primer moist and perfect.


Image Sources:
J. Crew cardigan: jcrew.com, J. Crew tank: jcrew.com, Thread Social skirt: shopbop.com, Splendid dress: shopbop.com, Elegantly Waisted belt: shopbop.com, American Apparel tights: americanapparelstore.com, Victorian Hippie necklace: shopbop.com, Felix Rey clutch: shopbop.com, Dolce Vita pumps: shopbop.com, Urban Decay primer potion: stalemakeup.blogspot.com.