The Party Dress

The holidays are a time to celebrate with family and friends, to enjoy each others company with decadent food, inspiring music, and all of the traditions and customs of the season. It's also a time to join in a little revelry as the year is put to bed and the prospects of a new year are dancing in front of us.

And, well, speaking of revelry and dancing, this time of year often ushers in many a party -- whether it be the office shindig, the friend's fabulous holiday soiree, your family's traditional gathering, or that fancy New Year's Eve fete. All of these festivities mean an opportunity to shop for some chic party dresses. While some of these get-togethers might not require such fancy attire, it certainly doesn't hurt to look as wonderful as you feel or, at least, to wear a pretty dress to make you feel wonderful.

So, here are some spectacular party dresses that would most definitely make me feel wonderful and sexy and ready to ring in the new year!

And whether or not you attend any fancy parties this holiday season, may your final weeks of the year bring you happiness in whatever you wear and in whatever way you celebrate.

Cheers!

 Diane von Furstenberg, Achava Embellished Dress, $698 (Wow! I suppose if you a party where you need to dress to impress); ModCloth, Premier and Dear Dress, $157.99; Anthropologie, Effervescence Dress, $188; Zara, Lace Dress, $99.99.

Sweater Weather

Colder temperatures have finally arrived in Phoenix. After a rainy and cold weekend, it looks like the desert summer has finally bid the city adieu and fall into winter has settled comfortably into its cacti and creosote milieu. And with these cooler-than-normal mornings and pleasant afternoons, I now have the chance to change up my wardrobe a bit and add some real-winter wardrobe staples to my fashion repertoire.

The sweater -- the fashion equivalent to a warm cup of tea. They are a source of comfort, warmth, and sometimes even whimsy. They can be bold or nerdy, sexy or silly, and most importantly, they can be stylish and affordable. Here's just a small sample of the array of sweaters that run the gambit of styles and purposes.

 Clockwise: Gold Leaf Pullover, Anthropologie, $98; Leather Sleeve Pullover, Anthropologie, $328 (yikes! a bit pricey.); Tulip Riding Coat, Anthropologie, $168; Cozy Crafter Sweater, Tulle Clothing, ModCloth, $62.99.

One Dress. Three Styles.

One of the best ways to create a bargain chic wardrobe is to utilize a few pieces in mutliple ways. The key is to accessorize. And a lot of the Michael Kors' style rules I've been offering the last few weeks touch on the necessity of accessories -- belts, shoes, jewelry, etc. -- and how they play a vital role in developing one's style. What better way is there to express that than to enhance a simple dress with different accoutrements. You save money, while also looking fabulous chic!

And here's an example. Take a simple affordable dress -- a good length, a good shape, and a fabulous color -- and then change up the accessories. Add a jacket, a necklace, a cute clutch and some great shoes. And viola! Three distinct outfits for all three seasons, and all for a minimal amount of money.

Oh, and by the way, I featured this dress a few weeks back that highlighted another of Michael Kors' rules about dressing for your shape (LINK)

The Dress

 Cue the Compliments dress, ModCloth. $64.99

Three Styles

    

A Guide to Style on a Budget

I recently came across a wonderfully succinct and essential list of style advice from fashion designer Michael Kors. Since a lot of women struggle with figuring out how to dress themselves in a way that enhances their figures and their individuality, I thought it would be a great idea to relay Mr. Kors' nuggets of wisdom -- but with a twist of budget-friendly finds. 

Most of the tips on the list are common sense, body conscience advice that transcend the cost factor, and, thus, can be followed whether you have a Prada budget or an H&M budget. And even those that are more specific can be adapted so frugal-types like myself are able to still look chic and stylish for less.

To start off the series, here is Michael Kors number one style tip:

"Don't put a round peg in a square hole. Buy clothes based on your silhouette: 1950s - hourglass; 1960s - gamine; 1970s - small-chested."

1950s: Cue the Compliments Dress, ModCloth, $64.99 (It's currently out of stock, but you can receive an email reminder when they get more.) 1960s: Twin Palms, Shabby Apple, $62. 1970s: Sikuli Diamond Dress, Anthropologie, $168.

The Great Gatsby Style

There’s been a lot of talk about The Great Gatsby movie recently, and since it has recently become one of my favorite novels – and time periods – I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to post about the fashionable inspiration that has come out of the movie, the novel, and the time period.

Baz Luhrmann's movie is quite a spectacle that bridges the old with the new to make a spectacular time period come alive to current-day audiences. The 20s were a time of excess and merriment, and The Great Gatsby certainly captures that. The elusive “American Dream” seems to be at the heart of the story, and although everyone eventually must wake up from it, it sure is fun while it lasts. And that, old sport, is why The Great Gatsby is such a glorious caricature of a time when champagne flowed, luxury was king, and pleasure and passion were the essence of a good life. 

The fashions were preppy and cosmopolitan, decadent and elegant, and whimsical and refined. It was the beginning of personal expression and style – and if you had enough money to pull it off, it became your calling card. Today is no different, although having enough money to pull off “style” doesn’t have to be a hindrance. There are plenty of stores that are budget-friendly and offer stylish looks for less.  In fact, there are two in particular that seem to cater to retro fashions with a modern flair: Anthropologie and ModCloth. Here are a few finds from both stores that offer their contemporary take on the fashionable Roaring Twenties.

 Clockwise: Posh Petal Earrings, $10.99, Modcloth; Ruffle Stream Maxi Dress, $298, Anthropologie; Presentation and Accounted for Dress, $147.99, ModCloth; Stop Sign and Look Heel, $179.99, ModCloth; Tisa Swing Dress, $128, Anthropologie.

Motown Madness

I'm obsessed with Cee Lo's newest hit song "Forget You" (or if you'd prefer the actually title, "F**k You"). I'm a huge fan of the great Motown groups of the 60s, and this song totally reminds me of that musical style, but with a great new modern twist to it.

So, after watching the video about a million times (okay, so it was more like ten), I finally thought, hey, I need to do a blog post on Motown fashions. You know what I'm talking about -- the matching glamor gowns and tight shift dresses that all the great girl groups of the 60s wore. Well, here's my take on those looks with a modern twist. And I must say, the best online store for a modern twist on these looks is ModCloth. They've got a huge -- I mean HUGE -- selection of dresses that run the gamut of retro styles and all are at really reasonable prices.

Major Scale Dress, $74.99; Ad Agency Dress, $47.99

 Ebullient and Flow Dress, $52.99; Sea Lily Dress, $109.99