Lady In Charge: Holiday Style

I love Christmas and I am lucky it is generally a stress-less time of year for me. We don't do a gift exchange in my family, so there are no mall shopping meltdowns or parking spot battles to endure. We also don't make it a habit to prepare an elaborate dinner that involves anything more than a great turkey, yummy side dishes and lots of people popping in when they can. Because of this, I do get to enjoy what I love most about the season - decorating the house, baking cookies, and spending time with family & friends..with lots of wine of course!

I know I am probably the exception...for a lot of people, the holidays are a source of stress and deciding what to wear to an office party, cocktail night at a friend's house or even (especially) Christmas dinner with the family can add to that stress. So, in light of that, I thought I'd share some of my holiday style "rules" with everyone!

Miss M's Holiday Style Secrets:

1. Sparkle and shine at the holidays are always a good thing...but in moderation. Pick ONE sparkly item of clothing or jewelry instead of multiple items that will make you look like a Christmas tree. For example, a sparkly miniskirt with a white blouse.

Heidi Klum wearing just the right amount of holiday "sparkle"

Fun sequin detail dress from Mango

2. Lace and velvet are classics for winter and perfect for the holiday season. A lace blouse is both romantic yet modern and a velvet blazer is easy to throw over your normal work outfit for a mid-week gift exchange.

Red velvet blazer and slim cut black pants from Elie Tahari

Green lace blouse and sparkly tweed skirt from Red Valentino

3. Wear "holiday" colours like red in a classic shape dress to avoid looking gaudy. Think fitted with a great belt in either sleeveless or 3 quarter length sleeves. If you don't like red, then think winter wonderland with something white.