Evolution of an Outfit

If I could’ve asked for any pre-Christmas present from Santa Claus, this year, I would’ve asked for a stylist to help me coordinate my holiday gear. Two years ago I bought a pair of red and white fleece lined Christmas leggings from Ross so I knew that part of my outfit was taken care of.

Now all I needed was a top or sweater, and accessories, to complete it. Believe me there’s no shortage of kitschy tops to choose from, including tees at Albertson’s and fluffy pullovers at Fallas. My challenge, however, was to choose something fun and classy enough to warrant its cost and timeless enough to earn its place in my closet.

After going back to Ross again, hoping luck would strike twice, when it didn’t I headed to Fallas. Unimpressed with their joyous offerings, I finally went to Target. and found the perfect sweater to match my leggings and join my small collection of holiday clothing. Emblazoned with an adorable pug in a red Christmas hat, my Bah Humpug sweater helped me pull off a vibrant ensemble that lightened my mood and earned a lot of compliments.

While a stylist would’ve made this process easier, learning how to create an evolving thematic look with a strong subject matter, was the best Christmas gift I could’ve ever received.

Below is my Christmas gift to you, a descriptive list of the various ways I coordinated my holiday outfits over the past three years and some tips on how you can create your own outfit. If you want to see what my ensembles look like check out the collage above.

Keepin’ It Classy for Christmas:

Where Did You Get Those Cool Christmas Pants?

• Date: December 2015
• Place: Beethoven Elementary School
• Outfit Breakdown: Black leather motorcycle jacket + hand-knit white floral cardigan over a white blouse + red and white print Christmas leggings.

Miss Moore, Miss Moore Is That Your Coat?

• Date: December 2016
• Place: Baldwin Hills Elementary School
• Outfit Breakdown: Red vinyl coat + light blue pullover sweater over a blue and white striped button-down shirt and red and white print Christmas leggings.

You Look Very Festive Today!

• Date: December 2017
• Place: Leo Politi Elementary School
• Outfit Breakdown: Green corduroy pea coat + black pug Christmas sweater+ red and white checked button-down shirt, patriotic cat scarf and red and white print Christmas leggings.

The Christmas Sweater Goes Back Into the Closet Until Next Year After This 

• Date: December 2017
• Outfit Breakdown: Beige corduroy blazer over white button-down shirt + cream long dress and pug Christmas sweater.

How to Create a Fashionable Christmas Outfit:

1. Look for Christmas clothes in styles and prints you’d wear the rest of the year instead of disposable, inexpensive garments you’ll be tempted to dispose of easily.
2. Pair your items with classics, like button-down shirts, nice pants or a simple skirt, then further accessorize with colorful scarves, jewelry or other accents that have holiday prints.
3. Decide on a color scheme, ahead of time (i.e., red, white, green and black) and work around that as you would any other outfit you would wear for work or a special occasion.