Christmas trees are starting to pop up around DC. I know some people hate the way we as a culture approach this holiday (Early! Lots of decorations/eating/shopping!) but I love it, despite not even celebrating Christmas.

And for some reason, the trees, lights, and all the other holiday trappings make me want to step up my game, sartorially speaking — and of course encourage clients to do the same. Here are five super-easy ideas ways to do just that.

1. Go to your favorite makeup counter or even your neighborhood drugstore. Buy new mascara, one or a few lipsticks, one or a few nail polishes. Better yet, buy two of each — one safe but bold, one a little risky — bolder or just a little more of an adventurous color. Then experiment and resolve to break out the new stuff this week.

2. Put sparkle in your ears. What, you don’t have big honking diamond studs? No problem! Find a high-quality imitation (but not too big; that just backfires and ends up looking cheap and tacky). You get an automatic little shot of glimmer and glamor right where it counts — up close to your face. (One of these would be a great alternative.)

3. Fix your shoes or get new ones. Resolve to leave the broken-down and scuffed shoes at home. Better yet, get rid of them entirely. New or new-looking shoes put you an automatic step ahead. 🙂

4. Wear sparkle for day. This is my favorite notion of all time — wearing embellishment and rich textures for day. I sometimes really have to encourage my clients quite a bit before they’ll go along with my plan, but they’re usually thrilled with the result. (For instance, just today I styled a client in a 10-year-old long black silk chiffon and organza skirt that was originally for formal occasions. I put it with a sheer gray mesh T-shirt over a black cami and added gray booties and lots of mixed-metal jewelry — very chic for day and good for the evening as well.)

5. Ditch the big bag. A super-easy way to make your look more festive is to downsize your bag. Either use a smaller shoulder bag or opt for a clutch, for day or night. Here’s one I love that is surprisingly versatile.