Get your glitter on

The Times has a story today on holiday dressing: short, fun, glittery. I think when times are tough, we tend to dress optimistically — shorter hemlines, brighter colors, and the like.

But the article ends with the thought that some women are seeking a little more versatility — like a fun, evening-ish jacket that can top a cocktail dress but then dress down for the office with a pair of trousers.

Here are a few more ideas. First are sequins and dress-up for day and for more casual evenings, and this Free People outfit to the left is just perfect — it's got a certain pulled-together insouciance. Plus, I have travel and capsule wardrobes on the brain, and I love how you could fold this dress up into a small bundle and tuck it into a weekend bag, wear the T-shirt and tights on the plane or in the car with a cozy shrug or shawl and denim skirt, and then with little fuss transform yourself for a night out (or in!). Efficient yet fantastic.

Even though it's really pretty, less interesting to me is the kind of straight-up sequins I've seen online, like this Haute Hippie sequined tank dress.
(I don't like the price nearly as well, either!)

The other tactic is to find an inexpensive source of glittery fripperies — after all, if you're like me, you're hoping to minimize the financial damage involved in dressing for the holidays.

Recently I was shopping for myself, and, as a bribe for my six-year-old daughter, took her into Claire's, the mall store for tweens. It was festooned with little nothings for next to nothing. I saw cute bags and scarves that could be worn by a young-at-heart adult.

Then for her birthday I bought a skinny sequined scarf/belt from Justice.  Of course, she loves the teal sequins, but since it also comes in black, what better thing to add a little sparkle over the next six weeks, especially when it's just $10! (Sadly, no picture, because that puppy was just gigantic and looked ugly here.)

You could add a festive touch with a headband from Urban Outfitters.  

And for bling I like, well, less bling. How about this Alkemie hamsa necklace from Intermix?

Or this, from my beloved Twist — an arrowhead necklace from
Kathy Azarmi-Rose? Both lack the expected holiday glittery, but that feels so over for me — instead, I'm looking for something very personal, something I can wear in a variety of situations and for years to come. Can't get more recession-proof than that!

Chanukah and Christmas are still a way off, though — what's on your wish list this year?

Finally, a side note: I adored writing about fashion and politics in the last month, and you will definitely see more of that here. I'll also be writing about practical ideas for women who want to look great but don't want to break the bank doing it.