Aqua Blues top. Divided by H&M skirt. Apt. 9 scarf. Stupa purse.
Today is the day my parents and younger sister said farewell to their Christmas tree. My parents work all day and my sister is a full-time student, so naturally the tree was decorated on December 24. That’s why, though Christmas came and went, my family wanted to hold on to this tree for as long as they could. Today I post to commemorate its beauty and spirit.
The Christmas colors are red and green, and between the two I prefer red. Red velvet makes me think of bows, gifts, wreaths, and holiday parties; in deep burgundy, a velvet top errs on the more sophisticated party side. This top, which was my mother’s, can be tricky to wear. At first it comes across as formal, but its dramatic wrap shape exposes the midriff. My solution is to wear it with a high-waisted skirt, short or long. This flouncy floral skirt continues where the shirt’s volume left off, creating a bell shape.
Brette Connolly hat. Tarina Tarantino ring.
My favorite part of the outfit is the hat because I made it myself. When I was 15 I saw a chic selection of newsboy hats for the winter at Nordstrom, and instead of buying one I decided to sew one. Herringbone tends to have a serious look to it, especially on a traditionally masculine shape. To counter this effect, I chose a pink fabric. I have always loved Barbie dolls, but these days I play with Barbie jewelry. I think of Barbie as a renaissance woman who got everything done and bought everything she wanted, and always looked put together doing it.
Claire’s earrings
I don’t think one can ever be too old to wear snowman earrings. I bought these last year for Ugly Sweater Day at Nordstrom. Of course the plan was to buy a Christmas sweater, but I couldn’t seem to find any. Instead, I opted for accessories: snowman earrings, a reindeer antlers headband, a bracelet watch with Christmas charms, festive brooches, and crazy Santa Claus glasses. The headband and glasses are long gone, but these earrings are cute enough to wear annually.
INC shoes
Burgundy shoes tie the outfit together. Ankle boots stay on easier, but the bold cutouts bridge the gap between boot and pump.
MORE VELVET TOPS
Topshop, $60 Roberto Cavalli, $60 American Retro, $200
Carmen Marc Valvo, $295 Rick Owens, $725 Thierry Mugler, $1,200
MORE FLORAL SKIRTS
Chicwish, $36 Diesel, $82 Moschino Cheap and Chic, $169
Alice + Olivia, $290 Marni, $740 Lanvin, $1,100
MORE BURGUNDY HEELS
Wet Seal, $23 Charles by Charles David, $99 Seychelles, $130
Marni, $400 Manolo Blahnik, $635 Dolce & Gabbana, $1,020
MORE NEWSBOY HATS
Adora, $8 August Hats, $15 Nine West, $17
Luxury Divas, $19 FFR, $90 Hattie Carnegie, $325
MORE INFINITY SCARVES
Charlotte Russe, $17 Three Dots, $73 Eileen Fisher, $178
Tory Burch, $445 Pologeorgis, $695 Brunello Cucinelli, $1,805
Blissful Style 