Ho, Ho, Ho!
The most wonderful time of the year is here, and you don't want to miss out on having fun and feeling full of holiday cheer just because the process of preparation keeps you busy. Lack of time and an overwhelming list of things to do tend to short circuit your creativity and may prevent you from feeling excited.
My name is Inga Goodman, and I'm the founder and designer of INGA GOODMAN fashion brand, and creativity runs in my veins. Designing and styling of outstanding outfits is my signature, and I'm bursting with one of a kind ideas all the time! I would like to share a few of them to help you find yourself fully immersed in a festive mood as quickly and easily as 1, 2, 3... The following tips not only apply to this season's celebration but are good for all kinds of occasions and holidays to start feeling excited in no time.
- COLOR THE SEASON!
Artists and designers have long believed that color can dramatically affect your mood, feelings, emotions, and behavior. And while certain hues have been associated with particular sorts of emotions, a lack of color will likely leave you and others around you feeling indifferent.
I pick red as the color of the season. It is the most complex and researched color in the world due to its affect on humans. Depending on your cultural background, personality type, and your direct relationship with the color red, it could bring excitement and desire or it could also signal warning or danger. Either way, I recommend red due to its festive qualities and strong appeal. In fact, back in my country, Russia, red "krasniy" literally means beautiful!
If you are wondering which piece of clothing you would wear in red, I always recommend a red dress because it looks dressy, feminine, and exemplifies great style. In my opinion a dress in any shade of red will bring you more excitement and cheer than a spiced latte, so try it for yourself!
I've looked around and found a few retailers that carry great looking dresses in red . Check out the following links below (price point from low to high):
2. WEAR SOMETHING FUZZY. IT'S FUN!
Since I'm from Russia, Faux Fur and other Fuzzy textures always associate to me with winter activities, FUN and comfort. Why not try it, not only to warm ourselves but also to accent our looks with it and to feel extra excited during winter holidays? Not only will any piece made out of Faux Fur make you feel cozy, it will look chic and will add an element of extravagance to your whole look.
I found my Faux Fur head band in one of the boutiques in the Fashion District in Downtown Los Angeles. Pieces like this could also be found at street fairs and vintage stores, as well as online.
Check the links below for the ideas and easy finds I like:
3. ATTENTION ON HEELS!
No look is complete without a pair of nice heels, which is by far my most favorite part of any woman's outfit! They tell the world who you are and what your character is. They add a very special touch to your entire look. They make you stand tall and proud keeping your back straight. They play an enormous role in our wardrobe, and I find a pair of heels to be the most extravagant element of any style.
Why not to make them even better by accessorizing them with fun and playful shoe accessories, have you heard of those?
They are the clip on brooches that you could wear either in front of your shoe, on the side, or in the back. With such a large variety of shoe brooches you'd feel you have a brand new pair each time by changing their color combination and style. It is also a good idea to use should you wish to give a new life to your old good pair you've had around for a long time and no longer feel excited to wear. The price is right and the fun those women's heel's clip ons bring is priceless!
Links to my favorite quick and easy finds are below (prices vary from the least expensive item to the most expensive one).
4. WEAR A CROPPED JACKET FOR MORE PLAYFUL LOOK.
Cropped jackets always put me in a playful mood, maybe because they associate with young girls in their prom dresses, or because they remind me of the frisky and classy Audrey Hepburn.
I tend to wear cropped jackets to special occasions or on a regular basis, when I'd like to feel special. In fact, I am such a big fan of cropped jackets that I've designed one of my own to wear as a piece of functional clothing for warmth and also as an accessory for styling purposes.
Do you have a favorite cropped jacket yet? If not, no problem. I found a few sources with ideas you might like. Check out the links below for my classic, elegant, and chic choices:
5. ACCESSORIZE YOUR HAIR AND FEEL ENCHANTED!
There is truly something so magical when you wear a hair band or any other hair accessory! It's like almost having a queen's crown on your head and feeling royal too! Luckily there so many choices on a market right now that you could pick the one that suits you the most in a matter of minutes and look and feel enchanted right away: hair bands embellished with pearls and rhinestones, hair clips, studs, ties, pins, flowers, covers, mini hats, the sky is the limit! And if your really wish to show your individuality, you could make a piece of your own using beautiful supplies from any craft store.
I looked around and found a few options that I really like and I hope you do too, so check them out below:
6. GO AHEAD, SHINE ON!
What says holidays more than rhinestones, Swarovski crystals, sequins, pearls, and all things sparkly? And it doesn't have to be a piece of traditional jewelry like a pair of earring or necklace to be designed out of those shiny materials. Fashion has never been as much fun as it is today, when literally "fashion has no rules". Your waist band no longer has to be made primarily out of leather, and neither do your ankle boots. Belts now are worn for fun more often than functionality nowadays. Boots are no longer just work footwear, but a fun accessory. Beads decorate dining tables and Christmas trees, not only women's necks. How fun! Go ahead and use that never before fashion freedom and style yourself like you mean it, or simply follow my example below.
More dazzling and fun ideas below:
7. PUT A BROOCH ON IT!
Brooches have been always my most beloved accessory, not only are they classy and chic and come in so many shapes and sizes, but brooches are the quickest way of transforming the most boring outfit into the most compelling.
There is no limit how to wear a brooch and where. There is also no limit on how many of them to put on, you can mix and match them all day long - endless fun!
My mom likes to wear her brooches on her shoulder, or on her turtleneck sweater right below her neck in a middle. She can put a cluster of three of them at any place on her jacket or winter coat, including the coat pocket, and they don't even match. It's kind of an expect the unexpected approach, and that's the beauty of it!
I like to wear brooches on my hats because it's a chance to put it next to your face which brightens up your complication on its own or can nicely accompany a set of jewelry you might already have on.
What I also like about brooches is that they don't have to be outrageously expensive to look fabulous, and they are an easy way to express your personality and likes, whether you are a dog lover or a flower lover.
In fact many of my treasured pieces, like the one that is depicted on the photo above, came from a local Salvation Army store and only cost $1. You could easily find unique looking and inexpensive pieces at flea markets, arts and crafts markets, vintage shows, or fashion districts when you travel to Los Angeles or New York, or any other cities involved in fashion production. I usually rely on www.eventbright.com to find and sign up for events like these in my city.
Again, no time to shop around? Make one of your own out of any materials at home (I used once a plastic flower I've had in my vase at home for a long time and simply attached it to a safety pin) or browse the web for a quick find.
Below are my picks and ideas that will hopefully make you inspired and excited to wear one of the oldest types of decorative jewelry that has been forgotten lately, but deserves to be brought back as a true fashion necessity:
8. ABUSE YOUR CREATIVITY.
When you create you feel the happiest! Creativity may be used in all kinds of forms, not only while crafting something or completing your wedding album. Creativity is in play when you cook, furnish your home, shop, wrap presents for friends and family, design your interior, and DRESS! It is not only a survival skill for artists of every industry, but it is a necessity in every day life; especially for women to break up everyday routine and feel excited and happy. Creativity is being unafraid to try something new and do things differently. I play with things all day long to see what happens if I put a vest over my winter coats, a skirt over my dress, or sliced tofu into the soup I cook for my son. Wear something new this season to surprise yourself, stun the world, and feel elevated!
More ideas below:
9. SMELLS RING BELLS.
To most people, a smell isn't just a fragrance - it's a memory. Scents also conjure the strongest emotions. I moved from Russia to Southern California and now during winter although I can no longer savor the fresh scent of snow from my early childhood, the smell of freshly cut pine branches brings me right back there.
While the scent of citrus may associate with lemonade to many living in CA, it always reminds me of New Year Eve in Russia because oranges and lemons were garment fruits when I was a kid; and we could only find them once a year to put on our holiday table. Years later, I enjoy the refreshing scent of Yves Saint Laurent fragrance as well.
A whiff of soda makes me think of my mom baking a honey cake for holidays, and a warm sweet honey aroma would be my first choice while I am shopping for candles.
While we all may have a favorite smell that brings us joyful memories and associations and we enjoy the most, I thought I'd share some that will help you to feel a blast during the winter festivities, whether you enjoy them in your room, in your hair, or on your skin.
10. GRIN SPIRIT!
Smiling is what matters the most! When our smiling muscles contract, they fire a signal back to the brain, stimulating our reward system and further increase our level of happy hormones. Beside, it's been proven that a smile makes you more attractive. When you smile, people smile back. It only takes one person for smile to go viral - YOU!
There are so many reasons to smile this holiday season, lets keep reminding each other of them:
- Smile is the best styling tip and more effective than make up
- Smile is your strongest weapon
- Smile is your free gift to the world and yourself, always available and easy accessible
- Smiling feels good
- Smile because it's a new day
- Smile because it's the HOLIDAYS!
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Happy Holidays, I wish everyone lots of happiness, good health, and productivity in 2020 and always!
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