It’s been a crazy, hectic year, but now it’s time to pack your bags and head home for the holidays! You may only be planning to visit for a few days, but it’s guaranteed they will be packed full. There will be family, food, festivities, food, friends, food, fun…and did we mention food? But instead of packing countless suitcases full of things you’ll never get around to wearing, we’ve got a list of merry outfit ideas that you can mix-and-match to make the most out of your visit!

 Planning your days/events:

• Night out with friends
• Holiday parties
• Casual family time
• Christmas Eve
• Christmas Day
• Travel days

Breakdown of items:

• Yoga pants (1)
• T-shirts (2)
• Long-sleeved layering top (1)
• Layering tank tops (2)
• Zippered/button-up hoodie (1)
• Sneakers (1)
• Fun dress (1)
• Leather skater skirt (1)
• Jeans (2)
• Light-weight cardigan (1)
• Sheer/shimmery blouse (2)
• Christmas/festive sweater (2)
• Tights (1)
• Warm coat(1)
• Hat/gloves/scarves (no more than 1 pair of gloves, 2 scarves, and 2 hats)
• Stiletto booties/shoes (1)
• Tall, low-heeled boots (1)
• Shiny jewelry! (Don’t forget Christmas/holiday pins and brooches too)
• Bras/panties/PJs (no more than 1 or 2 tops and bottoms, and 2 or 3 pairs of bras and panties…you can do laundry if needed, ya know!)

 

Traveling to/from: For traveling, you just can’t beat yoga pants and layers. Yoga pants are much more flattering than shapeless, baggy sweatpants, and the layers will help you to easily regulate your body temperature in the face of constantly varying indoor/outdoor conditions. Under layers should be tighter, to keep in some degree of body heat, while over layers should be long-sleeved, loose, and thin, and outermost layers should be zippered or buttoned…that way, if you do end up removing layers, it will be easier to remove and better than carrying around a big, bulky sweater. And don’t forget warm socks and comfortable shoes. If you’ll be in and out of airports, best wear shoes/sneakers that are easy to slip on and off while going through security.

For spending time with friends:

You will need both a casual day outfit, as well as a dressier outfit for a night on the town. Jeans will work well for both. You can use your layering tops with a holiday scarf/hat for the day, and for a night out, the jeans, or your leather skater skirt and tights, will pair nicely with a tank top and your cardigan. For both, tall boots for footwear will work.

For holiday parties: One short, sparkly dress will do nicely! If any other parties arise, re-wear the leather skater skirt and tights from the above “time with friends” outfit idea, and pair it with a shimmery/sheer blouse. One pair of stiletto booties, or even stiletto lace-up sandals, will look fabulous with either. But, as always, the easiest way to glam-up an outfit is to add accessories – shiny jewelry and festive Christmas pins/brooches (you can even add the pins and brooches to an updo!)

For casual family time: Obviously jeans are a must here. Also re-wearing your t-shirts, layering tops, and/or cardigan. Sneakers, check. Keep warm during outdoor fun by pairing the jeans with one of your holiday sweaters, a hat and scarf, and tall boots.

Christmas Day: Of course, Santa may have left you some lovely and fashionable goodies under the tree, so by all means wear them! But whether visiting other family around town or staying in to receive guests, you can’t go wrong by being stylish and warm with your skater skirt, tights, holiday sweater, and tall boots. And don’t forget your holiday brooch (it is Christmas, after all!)

 

Image by Petr Kratochvil  courtesy of FreeStockPhotos.biz