VELVET WONDERLAND


The Holiday Season is officially upon us! It kind of sneaks up on you doesn't it? One day you are all dressed up for Halloween and the next, Holiday decorations are everywhere, along with endless shopping lists, mall runs, and Holiday parties!

Speaking of Holiday parties, I think what I love about this time of the year the most is the festive spirit of the season! Don't get me wrong, I am a huge fan of parties in general, but there is something special about Holidays that make all the gatherings even more joyful and brilliant than usual! Another favorite part of the Holidays is dressing up of course and if you've been reading my blog for a while, you may already know that when it comes to Holiday dressing my strategy is simple - start shopping early and choose versatile pieces you can style and re-style in multiple ways. To illustrate my strategy in action, I've partnered with Express, to showcase one of my Holiday dressing staples - a little black dress.






Take the beautiful velvet number from Express I am sporting in today's post for example. A classic little black dress never goes out of style, but the reason why I love this particular one is the luxurious velvet fabric. When it comes to fall 2016 trends, velvet ranks among some of the most important ones to incorporate into your wardrobe. Aside from the fact that it is simply a pleasure to wear, velvet elevates even the simplest of pieces and brings a level of sophistication to every type of look from dressed up to casual. Another reason why I chose this dress is because it happens to be one of those pieces that can be easily restyled with different accessories, so you can wear it again and again.




On this particular occasion, I wore this dress to an office party Emil and I attended recently. Though I fully admit that dressing for an office party can be a bit of a challenge because finding the right balance between fun and festive, yet still professional can be tricky, I believe the key is opting for a classic piece with just a bit of flare. Though the neckline here is definitely a bit more open, the longer length, covered up shoulders and back, and classic velvet, create a perfect balance between sexy and sophisticated.



Finishing touch - dark lips, which is another major trend we're seeing on the runways this season. To create this look, I used Burt's Bees Lip Crayon in Napa Vineyard and added two coats of Express lip gloss in Flirty Burgundy. A little trick I use when opting for a darker lip shade is keeping the rest of my make up fairly simple, so I skipped blush and added just a bit of bronzer to the cheekbone area and went with a simple cat-eye liner and strong brow.

Thank you Express for partnering with me on this post.

EXPRESS Velvet tie midi dresslip gloss in Flirty Burgundy & Amaze Express perfume | JESSICA ELLIOT small round solitaire stud earrings & open hoops with Swarovski crystals 

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