Page 11 - Real Style Holiday 2018

With the holiday season upon us, it’s officially time for entertaining, gift giving and office parties. If you are wondering what to
wear for the numerous occasions on your social cal- endar, we certainly can’t blame you. After all, eve- rything from family get-togethers to glitzy cocktail parties calls for refined, sophisticated style. With seasonal cheer and metallic ornaments everywhere to be seen, we caught up with Canadian evening- wear designer Michael Zoffranieri of ZOFF, luxury handbag designer Garima Tewari of Garéma and fashion stylist Zeina Esmail for their tips on how how to dress this season.
Although the temperatures may be dropping rapidly, that’s no reason to lose your sartorial sense. According to Zoffranieri, eveningwear trends for the coming season can easily be layered with a coordinating outerwear piece for a finishing touch. “A beautifully tailored coat or jacket always makes an outfit feel that much more special. Think match- ing dress and coat combinations as an effortless uniform,” he tells us.
The emerging designer also encourages festive fashionistas to experiment with bold hues. Zoffrani- eri suggests playing with green, ivory and metallic shades, combined with neutrals. Alternatively, you can also incorporate pops of colour in the form of accents like a rosette on a frock.
Speaking of dresses, Zoffranieri also recom- mends mid-length hemlines, tailored to suit your height. For cocktail parties, fitted bodices, playful sleeves and pencil skirt hemlines are also suitable. Meanwhile, understated dark sequins, velvet tex- tures, formal jumpsuits and glamorous gowns are a good fit for evening family functions. If you are heading to a holiday business function, you can also try a power suit.
As for the little black dress, Toronto-based Esmail believes in the power of accessorizing. This holiday season, Esmail recommends dressing up your LBD to give it a total makeover. “Throw a blazer over
your shoulders and add a great heel. Statement earrings always give any outfit a facelift in five min- utes,” she says. Adventurous trendsetters can also try a pair of leopard-print pumps or booties or a fur/faux fur evening bag for a finishing touch.
If a furry clutch isn’t quite to your tastes, Tewari recommends going the sparkly route with an em- bellished bag. Esmail certainly agrees, and is also coveting textured sequin, embellishment and velvet bags for the after hours. But if you are dashing from the office to holiday cocktails, you may want to try a more transitional handbag. According to Tewari, chain strap shoulder bags are perfect for going from day to night.
This season, Tewari is also liking the miniature necklace bag, pyramid-shaped bags and bejew- elled purses. “We have created some unique purs- es, like the Marie Antoinette inspired fan shaped clutch, which took 80 hours of embroidery work and craftsmanship,” she explains. But if you are a minimalist at heart and want to step into the holiday season without too much glitz and glitter, you can always go the timeless route. An elegant bag in a solid colour can easily allow your little black dress to shine, or tone down your shimmering evening gown for that special function.
“While using a plain solid classic bag, I would add a statement neckpiece or just statement ear- rings to go with it, but I’d make sure it matches the hardware on my bag and keep it simple and clean,” Tewari says.
Regardless of where you are heading and how you are celebrating the holidays, Zoffranieri reminds us that confidence is absolutely the key to style that “sleighs.” From that upcoming banquet hall bash to cozy Christmas parties with family and friends, the styling possibilities are endless—as long as you rock your unique holiday style.
“If you believe you are ready to try a trend, why not? I’m tired of hearing women say ‘I can’t wear [this] because X,Y,Z reason.’ If you want to, try it,” Zoffranieri says enthusiastically. We’ll keep that in mind as we sing carols, sip cocoa and transform into oh-so-stylish jingle belles this season!
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