Illustration by Carlos Marrero
Dressing for the holidays doesn’t have to mean snowflake sweaters and kooky hats: in fact, it can be the most stylish time of the year. We spoke to Elysze Held, the Fashion Consultant, Personal Stylist and Shopper behind South Florida’s Style Out of the City, for insight into making all your holidays chic.
Colorful And Cool
“'I want to look a tiny bit festive, but I don’t want to overdo it.' You can do it with color,” Held says. While you might have the instinct to dip into coordinated holiday colors, you’re better off with either a pop of festive flair or a thoughtful layering of tone-on-tone. Held mentions a bright red accent like a sweater paired with timeless black, deep forest or hunter green if you’d like to layer coordinated pieces. She also recommends the ever-stylish and effortless white on white or black on black for tonal play. “You want to add a little color to it, a little joie de vivre, so to speak,” Held says.
A Material Swirl
Satin is a top fabric this season, Held says, but in South Florida specifically, you can never go wrong with a very lightweight cashmere or cotton sweater. Cotton sweaters add elegance to everything, she adds, and they look elegant without looking like you’re in New England. Held does recommend staying away from wool, however, as it’s much too warm for a Florida winter.
Bold And Beautiful
A kiss of embellishment is key — a dapple of sequin here, a swath of gold there — but always in measured doses. If you’re feeling bold, a great trend to try for the season is feathers — not necessarily a whole top, but maybe an accented cuff. “You really have to have the confidence to pull it off, and anybody can do it,” Held says.
She also calls attention to evening pajamas that have recently appeared on runways, or even a luxe caftan and a chic tuxedo, worn however you see fit. Accent your look with an on-trend gold link or sculptural jewelry or a statement earring (“or” being the operative word here). “If you’re going to a family thing, you don’t want to wear a whole lot of bangles because what if you’re helping in the kitchen?” Held laughs. The ultimate goal is to remain comfortable, but you don’t have to forsake style to do it.