‘Tis the Season to Celebrate However You Like: How Our Leading Ladies Navigate the Holidays
November 16, 2018 | Filed in: Your Closet
The temperature drops, and your calendar lights up—bringing with it ample opportunity to wear a special something. With the holidays in full swing, we’re catching up with our four personas to see how they’re embracing (or not…) the most festive time of year.
Samantha, Litigator, New York City
Samantha wears the Babette blazer, the Dolores top, the Tinsley trouser, the Vanderbilt earrings, the Gaineswood bracelet, and the Ginger pump.
Current status: Samantha normally hits the holiday party circuit hard, but this year she’s feeling a little “meh” about the fundraisers, galas, and other events piling up on her calendar. “It’s not that I don’t love a night out,” she tells Rocco, her cat, as she sifts through the stack of invitations on her coffee table. “But lately, nothing sounds more appealing than a night in.” What could be more decadent, she thought, than having full control over the evening: movie, takeout order, bedtime. “Maybe it’s time to retake the Myers-Briggs,” she wonders out loud. “Lately, I’m feeling more I than E.”
Currently wearing: A color-blocked take on the classic tuxedo that’s comfortable enough for curling up on the couch when she gets home, but stays looking sharp for the dance floor (should she decide to venture out after all).
Catherine, Advertising Executive, Chicago
Catherine wears the Cheryl jacket, the Beverly top, the Montgomery skirt, the Vanderbilt earrings, and the Ginger pump.
Current status: Catherine typically approaches the holiday season with a deep sense of weariness. The abundance of evening commitments tend to take a toll on her I’m-in-bed-by-9-P.M.-thank-you-very-much personality, and she feels a bit like Scrooge as she counts down the days until January 1, when her routine goes back to normal. Last year, though, she leaned into hosting. Her book club gathered around her fireplace on a frigid December night, and she passed around a tray of Camembert and warm baguette as they discussed the latest novel. And Catherine had an epiphany: Holiday parties are fun, as long as they happen on your terms. “The trick,” she wrote in her journal that night, “is to not succumb to the madness of the holiday season—and take control.”
Currently wearing: An outfit that’s elegant and sophisticated enough for a night on the town—but cozy enough for the 8:30 P.M. Uber home.
Simone, Lead Engineer, San Francisco
Simone wears the Hamilton top, the Elliott trouser, the Wide Strap belt, the Westbury earrings, and the Ginger pump.
Current status: “I hate hosting,” Simone wails as she yanks open the oven door, smoke alarm beeping loudly overhead.
“What do you have in there?” her sister coughs, waving a dishtowel to clear the smoke.
“I was trying to make Ina Garten’s roast chicken,” Simone sighs. “I just want my first dinner party to be a success.” She shakes her head sadly, peering around the little apartment she worked so hard to decorate. A week ago, she thought that nothing said, I’m an adult! like hosting a dinner party, and she wanted to graduate from boozy Secret Santa party to sophisticated December soirée—but now she’s on the verge of burning the meal.
“Don’t worry,” her sister says. “Worst case scenario, we pick up a package of those holiday Slice-n-Bake cookies and re-brand your dinner party as a cookie party—as Ina would say, ‘How bad could that be?'”
Currently wearing: A sleek knit top with a hint of festive sheen and wool trousers with a relaxed fit, ideal for darting around the kitchen.
Ana, Nonprofit Director, Washington D.C.
Ana wears the Lasanna dress, the Olana necklace, and the Vivien boot.
Current status: “This year, I’m only going to parties I’m excited about,” Ana declares to her husband one chilly morning.
“Don’t you feel guilty not going?” he replies. “I don’t want us to not to be invited to anything next year.”
“But if I go to a party I don’t want to be at in the first place,” Ana counters, “I’m not a very fun guest.”
And so, as December approaches, Ana decides to take an atypical approach (for her): be spontaneous. Every morning, she takes stock of the events on her calendar. If she’s in the mood to socialize, she’ll attend; if not, she sends the host a note and politely explains that she won’t be able to make it. The tension melts away from her shoulders—her G-cal may still look scary, but she’s the master of her own domain.
Currently wearing: A sophisticated wrap dress that flatters her waist, offers full coverage through the arms, and can be thrown in the wash after her kids welcome her home with Christmas cookie dough-covered hands.