Cozy Meets Festive: Style Inspiration for the Holiday Season
The holiday season is here, and with it comes a mix of sparkling lights, chilly weather, and the often conflicting urges to dress both festively and comfortably. It doesn’t take much creativity to put on a sequin dress and heels and call it a dazzling night out, but merging sparkle with coziness for day or home wear, and making it feel personal to your own style can be trickier. Here are five tips to make it easier.
1. Start with Comfort
Comfort is the foundation of any cozy holiday outfit. Think soft knits and easy silhouettes that move with you. Oversized cardigans, wide-leg trousers, and relaxed jumpsuits keep you warm without sacrificing style. Choosing fabrics that feel luxurious can make even a simple outfit feel special.
2. Add Festive Fabrics
Colors from the palette of the season (deep greens, reds, gold, silver, etc), combined with fabrics of the season (velvet, cashmere, satin, sequins, etc), and details that are just a little bit extra (buttons, embroidery, sequins, etc) all combine to take the comfort base we started from, to seasonally exciting. Choosing one of these aspects may be enough, especially combined with the right accessories, or you might like to go big with your combinations. Your choices here might be a clue to your style type.
3. Layer with Intention
Layering is key to cozy style. Cardigans, coatigans, blazers, and boleros are options that let you adjust for indoor warmth or outdoor chill. Scarves, shawls, and wraps are my personal favorite layering item no matter where I am, because it is basically wearing a blanket on the go. Statement socks can be a fun option for something both functional and stylish.
4. Statement Accessories
Accessories can completely transform a basic outfit, and add loads of personality. Hair accessories and bags are probably my favorite two areas of accessories for this season, and I think it’s because it’s such an easy way to add a festive punch to a look that you might otherwise wear all year round. A red velvet bow, sequin headband, or metallic bag might add all the mood that’s needed. Similarly festive slippers might add joy to home lounging.
5. Keep It Authentic
Finally, the best cozy festive style is authentic to you. I think it can act as a kind of pressure to read about or repeatedly see red velvet or black sequins or whatever, and think adding that to your wardrobe will bring joy. Sometimes something that is pushed at you can bring joy, but I think it’s important to first touch base with what feels most authentic to your own joy. Maybe that’s a bright, cheerful set in your favorite color, a muted monochrome look, or a mix of textures and patterns. Your style should tell your story. Even holiday dressing should begin from your own preferences and only then look to see where what you love might overlap with what signals/feels festive to the season.
If you have a minute, let me know below in the comments where your own authentic style overlaps with festive holiday dressing, and how you add the mood to your own cozy outfits this time of the year.
For more ideas around festive dressing, check out Studies in Fantastical Beauty: Sparkle and Glow
Get Fae style ideas for day dressing festively in Fae: Sparkle and Glow Illustrations
And download the free Sparkle Scale reference page for different levels of light reflection in fabrics.