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Budgets bulge as shoppers stretch holiday dollars By Sharon Mosley ’Tis the season to stretch those shopping budgets ... hopefully all the way into the new year. When you deck out for the party scene in big style, you don’t want to spend a fortune on clothes. There’s got to be a little left over so you can play Santa, of course. “You don’t have to spend a lot of money to look great,” says Kate Rice, style expert for Mervyn’s. “The key to making the most of your holiday wardrobe is to spend wisely. “That means making larger investments in clothes that have more staying power and incorporating holiday accents with smaller purchases, such as accessories.” So how do you get the most mileage out of this season’s festive fashions? Start by focusing on items that you’ll be able to wear all the way into 2003. Think simple and think chic. Mix-and-match wardrobe pieces are the way to go. Rice suggests extending your holiday wardrobe with the color red, always a popular holiday color. “Select a few key red pieces in versatile styles, and you can wear them throughout the year,” she says. Classic colors, such as black, blue, brown or camel, are also options for basic fashion pieces that can be dressed up for the holidays with the latest seasonal color. Start with a beautiful black pantsuit or basic black dress. Then add the fashion color of the moment. Icy blues are great ways to wake up black and brown this year. Or choose colorful cashmere or angora sweater sets, a sequined tank or a lace peasant top, which can all be paired with dark skirts and wide-leg pants. Once you’ve made the larger investments — a tailored suit or dress — you can always turn them into evening statements by adding dressier accessories. Add a velvety wrap dripping with fringe to your sleeveless black dress. Tie a fringe scarf around the waist of your jeans. Cinch a holiday outfit with a sparkling rhinestone belt. Switch to dangling chandelier earrings. Pin on a sparkling vintage brooch. Shoes are one of the best ways to add instant holiday pizazz to a basic wardrobe. “You’re going to see lots of dressy open-toed slides in beautiful color options and interesting new silhouettes, including ankle and asymmetrical straps, which are two of the biggest styling details of the season,” says Star Jones, style expert and talk show host, who is also spokeswoman for Payless Shoes. “Satin will also be huge this year.” To update your holiday look, Jones advises pairing casual and dressy together. “Wear jeans with dressy satin slides or western boots with a flirty, flowing skirt.” Shooties and booties — which combine shoe-boot styling — will be important for the holiday season, too. “The short boot is still big, but we’ll see a variety of leg heights, including midcalf and the tall, knee-high stretch boots,” she says. “I love this look paired with a cute, shorter-length skirt,” adds Jones. For more casual gatherings, slip into western clogs and boots done in natural tones and accessorize with matching patchwork bags. And never underestimate the power of a black suit, says Rice, especially when you don’t have time to change from office attire to party clothes. “Women can easily transform a traditional black suit into an evening ensemble by adding strappy sandals, sparkly jewelry, such as rhinestones or crystal, a feminine corset and a beaded evening bag.” The black suit is a great holiday classic for men, too. “Men can simply add a fresh shirt and change from a suit jacket to an always-stylish black leather jacket for an evening on the town,” adds Rice. If you stretch your holiday fashion dollars into clothes and accessories that look great but don’t cost a fortune, you’ll feel great this holiday season, too. |
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