Tis’ the season for holiday party looks!
I’ve teamed up with my hair stylist, Katerina Tsirimiagos, owner of Mali Salon in Portland, to bring you three different easy party looks for all your gatherings over the next few weeks.
I’ll be sharing budget-friendly party pieces while she’ll take you step by step through how to get to the latest looks in holiday hair.
New looks will be popping up throughout the next week and a half, so stay tuned for plenty of inspiration!
Today, we’re sharing a party perfect look for your office holiday party.
Holiday Party Looks: Office Party
So I’m all in on sequins this type of year, but how to make them look workplace appropriate can be a challenge. And while that totally depends on where you work, I love the idea of dressed down sequins. That means adding an everyday sweater or casual tee.
I also am super into monochrome looks right now. That’s why I decided to pair this burgundy J.Crew crewneck with a sparkly skirt of the same hue. Both pieces are under $100!
Love how the detail on the sweater makes it JUST dressy enough.
Holiday Party Looks: Office Party
Also, this black velvet bow headband has been the one accessory I can’t get enough of this fall.
You might remember I did a big post about headbands a couple of months back. I fell in love with Ferragamo’s velvet bow headbands and found my lookalike on Etsy for a fraction of the price.
Holiday Party Looks: Office Party
Get the look:
With a higher neckline and the details on the sweater, we wanted to have my hair pulled back. So we settled on a loose french braid with my velvet headband.
– First, Katerina curled my hair with a 1 1/4 inch curling iron, curling away from the face.
– When it comes to the pieces that fall in front of the ear, start curling at the cheekbone.
– Brush out the curls to make them a little looser before beginning the braid.
– She did a simple French braid on me, but if you don’t know how to do a french braid, put your hair in a low ponytail and do a regular braid.
– After securing the end with an elastic, loosen the braid by pulling it apart. This style looks much better when a little messy.
– Pull some hairs out around the face before adding the headband.
– You can also wrap the elastic with a small piece of hair and tuck it underneath.
Holiday Party Looks: Little Black Dress
Ok I bet all of you have a little black dress in your closet. Today, I’m sharing ideas for how to spice it up and make it holiday party ready. Plenty of links to LBD’s…holiday handbags and hair accessories and a tutorial on how to wear jewelry in your hair! 
And a little black dress for a holiday party is the perfect chance to have some fun with your accessories or go bold with your hair or makeup.
My hair stylist in Portland, Katerina Tsirimiagos, owner of Mali Salon helped me get this ultra-glam look, opting for soft waves, pinned back with a vintage brooch she had lying around. Scroll down for the tutorial!
There are some great anything-but-ordinary little black dresses out these this season like my maxi ruffle dress from Zara!
This dress is soooo flattering, under $100, and it’s knit, so it’s really comfy! Unfortunately, it’s sold out online, but check your local Zara store. I have plenty of punched up little black dress options linked below for you.
Another great idea to punch up your LBD with sparkly accessories like this sequin clutch from Zara. Also love this beaded bag.
Holiday Party Looks: Holiday Handbags Under $100
How to Wear a Brooch in Your Hair
Ok so this is the holiday hair style I am most excited to share. We were struggling to find hair accessories that we liked to add into this look. So Katerina had the brilliant idea to pin my hair back with a vintage brooch she had.
At first I was worried about it holding…I have heavy and slippery hair, but it held up through plenty of dancing and twirls.
– First, Katerina curled my hair with a 1 1/4 inch curling iron, curling away from the face.
– When it comes to the pieces that fall in front of the ear, start curling at the cheekbone.
– Brush it out and add a texturizing spray throughout to soften the curls.
– Pull back a small piece of hair over your ear and twist, securing it with the brooch. Weave it through the hair just as you would a sweater.
– Secure the pin by creating an X with bobby pins right over the pin arm. 
– Proof it holds up with dancing!
Holiday Party Looks: Holiday Hair Accessories Under $35
Holiday Party Looks: Little Black Dresses with a Twist
Holiday Party Looks: Festive Suits
So we’re wrapping up our holiday party look series with my favorite outfit of the bunch…the smart suit! Who would’ve thought a year after leaving my full time journalist job, where all I wore were blazers and sleek dresses, that I would be singing the praises of the suit for a festive night out?!
But updated suits with texture like satin and velvet have been taking over fashion week street style this year…see some of the year’s best looks here. Love how luxe those fabrics make the suits feel, which is PERFECT for the holidays. 
And nothing beats a tux like the one I’m wearing here from ASOS. See below for the direct link, and it’s under $200 for the whole look! This look would be ideal for Christmas Eve or a holiday concert. 
The great thing about this trend is you can easily repurpose both pieces throughout the year. And if you don’t want to spring for a full suit, all of the blazers work with whatever black pants you might have lying around in your closet.
Holiday Party Looks: Festive Suits
Get the look:
As for hair, we wanted to glam up the menswear look with soft waves. This style is SUPER easy to replicate. This hair style also served as the jumping off point for all of the other holiday hair looks.
– First, Katerina curled my hair with a 1 1/4 inch curling iron, curling away from the face.
– When it comes to the pieces that fall in front of the ear, start curling at the cheekbone.
– Brush it out and add a texturizing spray throughout to soften the curls.
– For this look, add a hair oil throughout to up the shine, particularly on the ends.
TIP: Another hair oil tip from a friend who worked in beauty for a long time: put a drop of oil in your hands and rub together. Then, clamp your fingertips on random sections of hair throughout to distribute little bits of shine.
