Social media (Facebook, Instagram, pick your poison), especially around the holidays, can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it’s a great way to stay in touch with friends and family in places near and far. On the other, it makes dressing for holiday parties nearly mission impossible. Gone are the days when a simple LBD could be worn and reworn to an office soiree, dinner with girlfriends and Sagittarian birthday bash. With so many iPhones snapping away throughout the evening, your ensemble is destined to appear online every which way to Sunday.
With three holidays parties down and four to go, I’ve already exhausted my arsenal of cocktail attire. And between holiday gifts, travel plans and post-Thanksgiving sales, my pocketbook is feeling worse for the wear. My new mission? Invest (key word) now in new holiday party attire that I can also wear well into the new year.
To my style rescue is Kim Saint, Product Director of Footwear and Accessories for LK Bennett. Long a favorite of luxe ladies like Kate Middleton and Olivia Palermo, LK Bennett must be doing something right – and I’m hoping whatever it is rubs off on me before 2014 hits. Here’s hoping.
Julie Bensman: Who is the LK Bennett woman?
Kim Saint: Modern and stylish, polished yet feminine, sexy yet understated and, most of all, confident. She appreciates quality and invests in the finest fabrics, which remain in her wardrobe year after year.
JB: That is precisely what I’m looking for. Which styles would you recommend for a holiday party, which also work into the new year?
KS: One of my favorite styles from the winter collection is the jewel and glitter embellished “Crystal.” The sparkle lends itself beautifully to the party season but the heel, lower than a kitten but not quite flat (which we are calling a “kitty”) makes them perfect for daytime with a pair of jeans.
JB: Where do you find design inspiration each season?
KS: We always start with our heritage, finding new ways to channel the unique British style: classic with a touch of quirkiness. Inspiration for the Spring/Summer 2014 collection came from our love affair with the seaside — deck chair stripes and candy colors will be key!
JB: Love that fashion preview! What’s on your own holiday wish list this year?
KS: Aesop geranium hand wash, any of the beautiful shearling from our ready-to-wear collection, but most of all, just spending lots of time with my two children.
KS: I always feel that Marilyn Monroe put it best: “Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world.”
JB: When it comes to celebrity styling, which girls get it right every time?
KS: The ones who look effortless and comfortable in what they’re wearing. I think Olivia Palermo has great style and a shoe collection to die for. I love the way she mixes up her style but always looks immaculately groomed, which has become her signature.
JB: When it comes to dressing for the holidays, always remember ____________?
KS: Sometimes simple is best. It can be tempting to layer up the sparkle this time of year and it is important to have fun when dressing, but I think choosing one key piece is so much more chic…and you can never go wrong with black!
