The rush of the holiday season is here. Endless lining up in stores, crowded shopping malls and of course, many festive fêtes. Needless to say, the hustle & bustle of the season is about to get real. Unfortunately, it can be a black hole that sucks away your money & energy, and leaves you with less time to prepare a party-ready, fiercely unique outfit. So, I’m here to show you how you can look fantastic even through the craziness of Christmas. (And maybe save a few bucks along the way.)

You want to look your best, don’t you? Your fiercely unique outfit is the natural extension of you! It’s fair to say that without proper outfits your party season just doesn’t feel as festive as it should be. However, if you plan ahead for your body type, your personality and your style, you can create a look that will really charm—and still have plenty of time to finish your last-minute gift shopping! The secret to making it work is to channel your inner fierceness and ferociously get down to business.  

Creating Your Own Fiercely Unique Outfit
to Make a Statement this Season

Get familiar with the party fashion this year

High street fashion is filled with unexpected and exciting styles this year. Even if you’re not keen on buying a ready-made outfit in a shop—more on this later in the article—it can be helpful to get to know the different stylish options for the season. Indeed, 2018 is a year to be bold and stand out, so you shouldn’t shy away from vibrant combinations. However, you can play it safe with only one festive colour, such as an audacious blue or a glamorous pink. Glitter and sequins are festive favourites this year too, with the comeback of ABBA’s famous 70s stage jumpsuits and dresses—yes, seriously. Satin and velvet are also excellent choices. And if nothing catches your eye, you can still fall back on animal prints to make an impression.

Wait, don’t make a choice without knowing what suits you

Once you’ve figured out the main fashion trends you want to incorporate into your fiercely unique outfit, it’s time to review your colour match. Colour analysis is designed to pick the best shades and tones for your skin colour and hair. If you’re unsure what suits you, you need to have a look at the colour analysis materials. Someone who is naturally fair, such as Kate Moss, will need to focus on light colours close to the face to highlight their natural complexion. Strong and dark coloured ladies—picture someone with dark hair and an olive skin such as Victoria Beckham—will look best with intense and deep colour palettes. In short, it’s essential from the start to understand what your ideal palette is, as some tones will flatter you and others will have the opposite effect. Personally, I just rock animal prints with black and make it work.

What’s the average cost of all of this?

Your Christmas shopping is likely to be expensive. After all, one-third of Americans expect to spend a minimum of $1,000 on presents. Yikes! Despite the recent Black Friday and Cyber Monday events, Christmas remains an expensive celebration. Aside from the gifts, you still need to cater for your relatives. Food, drinks, and everyday household and decorative items can boost your spending dramatically in December. (My bank account is currently crying. No, wait—sobbing.) The question of which outfit you should wear takes a financial edge in these circumstances. It’s a matter of what you can comfortably afford to spend on your fierce holiday look.

Think about thrifting your look instead of buying new

You can find plenty of brands offering outfits in a variety of prices, from a pair of velvet trousers to a satin dress. However, while the prices can vary from urban street quality to premium material, you’ll rapidly notice that most outfits look the same. Instead, try the following experiment: Look online for pieces that you love, save photos to your phone and go check out your local thrift & vintage stores to find similar pieces. You’ll definitely find something unique and it’ll cost a fraction of the price. Plus, vintage items can often be a lot better quality than the fast fashions of today. Also, you’ll hardly ever run into the fashionista nightmare of showing up to a party in the same look as someone else. Thrift shopping allows you to be completely individual. I scored my dress, blazer, belt and purse from Common Sort.

The DIY approach to inject a little creativity

While this isn’t to say you shouldn’t buy your outfit new from your favourite designer—nobody is going to stop you—you might want to add a creative twist to a standard piece that your guests are likely to wear too. If you’re a fashion enthusiast, you can consider sewing a subtle sequin pattern on the front of a plain top. For something a little quicker and easier to make, you can use a playful transfer to iron onto the fabric. Be careful, however, to make sure you’re ironing the correct side of the transfer! Otherwise you’ll need to check how to remove HTV without damaging your top. (Trust me, it’s a whole mess.) If you’re not feeling very adventurous, you could try just adding a belt or layering vintage jewellery to your look. 

Let someone else do the customization for you

Customizing your clothing items is fun, but it’s hard work if you’re not an experienced crafter. Thankfully, you don’t have to go through the process yourself if you don’t want to. You can find plenty of brands offering customization services, such as Nike or Converse that let you design your ideal pair of shoes. You’ll have to be patient, though, as the whole process can take several weeks. In short, you may not receive your unique shoes on time for the party season. However, take the time to browse online. Etsy is also a great source of inspiration and many sellers have customized items, such as hand-painted shoes and decorated dresses.

Can you make something instead?

How unique do you want your outfit to feel? This step is for everyone who likes a challenge—and for experienced fashion designers too. You can sew something simple to add personality to a classic white or black look, such as this Lolita style dress. Or you can keep it playful with a festive pattern! The exciting thing about sewing something is that you’re guaranteed to have a fiercely unique outfit. Besides, it lets you be as stylish as you want without breaking the bank! 

Vintage touches can give you a dramatic look

The fashion of previous decades is always a bit hit on the high street. Of course, you don’t want to tap into something that might be a little too old-fashioned—the Victorian era is a no-go unless you really make it fashion. You can add some fierce elements to your outfit with vintage items too. Take a look at the vintage clothing category on eBay to find the perfect piece or shop from your favourite vintage store. A word of advice, though—while one vintage element can bring a playful tone to your outfit, you don’t want to overdo it. Focus on a skirt or a cardigan so that it doesn’t overpower your outfit. Ultimately, you want something fabulous. You don’t want your relatives to think that you’re a Marie Antoinette wannabe.

How unique should you be?

Last but not least, let’s not forget that this is a season of festive fashion and togetherness. Your outfit serves to highlight both your personality and your style. Go as unique as makes you feel fierce, fearless and flawless. Of course, you don’t necessarily want to eclipse other guests, but still, your fiercely unique outfit is a deliberate choice that will affect how you feel about the night. And of course, yourself. We’ve all experienced a bad outfit taking a toll on our mood, right? So, stay fierce babes!

SHOP THE LOOK:

Blazer | COMMON SORT
Tiger print dress | COMMON SORT
Turtleneck | ZARA
Statement belt | COMMON SORT
Purse | COMMON SORT
Adwecia boots | ALDO, $210

Follow along with Common Sort on Instagram to discover daily finds!

All ‘Fiercely Unique Outfit’ photos by Evangeline Davis.