Contributor Jordan Reid shares her style and beauty know-how to get you prepped for those seasonal events and special occasions in which you want to put your best look forward.
Getting dressed for holiday office parties can be tough. I mean, you want to look party-ready, but also professional. You want to look showstopping, but also serious(ish).
How do you solve this little dilemma? Go for understated glamour, using quality products and just a hint of sparkle.
Makeup
Keep your makeup palette sophisticated, but add a subtle glow so you still look festive.
Start by sweeping a pale eye shadow with a hint of shimmer, like Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Eye Shadow in Glisten, over your lids and up onto your brow bones. Add smokiness by blending a soft gray eye shadow into your creases. L'Oréal Paris Studio Secrets Professional The One Sweep smoky eye shadow contains three different shades, so you can adjust the depth of the color to your liking.
Next apply a liquid liner, like Maybelline Line Stiletto Ultimate Precision Liquid Eyeliner, to your upper lids, creating a thin line for a sophisticated effect. Finish with major lashes. Try: L'Oréal Paris Voluminous False Fiber Lashes in Black Lacquer.
To enhance your glow, apply some shine to your lips. NARS Lip Gloss in Oasis is a beautiful soft plum that looks great on every skin tone. You can also add a sweep of shimmer across your cheeks (and shoulders, if you're showing them), using Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact in Bronze.
Hair
It's easy to get stuck in a rut with your workplace hairstyle. Whether your tendency is to blow-dry your locks straight or toss them up into a ponytail, you probably wear your hair more or less the same way day after day. Your holiday office party is the perfect place to switch things up a little.
Gorgeous, bouncy waves always look perfect at a soiree, and they're easier to get than you think. Start by working a dollop of mousse into towel-dried wet strands, and blow-dry your hair smooth. Then apply shine serum and distribute it throughout the lower two-thirds of the length of your hair. Next curl small sections of hair, using a one-inch barrel curling iron. Be sure to curl hair in different directions so that the look is natural. Finish by breaking up the curls with your fingers and misting the look with hair spray to set it.
Dress
When it comes to your dress, now is not the time to go short or tight. (Save that for New Year's Eve!) Instead choose a look with a great cut and fit in a high-quality fabric that offers zero chance of a wardrobe malfunction. (You don't want to discover that your dress was see-through once the party pictures are posted on the wall by reception!)
My favorite way to get glamorous while still looking chic and classic is with a one-shoulder style, like this Yigal Azrouël from Rent the Runway that I am wearing in the photo on the upper right.
Happy holidays, and have fun!