I'm assuming the past few days have probably had you busy with cooking, wrapping, and general merriment -- which means, most likely, you've missed out on what Kate Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, has been up to. And by "up to" I mean "wearing."
For the royal family's traditional Christmas church service at Sandringham this year, Duchess Catherine opted for a coat and hat in everybody's favorite (obvious) holiday color -- red. But she threw a different spin on things. She didn't wear bright, "Christmas" red, as most would suspect; she wore a berry-esque shade of red. And, not surprisingly, she nailed it.
I'm almost embarrassed to admit, I've never thought of such a thing -- wearing a shade of the color you're "supposed" to wear, as opposed to the color itself. It's pretty fantastic. You still get to look festive and fun, but you're not dressed like everyone else. It's the perfect take on holiday attire. And what better time to implement this idea than the upcoming holiday -- New Year's?
When you think of New Year's Eve, what clothes and colors come to mind? For me, it's golds, silvers, and my personal favorite, sequins. Why not mix it up a bit this year? Throw everyone for a loop?
For instance, here's a perfectly lovely New Year's Eve dress -- a pretty fancy one, to boot (yay you if you have a party for this). But the thing is, it's bronze. A slight deviation from the norm. You'll stand out in it a bit -- if you're into that sort of thing.
Other non-New Year's Eve New Year's Eve things you can do? Leave your hair straight! Everyone (myself included) always does the wavy, half-curled Victoria's Secret-esque thing on December 31st. And don't get me wrong, it's a great way to fancy things up a bit, but everyone does it. Why not opt for pin-straight hair? Or a sleek pony or side braid?
Also, try avoiding red lipstick -- because everyone expects it. You don't want to wear the shade you always wear, because, well, it's New Year's, but why not try a pink or coral gloss instead of a bright red lip? Bonus, it'll look a lot better when it starts wearing off.
There are plenty of other things we can tweak about our holiday style that will separate us from the crowd. It's all about not going with our knee-jerk choices. And like all things in life, we can thank Kate Middleton for this handy piece fashion advice.
What are you wearing on New Year's Eve?
Image via Chris Jackson/Getty