winterlayering

5 Simple Holiday Party Outfits by Candice Tay

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5 Simple Holiday Party Outfits

The holidays are quickly approaching and that means PARTIES! I personally don’t have a ton of parties to go to (I’d rather have a snuggly night in with close friends and family haha) but soo many of you have asked for holiday outfit ideas, so I thought I’d get a little creative this season and come up with a few for you using pieces in my closet I already own.

Outfit #1

This first look is more a business casual outfit that I can see myself wearing to a more corporate company party. If you’ve got any of these closet staples in your wardrobe, you can pull together this look! I’m wearing a simple black shift dress and an oversized blazer on top. Since its winter, I’ve paired it with some sheer tights and heeled boots to complete the look. I accessorized with minimal gold jewelry to add some sparkle to the whole outfit.

Blazer: Vetta Capsule Dress: old from NIQUE Boots: Dear Frances

Blazer: Vetta Capsule
Dress: old from NIQUE
Boots: Dear Frances

Jewelry: Mejuri

Jewelry: Mejuri

Outfit #2:

This is probably my most festive outfit since I’m sporting a very bold wine red blouse from OhSevenDays. This outfit features a multi-way wrap blouse that I’ve tucked into a pair of black trousers, completed with the same pair of heeled boots. The blouse is clearly the star of this outfit simply because it’s such a bold colour. But what draws me to it are the beautiful, billowy sleeves! (P.S. I have a discount code for OhSevenDays if you’re interested - O7DWINTER19)

This is fairly similar to what I’d wear on a daily basis, a shirt tucked into high-waisted bottoms, but for the holidays I like that it’s “fancied up” a touch! For accessories, I’m wearing the same minimal gold chain necklace to emphasize the nice neckline of the wrap top.

Blouse: OhSevenDays (O7DWINTER19 for 10% off) Trousers: Vetta Capsule Boots: Dear Frances

Blouse: OhSevenDays (O7DWINTER19 for 10% off)
Trousers: Vetta Capsule
Boots: Dear Frances

Outfit #3:

Playing with the "faux jumpsuit” idea in this outfit. I think you can never go wrong with an all-black look for any occasion. It’s simple, chic and comfortable to wear and I’m all about hassle-free outfits. I made a faux jumpsuit by tucking in a black ribbed turtleneck into a pair of trousers. For a warmer climate, I added a pop of colour by pairing this look with my olive mules. But if you’re in the cold tundra like me, then a pair of boots is probably your best bet for this outfit!

Turtleneck: old Trousers: Vetta Capsule

Turtleneck: old
Trousers: Vetta Capsule

Outfit #4:

I’m playing with the little sweater tuck trick I’ve been seeing on the internet lately — thanks to Jess With Less for this tip! I cropped this knit over a black pleated dress and finished the look off with some tights to keep warm and yes, the same boots. I went a little more dressy with the accessories and decided to pair this outfit with pearl hoop earrings from Mejuri. I’m not usually into dresses unless it’s for a wedding or fancy occasion, but I like that this outfit still has a bit of me peeking through in the neutral colour palette.

Sweater + dress: old Boots: Dear Frances Earrings: Mejuri

Sweater + dress: old
Boots: Dear Frances
Earrings: Mejuri

Outfit #5:

Last but not least, I have a classic 90s-inspired outfit for ya! This one involves a simple summer slip dress layered on top of a fitted turtleneck. It really does the trick for styling a summer staple in the winter while staying warm! If you have a slip with a more festive colour, that’d be perfect for the holidays. I only have this in my wardrobe, so I decided to use what I have! I completed the look with some heeled boots again because it’s cold haha!

Turtleneck + Dress: old Boots: Dear Frances

Turtleneck + Dress: old
Boots: Dear Frances

Rings: Mejuri

Rings: Mejuri

Alright, those are all outfits I have for you! I hope these wintery holiday outfits give you a bit of inspiration this season to experiment with pieces currently in your wardrobe. Let me know if you decide to recreate any of these looks!


This post is not sponsored but contains some gifted items and affiliate links. If you decide to shop through the links above, I make a small commission that helps support this blog and my Instagram. I only share products and brands I love and support. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Candice Tay!

 

Winter Layering by Candice Tay

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Winter Layering

turtleneck edition

Alright friends, I don’t think I need to reiterate again just how much I love turtlenecks. They are such staples for me throughout the fall and winter seasons. Funnily enough when I was a kid my mom used to make me wear turtlenecks underneath my T-shirts and sweaters and I hated it because most other “cool kids” didn’t wear turtlenecks. Now looking back I think mom was just a pure style genius with a side of practicality! I‘m so glad I grew out of being self-conscious (definitely not completely, still a work in progress) and worrying about what the “cool kids” wore.

These days turtlenecks are a timeless staple in my closet. I love the simple elegance and modesty they exude and I find them extremely versatile both in casual and business settings. I recently, read an article one The Good Trade, which by the way, if you haven’t checked them out yet, definitely do, about the history of turtlenecks. Give the article a read here if you’re interested in a bit of a fun history lesson! It may give a bit of an explanation to maybe why I thought it was uncool as a child haha...

Turtlenecks: The Base layer

Turtlenecks are like the Swiss army knife of my closet. Since turtlenecks are traditionally a more fitted garment, they can be worn alone and under almost anything! I find that they really transform my outfits, taking them from a casual cozy weekend to the office and then to a night out with friends. Turtlenecks are also very practical because they add a ton of warmth to an outfit, which is what my mom was doing with my childhood outfits. I love the practicality of turtlenecks especially in the winter and will often just wear a turtleneck for warmth under all my sweaters.

let’s get layering!

I like to use turtlenecks to add a pop of interest in outfits. Whether that be with a classic black turtleneck as I’ve styled below, or with a coloured turtleneck. Below I’ve layered a black turtleneck under my grey sweater, but only allowing the neck and a bit of the sleeves to peek out. I think it’s like adding borders to a picture, but instead I’ve added a thick black border to my light grey sweater, making it pop more.

Turtleneck: UNIQLO  Knit: Max Studio Jeans: Cheap Monday (Donna) Boots: Sorel

Turtleneck: UNIQLO
Knit: Max Studio
Jeans: Cheap Monday (Donna)
Boots: Sorel

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Another way of adding a pop of intrigue in a more obvious way is to style it under a t-shirt or some sort or a piece that has more of the turtleneck exposed. Not only does it keep you warm, it also allows you to wear summer pieces longer, making them great for transitioning between seasons. Here I’ve styled my black turtleneck under a simple shift dress over slim pants.

Turtleneck: UNIQLO Shift Dress: Vetta Capsule Pants: Citizens of Humanity Boots: Frye

Turtleneck: UNIQLO
Shift Dress: Vetta Capsule
Pants: Citizens of Humanity
Boots: Frye

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As I mentioned above, turtlenecks are great for a variety of settings, and I personally often wear them to work but I easily style them casually on weekends as well. This is one of the main reasons why I have included multiple turtlenecks in my core capsule, simply because they get a lot of wear. My core capsule is comprised of items that I wear often and through many seasons. It’s definitely still a work in progress and something that I’m developing as I go, but if you’re interested in learning more about my core capsule, you can read about that here in a previous blog post.

Below, I’ve styled a typical outfit I would wear to work in the winter. I’ve styled this camel cotton turtleneck under the softest grey flannel, along with a pair of classic black work trousers. To finish the look, I slipped into my black Chelsea boots and accessorized with simple understated gold jewellery for an office-appropriate look.

Turtleneck: Kotn Flannel: Tradlands Trousers: Oak + Fort Boots: Frye

Turtleneck: Kotn
Flannel: Tradlands
Trousers: Oak + Fort
Boots: Frye

To further demonstrate the versatility of turtlenecks, here is a more casual outfit that you would definitely see me sporting on the weekend. This look is also one of my favourites because it incorporates two hand-me-down item/“stolen” from my parents. Here I’ve thrown an oversized denim shirt on top of my ribbed turtleneck. In this outfit, I’d be ready to catch up with friends in a cafe or run errands on the weekend.

Turtleneck: old from mom Denim Shirt: old from dad Trousers: Aritzia Boots: Sorel

Turtleneck: old from mom
Denim Shirt: old from dad
Trousers: Aritzia
Boots: Sorel

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Last but not least! This is my take on a classic 90s-inspired look - the spaghetti strap tank layer. Maybe I’ve been watching too many Friends re-runs and am getting inspired by one, Miss Rachel Green. Does anyone else remember this iconic look? For my final turtleneck outfit, I’ve layered a similarly toned spaghetti strap blouse over my tank top, tucked into a pair of black trousers, a finished off with my black Chelsea boots This is more of a clean, feminine look - maybe an outfit for a date night!

rachel green
Tank: Aritzia Turtleneck: Muji Trousers: Oak + Fort Boots: Frye

Tank: Aritzia
Turtleneck: Muji
Trousers: Oak + Fort
Boots: Frye

Turtlenecks aren’t for me!

Well after all this turtleneck talk, maybe you still think turtlenecks aren’t for you, and that’s totally fine! If you’re still interested in trying out some of these tips, maybe opt for a mock neck top as an alternative. Mock necks have a similar silhouette except there is less fabric and height covering the neck, helping to elongate the neck. Maybe turtlenecks are too form fitting for your liking, try styling them with higher waisted bottoms or with another layer on top. This could be a whole other blog post on its own, so I won’t get too into that! If your turtlenecks are itchy, maybe opt for cotton or a soft merino wool when purchasing a turtleneck. Both of these fabrics are extremely comfortable, not to mention cozy. If you’re interested in reading more about fabrics, I discuss more on wool and cotton in my previous blog post.

Now that you know just how much more I love turtlenecks, let me know below your favourite layering tip. I’m curious if you’ve tried any of these layering tricks? Do you have any questions about styling turtlenecks for your body type? I would love to hear your thoughts!

 

This post is not sponsored but contains some gifted items and affiliate links. If you decide to shop through the links above, I make a small commission that helps support this blog. I only share products and brands I love and support. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting Candice Tay!