Sparkling lights, trees with a golden star on top and silver and gold decorations, and a chill wind outside all help create the Christmas spirit. Fashion and beauty experts are also inspired by this atmosphere to prepare new looks to go with the event, each year finding new ways of meeting different trends. Creating a Christmas party look means starting from the top with makeup, according to makeup artist Farida Emara. “You can go classic by wearing fine-winged black eyeliner and matte red lipstick. With these you can never go wrong, and they are always trendy,” she said. Another option is to blend kohl eyeliner to make a cat's eye look with glittery eyeshadow, she said. “You can also go with earth colours to add a bit of shimmer by using shimmery copper eyeshadow with pink lipstick. Shimmery dark red and pink eyeshadows are also recommended,” she commented. However, when deciding on makeup it is important to make sure it suits the outfit you're going to wear. “A final makeup tip is to add high-lifting black mascara to give you a clear, sharp and perfect eye look,” she said. As for nail polish, she recommends painting your nails in a colour that goes with the chosen outfit. Moving to hair, the most precious part is the crown, said hairstylist Maha Mahboub, who advises always keeping on a treatment track to help keep your hair healthy and shining. She recommends keeping it as natural and simple as you can. “You don't need tight buns, chignons or excessively tidy hair. You can afford to have a looser and fresher hairstyle,” she said. “You can even split your hair into two halves, and then tie it into a pony tail.” Waves in loose hair can also give the style more volume and a natural effect, she added. However, the most difficult part can be deciding what to wear, with Farida Temraz, CEO of the Temraz fashion company, saying there was no specific fabric to go for. All fabrics can be used, she said. The most important thing is to make sure the fabric suits the atmosphere of the event. In winter and for the Christmas season, she recommends velvet and leather. “Sequins can also suit cocktail parties, though probably not the gowns that might be worn to attend big events such as weddings,” Temraz said. “Sequins can give a sparkling and shimmery look, but they need to be carefully styled – a sequin top, for example, and a plain skirt.” There is also no specific cut to go for, as this will depend on whether it suits you or not. Misconceptions can take place when people skim through social media platforms or the pages of fashion magazines and see models wearing outfits labelled as trendy and then go out and buy the same outfits. All too often, however, they can find the outfit doesn't really look the same or as flattering as in the pictures because it doesn't suit their body shape. Colours are also debatable, though a quick look into any winter wardrobe will show that most pieces follow a dark colour palette, such as black, navy blue, dark grey, brown and perhaps dark red, green, or brick. This applies to casual wear as well as outfits for cocktail parties. In winter, skin tones can pale as a result of the lack of sun, and this makes dark colours recommended. “For Christmas, outfits should be inspired by colours like emerald green, dark red and the darker grades of silver, gold or champagne,” Temraz said. “However, a little black dress can never go wrong.” Now that you are almost there with your perfect look, you just need the final touches. Accessories have a magical effect as they can spice up your look, and a leather belt can sculpt the waist, or a short necklace with a small pendant can highlight the collar bones if you wear an outfit with a round or squared neckline. A fine bracelet can add glamour to any outfit. If you are planning to wear a V-neck outfit, consider wearing a long bead necklace. Layered necklaces are also recommended, though high neck dresses or tops can go best with large earrings. Go for metal geometrical shaped earrings, or trendy silk-fringed earrings in different colours. Rings, though tiny, are also very effective. You can wear one large one with a precious stone or diamond, or you can wear several thinner rings on different fingers. The last step is footwear. Winter shoes often mean ankle boots or high boots, and both can go with short outfits. A final tip is to make sure that the colours of an outfit go together if you are going to mix and match. Remember to choose makeup and nail polish colours that suit the whole look and go for the right cut of clothes that suit your body. Now you are ready to rock any Christmas party! 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The writer is a freelance journalist.
