Creating casual yet stylish outfits for the holidays can be fun, but also a bit daunting. Where do you start? Our guest post author, Kim from www.kimhancher.com has you covered, my friend. She has a wealth of ideas for you!
This post shares holiday outfits for women over 50 so they can look and feel their best this holiday season.
I can feel my chest tighten as I type this post. The holidays are coming.
I know, I know. It’s supposed to be fun and cheerful. But it stresses me out in ways I cannot put into words. I’m a bit of a Grinch.
It is such a busy time of year. Parties, kids holiday programs, shopping, shopping, cooking, eating, drinking, and more shopping.
And, you need something to wear to ALL of it.
But what? What makes great holiday outfits for women over 50?
Does it have to be on trend?
Red and green for Christmas?
Blue and silver for Hanukkah?
Is tight and short the only option for a holiday party dress?
Is an ugly Christmas sweater my only choice for kid events?
What are your options here, how do you look holiday-ish without wearing a Mrs. Claus dress and black boots?
Sigh…..
Holiday outfits for women over 50
What if you could make it easy? Choose an outfit that you feel comfortable in, that is you, and add in a thing or two that really says, it’s the holidays.
This way you are using clothes you either already own or that you can wear beyond the holiday season.
A small sprinkle of the holiday goes a long (long) way. And dressing like this will make sure that what you wear for the holidays is reflective of you. The way we dress is an expression of who we are. This includes our holiday outfits.
Let’s start with basic everyday items that you most likely have in your closet. Then I’ll show you how to infuse a bit of holiday as you build out the outfit. This is a great example of how to get the most wear out of your clothes and how to change things up with small tweaks.
I’m starting with items you would have in your capsule wardrobe. Basic staples that you can spice up a bit.
Jeans as the base of a great holiday outfit
Take a basic pair of jeans and add a fun colorful sweater. Not an ugly Christmas sweater, but something like this one that is vibrant and joyful. This would be great for any events at your kids’ school, daytime parties you are attending or running festive errands if that is even a thing.
Multi-colored sweater | flared jeans | red patent ballet flats
The simple addition of anything in a tartan plaid takes your basic look into the holiday sphere. This poncho does that and it will keep you warm. This is a great look for a casual gathering or anything outdoors. The poncho comes in several different plaids so pick one that suits you.
Long sleeved white t-shirt | plaid poncho | flared jeans | red patent ballet flats
The red teddy bear coat. Be still my heart. I had one of these in black in the late 90s. I wore that thing to death. It was so cozy and versatile. This one is too, and it def gives off a holiday vibe. Put this over anything, even your yoga pants, and a sweatshirt, to be instantly catapulted into holiday mode.
Long sleeved white t-shirt | red teddy bear coat | flared jeans | green and white tennis shoes
Black pants infused with holiday cheer
Everyone has a pair of black pants. If you don’t for some reason, go buy some. They are a wardrobe staple regardless of if you have a capsule wardrobe or not. They are also a great base for a holiday look.
Black pants with a white shirt. Now, I included a white shirt with feathers at the cuff (dying over this shirt). But, you could also wear a plain white shirt from your capsule or any white shirt. I added a pop of holiday color and texture with the pink velvet shoes. You can do the same with anything you already have in your closet. This is a great holiday look that can be worn to a work lunch, party, or event at your kids’ school such as a holiday concert. But if you need some flair in your basics, grab this feather-cuffed shirt. You can wear this all year long.
Feather trim shirt | black pants | pink shoes
The red puff sleeve sweater with metallic threads is bursting with holiday vibes. I added green velvet loafers for a traditional holiday color scheme, but you could wear black or red shoes. Whatever you have on hand.
Red puff sleeve sweater | black pants | green velvet loafer
Here is that tartan plaid again, but in a shirt. With black pants and red velvet shoes, you can spread holiday cheer at your work meetings or holiday lunches.
Tartan plaid shirt | black pants | red velvet bow flats
And because metallic textiles are having a moment, here is a green metallic t-shirt to pair with your black pants. I added the green velvet loafers for a subtle holiday outfit that you can wear to the office, holiday drinks, or Christmas shopping.
Green metallic shirt | black pants | green velvet loafers
All of these shirts work with your jeans and all the toppers for the jeans shown above work with your black pants. So right off the bat, you have two different holiday outfits with the same shirt.
Full-blown holiday outfits
Now that we covered looks using what you have on hand, let’s talk about the times when you want to go all out for the holidays. Those times when you want to look very holiday-ish, but still polished and pulled together. These outfits are usually in seasonal colors and textiles and are more challenging to wear at different times of the year. But there is something special about these looks that sometimes, you just gotta have. I pulled together a few of those for you here.
A dress can be the easiest way to get a holiday look. It’s a quick outfit and all you need are accessories. I’m going to reuse accessories from the style above to show how you can get more use out of these special event items.
If a black sequin dress doesn’t say holidays, then nothing does. I kept the entire look simple with black shoes lined in gold. Pulled out the gold in the earrings and added a different texture to the look with a feather bag. This bag would be darling with any of these outfits and would elevate your jeans and a t-shirt holiday look.
Black sequin dress | gold bauble earrings | feather purse | black and gold velvet shoes
This black velvet dress is a blank slate. I did gold accessories here, but you could do red or green, heels or flats. Make this your own with one or two accessories. No need to do much with this one.
Gold chain earrings | black velvet dress | gold beaded clutch | gold knot shoes
A black velvet pants suit is easy to wear, warm, and very festive. I added pops of red with a silk cami, velvet shoes, and a headband. You could go all back with a few pops of red in shoes and accessories or mix red and green. The options are endless when you start with a black base.
Red velvet headband | black velvet jacket | matching velvet pants | red camisole | red velvet bow flats
Metallic textiles are the rage this season, so why not go for a head-to-toe look with a coordinating set. The skirt is also reversible, the other side shows very thin lines of color and still works with the sweater. You can wear these pieces as separates but I love them all together. Because so much is going on I chose a platform sandal in a color from the set. I kept the earrings minimal as this outfit has a lot going on already.
Multi colored earrings | metallic sweater and coordinating metallic skirt | wine colored platform velvet sandals
Other simple ways to create holiday outfits
Sometimes creating holiday outfits can be adding simple accessories. Start with jeans and a white t-shirt, a simple black dress, or an all-black ensemble, and add bold earrings in green. Or a holiday-style headband like a tartan plaid like this bow one or this knotted one. A fun pair of shoes can make your basic look festive. Add a hat, beanie, or earmuffs if your event is outside.
A touch of the holidays goes a long way when you add these classic colors and patterns to your basics. So with this post as your guide, start digging to see what you can find. If you need something to add, you’ve got plenty of options here as well to choose from.
Kim Hancher has a blog dedicated to teaching women 50+ how to regain their unique style and dress the body they have right now so that they feel confident every day.
Kim resides in the San Francisco Bay area with her husband and twin daughters. She loves the color green, anything to do with healthy living (she’s also a certified Health Coach), vegetarian food, and a great purse.
