One of my favorite things about blogging is getting comments and notes from my readers. I especially love when you all tell me what style issues you need addressed because it gives me an idea for a post that I know will be useful. Today I will be answering one of your questions about holiday outfits:

Although I do tend to suggest glitzy pieces around the holidays, most of my holiday season is spent in more comfortable basics since the dress code at most of the events I attend is fairly casual. There is a joke in my house that your Thanksgiving outfit needs to include elastic waist pants so you can stuff yourself silly with mashed potatoes and pie. I do try to wear a ponte dress instead of yoga pants, but my look is far from being featured in a magazine spread.

Before I give specific suggestions about party pieces, I want to talk about shopping for pieces that aren't the most popular style for a season. Pretty much every store will start getting in a collection of glitzy dresses for the holiday so it can quickly feel like there are no other options. But if you approach your outfit search from the right angle, you will be able to find a great look without a lot of stress.

First, check out the sale section. All the fall pieces (with their lovely autumnal colors) are going to be marked down and put together in an overwhelmingly crowded section at the back of the store. It takes a little bit of patience, but there are often gems back there. When shopping the sale rack, be willing to try on multiple sizes. Sometimes pieces end up back there because their fit was slightly different than the brand's normal sizing and other people were unwilling to try a size up.

Second, shop at department stores. They have a much wider selection because they need to cater to a large audience (and also because their larger physical space means they have room to display more pieces). You can also try a store that focuses more on vintage-inspired or bohemian fashion, such as Anthropologie, because the color palettes there tend more towards the earth tones. 

Now onto answering the original question. My immediate thought when I read this question was that bronze would be the perfect party color. It is earthier and more subdued than gold or silver, but it is still in the metallic family so you have a bit of shine. Plus, the great thing is that bronze comes in many variations as some lean more towards rust red and others to chocolate brown. 

If bronze still feels too glitzy for your tastes, instead focus on the fabric. Taupe or olive green may not seem like party colors, but if your dress is made of flowing silk or delicate lace you will look appropriately dressed. For the holiday season I absolutely love jacquard and flocked fabrics because the texture adds visual interest and since they are thicker fabrics, they feel seasonal.

Do you have a question you would like me to answer? There are lots of ways to contact me and I'd love to hear from you! 

I was recently asked whether cropped cardigans could be worn and if so, when they would they be appropriate. The answer to the first question is yes, but the second requires a bit of explaining. Cardigans can (mostly) be separated into one of three category lengths and each length works best with a different silhouette. Here are some tips for determining which cardigan will work best with your outfit:

Cropped Length
Works best over a dress with an a-line or full skirt. The bottom of the cardigan will ideally hit at the horizontal seam line between the bodice and the skirt, maintaining the shape of the dress. Although a longer cardigan may look fine with the dress when you are looking straight on in the mirror, if you turn to look at your back you will notice that the proportions are off. The top of the skirt gets smushed down by the cardigan and then poofs out dramatically directly below the cardigan which adds extra fabric (and emphasis) on your rear end instead of highlighting your smaller waist.

Regular Length
These cardigans hit at or around your hips and they are great for keeping the look of long legs. Pair with wide leg or bootcut trousers and straight skirts. (An a-line skirt should follow the same rules as an a-line dress.) You want to avoid a long cardigan with these types of bottoms because they interfere with the line of the leg. The eye starts measuring the length of the leg from the bottom of the cardigan so if you have yours pulled down past your butt, you have not only lost several inches of leg, but added those inches to your torso. That creates a disproportionate body shape. 

Boyfriend Length
The long length works well with skinny jeans (and slim cut pants in general), especially when the pants are tucked into riding boots. The pant in boot phenomenon means that there is no exposed hem of the pant to visually bisect the leg. Since riding boots come up fairly high, we see the boot as a continuation of the leg, rather than it marking the end of the leg. This gives a longer leg line to work with which means you can add extra length to your torso without creating a wonky silhouette. 

A little over seven months ago I started this blog after my sister was complimented on an outfit I created for her. Her friends and colleagues were envious of the styling cards I wrote up for her so that even her most difficult pieces could be easily thrown together on a hectic morning. Without knowing the contents of every reader's closet, I have not yet been able to replicate those cards on a larger scale, but I am going to try anyway.

If you have a difficult piece in your wardrobe or are pondering the purchase of something that you like but have no idea how to wear, I want to help. Take a photo of the item or copy the link and send it to me at practicallystylishblog@gmail.com or by filling out the comment form on the contact page. (If you send a photo, please include a brief description as well.) Hopefully some of those hard-to-wear pieces can return to being your favorites!

Emily asked,

Spring is beginning to feel like a possibility here in the Midwest as well (50 degrees today!) and although shorts weather is still a ways off for me, it is always fun to start planning ahead. The outfits that I have curated show a range of layering options that should keep your shorts looking spiffy and polished from the cooler spring days to the heat of summer. Also, since many buildings run their air conditioning at levels that resemble Chicago winters, it is usually handy to have an extra layer in your bag.

You'll notice that none of my outfits include a polo shirt; this is mostly because the only polo I own has a giant "Legoland" logo embroidered on it. I don't buy polo shirts because there are many other options that are just as easy to wash and wear and that I find more flattering on my frame. The neckline on most polos is high and has the extra bulk of the collar (which I can never manage to keep looking crisp) which limits your ability to layer with necklaces and scarves.

Since there is both a bold color and a bold pattern in this outfit, it was important that everything felt related. Choose either all warm colors, all cool colors or, like I did here, colors that mix together to create the third (yellow + blue = green).