STYLE: A Night at the Ballet (and what to wear for it)

I LOVE ballet!  My mom used to be a ballerina when she was younger, so I grew up with an appreciation for ballet (and the fear of bad posture).  So she and I kicked off our Christmas season by going to see The Nutcracker at the Benedum Center. With it's luxurious interior and its rich history of entertainment, The Benedum Center is one of the most interesting and beautiful venues I have ever been to!  How could you NOT dress up for it?  But it can be hard to dress up for the holidays; you never know where the fine line between "festive" and "ridiculous" lies, you want to be comfortable, but you also want to look fabulous - there are decisions to be made here!  The ballet is a perfect starting point to set the example of how to dress for the holidays because all the same things apply: you want to be comfortable, look great, take great pictures, and be festive but not cheesy.  I was pleased to see how many people put some real effort into their  ballet ensemble and how elegant everyone looked.  So let your fellow Pittburghers help you pick out your holiday ensemble.

Here are my favorite outfits from that night, I hope it inspires some wonderful holiday outfits for you!!

Festive Colors: Play with holiday colors by choosing different shades, tones, and textures.  The structure of this dress along with simple accessories and ankle strap heels keeps this look polished and grown-up while showing off a great shade of red.

Holiday Chic: Change up your usual LBD (Little Black Dress) by choosing something with an interesting neckline and/or sleeve.  Keep it chic with natural glowy makeup and a sleek updo.

Simple Elegance: The holidays are a great time to experiment with colors and textiles.  A cherry red coat adds a festive pop of color and a shining beaded top in a simple color is formal and yet whimsical.

Something Different:  For those who aren't into getting "glam" and "dolled-up," you can still look great by mixing colors and prints for an interesting "hip" look. 

Holiday Shine: Jewel tones and jewel encrusted pieces are ideal for the holidays, whether your celebrating in a group, with a significant other, or solo, it's bound to attract attention and be a point of interest.

Urban Festive:  Want to wear a holiday color without losing your cool? Add a fitted blazer like this one to your outfit for an effortless and urban look.

The One-Thing:  If you find that you just don't have (or want to wear) anything festive, pick at least one thing: accessory, color, neckline, ect., that changes the whole look.  These ladies do a great job of turning an all black outfit, into glamorous holiday ensembles fit for the theater with streams of pearls and a high collared ruffle in chartreuse!