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One dress plus creativity equals an OOTD parade for the holidays
It’s the season for Christmas parties, dinners, family and school reunions, weddings, lunch with balikbayans, Kris Kringle cocktails with office mates, and happy hour with your neighbors. Every possible reason to celebrate happens this season, and before you know it, your social calendar is full.
Of course, deciding what to wear is paramount—especially in this age of social media. Your timeline will be flooded with pictures documenting every event, and the struggle not to be caught in the same outfit twice is real.
Is the solution to buy more and more outfits? Not really.
Helping us with ideas on how to dress up one piece of clothing several ways to get the most out of it is designer and Romack Manila owner Tina Romack Lirag.
“Accessories, toppers, shoes and a lot of creativity will be your best friend for this feat,” says Tina.
To start, I chose this plain, blue, midi dress (above) which I’ve exhausted in its lifetime and was ready to donate to charity. With Tina’s magic, though, it became a canvas for six OOTDs.
“Choose a dress that’s simple, well-fitted and on the neutral palette. That way, it will be easy to style it and it can go with most accessories,” our designer advises.
OOTD number 1: One of my favorites. Tina took a sleeveless vest and put it over the dress, then used a brooch to adorn the belt. I opted for loafers to give the ensemble a relaxed vibe. This look would be good for after-office parties, since you can wear the ensemble to work unadorned and then add the brooch later on to “party” it up.
OOTD number 2: Toppers are one of the quickest ways to transform an outfit, says Tina. To prove it, she adds glittery glamor to the look with an intricately beaded topper from Romack Manila. If there’s a reason and season to put on some shimmer on your outfit, it’s Christmas, this author attests. This dress and topper combination would be appropriate for weddings and cocktail parties. Tina recommends nude heels to wear with it so as not to be too ornamental.
OOTD number 3: We used the dress as a top and matched it with a puffy piña skirt and black slinky sandals. The belt, believe it or not, is a beaded headband pinned around the waist. “This look is very fun yet put together, perfect for evening parties,” Tina says.
OOTD number 4: Tina complemented the dress with a distressed shawl which she wrapped around the waist to create a peplum, and a pearl necklace wrapped around the wrist as a bracelet.
OOTD number 5: For more conservative occasions—family reunions, Christmas mass, lunch with the in-laws, meeting the boyfriend’s parents—this look is a safe bet. The dress is combined with a high-waisted denim A-line skirt and accented with the pearl necklace. For footwear, ballet flats, wedges or heels work either way.
OOTD number 6: Balance androgyny and femininity by placing a retaso lace detail over the dress, then topping the look with a leather moto jacket. “You can also use a cardigan or a bomber jacket and just add a lace fabric inside to make it more interesting,” our designer says. This look for me spells happy all over. Cheers!
Ready to start your own inventive accessorizing? Tina Romack Lirag has some parting advice. “This holiday’s trends are metallic, velvet and shine,” she says. “If you want to follow them, incorporate them in your outfit using accessories like bags, shoes, necklaces. To maximize a dress, like what we did, get existing pieces in your closet and mix and match. Balance your look with make-up and hair to differentiate one ensemble from another. Lastly, do not be afraid to experiment. Parties are fun and half the fun is dressing up!”
So for this holiday season and beyond, you can look chic without breaking the bank. — BM, GMA News
Toppers are from Romack Manila. Vest and skirts are from Tina Romack Lirag.
