Stay cozy & chic this winter with local boutiques

‘Tis the season for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, dinners with family, New Year’s Eve parties and other celebrations. When planning what to wear this busy winter season, the key is versatility both with new clothing and items already in your closet.

Sequin blouses or dresses, metallic tops and other sparkly clothing are popular items to wear to holiday events. The key is finding other uses for these items the rest of the year.

“Think about where else you can wear these items again like an office party or wedding,” says Lynne Ball, store manager and buyer at Liz & Kate Boutique in Geneva. “You want to get a piece that resonates both in the current season and the seasons to come.”

To get started, Ball suggests taking a good look at the items already in your closet.

“If you have pieces in your closet, you haven’t worn and never take out, those are the pieces to donate. Then you can find a classic staple piece that can take you through the entire winter season,” Ball says,

For example, blazers offer the versatility of a professional look with slacks or a skirt for the office or it can be paired with jeans for a causal look. Simple tops, shells or tanks can be worn on their own during warmer weather months or as a layering piece during colder weather. And of course, a classic white blouse goes with everything.

“The important thing is to find pieces that fit your body and fit your lifestyle,” Ball adds.

With the recent fluctuating temperatures throughout all the seasons, Ball suggests keeping clothing like mid-weight sweaters, knit wraps and ponchos on hand that work great both indoors and outdoors as well as travel.

“Peruvian cotton jackets are more sophisticated than denim. You can wear Peruvian cotton jackets or a blazer indoors or you can wear them outdoors as a standalone jacket on a warmer winter day,” Ball says.

And when traveling, “Knit wraps are handy to have on the airplane. They’re easy to pack,” she says.

Another fun way to dress up your look for the holidays are with jewelry pieces including snowflake earrings, jingle bells and rhinestone earrings. If you’d like to add something seasonal to your wardrobe, Ball suggests buying items with snowflakes that can be worn all winter long.

For outwear like scarves and mittens, Ball recommends buying items that are machine washable.

“Handmade hats, gloves and scarves are beautifully made and great to wear for the season. But when they get dirty, most often they get thrown away because they can’t be washed,” Ball says.

While shopping this holiday season, it’s often fun picking up a little something for yourself while shopping for others. A pair of soft winter socks can be a nice item for yourself or to gift for others.

When shopping at boutiques this holiday season, Ball says to be sure to get a gift receipt and ask about the story’s return policy as they might differ from the big box stores.