Be Comfortable and Classy on New Year's Eve

What's new for New Year's celebrations? Some of us like to stay in and perhaps host a quiet dinner for friends or binge-watch the latest television craze with family. Still, we want to look our best and I call that, Festive at Home. For comfort and chic I suggest a pair of velvet leggings with a tunic sweater or silk PJ-style pants and a vintage kimono.

Julie Rubenstein, local stylist with Fox and Hanger says, "New Year's style is all about comfort and keeping it safe and personal." For stay-at-home celebrations she recommends an oversized sweater and comfy jeans. Pop the look with a colorful scarf and don't forget a pair of warm socks.

For those who like to go out and about on New Year's Eve, Eliza Jamkochian from Glamorous Boutique in Lafayette says metallic and velvet are this season's go-to fabrics in marieprom dresses and tops.

"My inventory has grown to provide my customers not only with dresses, but also with individual pieces that one can dress up or down for their desired event." Fashionable high-waisted pants offer a dressy yet comfortable look. Jamkochian also has the trendy wide leg mid-rise slacks, which when paired with a heel and a silky top speak volumes of festive drama.

With the New Year comes new plans and I intend to get back to knitting. There's something about cold, dark evenings that call for the clicking of the needles. Handmade is a big trend in fashion as are knitted hats, scarves and gloves. We are lucky to have close by The Yarn Boutique in La Fiesta Square, Lafayette. This cozy store offers plenty of yarn options, including wool, cotton, and various blends as well as needles and other tools of the craft. How about a post-holiday gift to yourself? Sounds good to me!

Reviewing my fashion reads this year, my favorite book was ... "Isms: Understanding Fashion" by Mairi Mackenzie (Herbert Press). Isms is conveniently small but packed full of basic information on fashion, covering the 17th century up to present day - everything from Restorationism to Globalism. I recently took a fashion history class and I repeatedly reached for this book while doing research for papers and presentations. There are plenty of pictures and a handy index for quick reference. Anyone interested in fashion would find this book accessible for fun fashion facts.

On a sad note I have to report that Carl Himmelman, co-owner of Lafayette's Collector's Choice Antiques, recently passed away. Many Lamorinda residents will recall Carl sitting in front of the store on Mt Diablo Boulevard greeting customers and enjoying the sunny weather. Since the shop opened in 2011 he made lots of local friends, who say they liked listening to Carl share his adventures as a former journalist and cameraman for national and international television networks. I always appreciated Carl's warm welcome whenever I popped in for a quote or to find out what's new in the shop. Not to mention the fantastic vintage fashion shows he and his wife Kathy put on with the help of employee JB Kaye. Carl had a bright sprit and he will be missed.