Katie Holmes is not a celebrity whose sense of style catches my eye, but her new hairdo grabbed my attention. Over the past 3 years, she’s gone from here, to here and now to here. A retro 70’s bob with thick fringe (bangs) looks chic, new and fairly easy to maintain with the help of a flat iron. The most recent chop might set a new trend, much like Jennifer Aniston’s “Rachel” did in the ’90’s.  I think that the new do is fab. What do you think?

Katie’s evolution (click on the thumbnails to see larger images on E! Online and MSN Entertainment)

Veteran American fashion designer Ralph Lauren brought out a few interesting Holiday looks for gents this season. Not quite my preconceived idea of the male American tradition, but a novel and unique look all the same. In fact, I can appreciate the retro 50’s trend with a Scandinavian twist. To my surprise, the models seem to get away with the look. On some fashion level these Holiday ensembles are ultra funky, preppy and tastefully humorous. Does anyone else share my view?

A dressy skirt and jacket combination makes for a super holiday outfit. It’s a versatile look that’s timeless, ageless and a lot warmer than a dress or a blouse ensemble. Your choice of skirt and jacket styles may vary, but it’s important to keep the fabrications of both items lavish and swish. The key is to look a step up from business formal.

Here are some things to consider when you plan this outfit:

• Skirts can be short, long, A-line, straight, matte, shiny, stiff, soft, neutral or bold. A long skirt is very formal and will take you to a black tie event, while a knee-length skirt can comfortably take you to any party occasion. Skirts made of jacquards, lace, silk taffeta, chiffon, drapy crepes and stretch sateen are ideal options.
• Jackets are best when they are short and fitted. They’ll work over any type of skirt and over a pair of dark jeans they will double up as a casual party look. Velvet, burnout and jacquard are my favourite fancy jacket fabrications this season, but sequins and sateen are also great. Have fun with voluminous sleeve detailing or signature Ralph Lauren ruffles for a truly romantic touch.
• Tops are optional underneath the jacket. Fancy camisoles that peek out always do the trick, but satin tanks and lacy knits do just as well.

Finish off the look with the golden rule: dressy heels and a small fab bag. It might be time consuming finding all the pieces of this ensemble, but when you do, you can split them up to dress them up or down with one of fashion’s best inventions: denim.

An assortment of black velvet jackets.

An assortment of party skirts. The intention is not for the look to be entirely black or for the jackets to match the skirts that they are positioned above (it just worked out that way with the pictures that I chose to support this post).

Fancy separates are the way to go if party frocks are not for you. The fancy wrap ensemble is classic, easy and instantly slimming. Unless you’re extremely well endowed, you can probably wear this look. Pair a fancy wrap blouse with a short or long skirt (A-line or straight), fancy heels and a petite posh bag and Bob’s your uncle. Matching the look with slacks will also work, but it’s not quite as smart. This style of blouse aches to be worn with a skirt because it’s dressier and more feminine that way.

This ensemble might need a little fine tuning. Here are some tips to help you on your way:

• Luxurious fabrication is essential. Wrap blouses are available in everyday cotton, which is fine for the office but won’t do for fancy fares. You’re after silk and taffeta to be party appropriate.
• Wear a shimmery camisole if the front V-neckline is too low.
• Alter the length of the ties if you prefer the look of a reef knot instead of a bow. A bow can look fussy while the vertical appeal of knotted ties is streamlined and draws the eye up and down. Most wrap blouse ties are long enough to accommodate bows, and end up hanging too far down your thigh if you leave them knotted without tying the bow. You’ll therefore need to have the length of the ties shortened so that the look stays balanced.

This party separate combination is particularly flattering if you have a little extra around the middle. A woven top that’s layered and ruched has wonderful camouflaging capabilities.

You can achieve the same affect with different styles of blouse. The pink blouse on the right doesn’t actually “wrap” like the red and brown blouses do (it buttons done the front instead), but the overall look of the outfit is much the same.