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Style Lesson: 31 Ways to Update Your Party Look

Three experts on the perfect festive pieces - just in time for soiree season.

Nov 14, 2008

Taghi Naderzad

Three experts on the perfect festive pieces - just in time for soiree season.

Taghi Naderzad

Update Your Party Look

Olivia Palermo, socialite
"Overdress rather than underdress."

Buy a great oversize clutch that works for day or night. Keep double-sided tape in your bag to shorten a hem in a pinch. Mix hard and soft, masculine and feminine. Overdress rather than underdress. Forget red and green for the holiday season — too predictable. Try platform heels, which look hot but put less stress on your arches when you're standing all night at a party. Play with hot pink. Pack baby powder to absorb oil from both your hair and face. Load up on heavy gold jewelry. Invest in a long winter coat for evenings so your bare legs aren't exposed.

On Palermo, left: Blazer, $79.50, The Limited; dress, $660, Diane von Furstenberg; booties, $790, Dior; belt, $216, Linea Pelle Collection; bracelet, $113, Giles & Brother by Philip Crangi; ring, $185, Rosena Sammi; Palermo's own necklace. On model, right: Top, $595, Vera Wang; skirt, $995, Rachel Roy; shoes, $550, Boss Black; necklace, $1600, Subversive Jewelry by Justin Giunta.

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Dress $630, Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti; (212) 460-5500. Belt $120, Linea Pelle Collection; ronherman.com

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Ring $900, Mesi Jilly at Jennifer Miller New York; (212) 734-8199.

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Booties $450, Tory Burch; toryburch.com.

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Necklace $375, Polytima Designs at Fragments; (888) 6-FRAGMENTS.

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Bra & Panty $75 & $50, Princesse Tam-Tam; figleaves.com.

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Clutch $59, Melie Bianco; (562) 908-9830.

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Cardigan $118, J.Crew; jcrew.com.

Taghi Naderzad

Update Your Party Look

Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss, designer
"Camouflage a belly and elongate legs with a slimming shift dress that hits right above the knee."

Boldly pair bright colors, like red shoes with a blue dress. Don't show too much cleavage. Invest in a strapless dress with a fitted bustier and full skirt. Add fun to a formal look with a high ponytail. Don't fall for too-trendy dresses that you'll only wear once. Try textured tights, bold statement necklaces, and large cuffs. Layer a turtleneck underneath a sheath dress. Belt it! Don't get so glitzy that you compete with the holiday decorations. Step into a great pair of heels — what are you saving them for?

On Gruss, right: Dress, $330, Shoshanna; shoes, $795, Yves Saint Laurent; pendant necklace, $1500, leaf necklace, $2775, Jennifer Meyer; bangles, $275 for set of six, Elizabeth Cole Jewelry. On model, left: Dress, $350, Shoshanna; shoes, $845, Jimmy Choo; earrings, $30, Nine West; cuffs, $165 & $195, Ted Rossi.

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Shoes $495, Miu Miu at Bergdorf Goodman; (800) 558-1855.

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Dress $1595, Chloé; saks.com.

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Necklaces $432 & $1404, Marni; marni.com for stores.

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Dress $350, Shoshanna at Bergdorf Goodman; (800) 558-1855.

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Bag $825, Tod's; tods.com for stores.

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Bracelet $49, Banana Republic; bananarepublic.com.

Ben Goldstein

Update Your Party Look

Turtlenecks $158 each, J.Crew; jcrew.com.

Taghi Naderzad

Update Your Party Look

Maryam Malakpour, Stylist
"Start with too much jewelry and edit down from there."

Accessorize with a gold men's Rolex, a Chanel cuff, a Scottish cashmere beret, or a string of pearls. Scour eBay for the perfect '80s Ungaro dress. Don't buy cheap shoes — it's hard to get inexpensive leather to look good. Tuck a Casablanca lily in your hair for an instantly festive look. Hit up secondhand stores for vintage diamanté necklaces to layer. Start with too much jewelry and edit down from there. Don't wear red lipstick just because it's the holiday season. Throw an LBD over skinny jeans or leggings. Try tartan, velvet, big sequins, and silver. Shine!

On Malakpour, left: Dress, $185, L'Agence; booties, $1070, Yves Saint Laurent; necklace, $1100, Stephen Dweck; oblong ring, $185, Rosena Sammi; Malakpour's own pink Marc Jacobs ring. On model, right: Top, $38, Alternative; skirt, $1450, The Row; shoes, $995, Christian Louboutin; bag, $2425, Chanel; wide choker, $135, R.J. Graziano; scarf, $600, L'Agence; Malakpour's own vintage necklaces.