LATEST FASHION

Pardon me, but from here until January I will be stressing over the plethora of holiday party invites that have suddenly bombarded my inbox. Gathering together with your friends, family, and coworkers over spiced drinks and sugary desserts is the easy part, unfortunately figuring out what to wear for the occasion is not. And if you're like me, you'll want to be especially extra and whip out a new outfit each time. Every holiday season I used to feel the need to shell out big bucks for expensive sequin gowns and designer tops I'd usually never wear again, but this year I decided to streamline my approach. This season not only am I keeping myself to a strict budget, but I also plan on investing in pieces that I can still get wear out of, even after the party is over. It didn't take long for me to find the solution: our very own in-house collection with Target, which specializes in affordable, trendy statement items that get a lot of bang for your buck. After a quick browse, I assembled five easy special looks that cover everything from a fancy soiree to lowkey home hangouts. For everyone else in the same boat right about now—keep scrolling.

The easiest way to look expensive, and the easiest approach for a party look that will blow everyone away, faux leather is on my shortlist of occasion outfits to wear this season. This coordinating set comes in two colors—a chocolate brown and a sleek black— so buy both and kill two birds with one stone. I plan on styling this with dangly diamante earrings and point toe stilettos for a fashion girl vibe.

When I'm looking to keep things simple, I'm all for a dress. With the bulk of your outfit done, the only thing to ponder over now is the accessories. For this, I'd go for snakeskin over-the-knee boots and hoops.

So the dress code isn't cocktail, but not completely casual? Here's your open invitation to fully embrace coziness. The trick to being cozy without looking sloppy is to go for laid-back silhouettes in rich textures and thick materials. These velvet pants hit all those points and for less than $30. I can either wear it with a soft cable knit sweater for a family gathering or with the coordinating velvet top for a company holiday party.

It's not an understatement to say that an outfit of winter whites hit different. There's just an air of sophistication that pervades when you manage to keep your outfit crisp (and unstained) throughout the night. For under $60, I love this subtle approach to a festive party look. The best part is I can easily repurpose the top and pants for future winter ensembles.

My eyes have also been all over this coat as a way to amp things up a level.

I've owned many expensive knit dresses, and this one rivals them all in terms of style points. It comes in so many colors, I've been thinking about buying those too as a quick outfit option when time is of the essence. This deep burgundy feels wonderfully on point for the holidays, especially with shiny gold accessories.