You Glow, Girl! Glitter to go gives holiday fashions the shimmers

People say she’s crazy, she got diamonds on the soles of her shoes. Well, that’s one way to lose these walking blues.

Paul Simon, “Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes”

Paul Simon had it all wrong. There’s nothing crazy about diamonds on the soles – or straps – of your shoes. Especially for the holidays.

This season, leave the Christmas-tree-embroidered flats in the box and kick up your heels in a pair of rhinestone-studded pumps. Ditto for the reindeer-appliqued sweater. It’s party time, and this is the year to go glam. Slip into a pair of sequined tuxedo pants, a faux fur trimmed top, leather jeans, or anything glittery – it’s time to shine.

“It’s not about ball gowns and that sort of glamour, but it is about being dazzling and bejeweled,” Robert Rutkauskas, vice president and fashion director for Filene’s, said by phone from Boston. “The key words are sparkle and shine.”

Even the timid can add a dash of flash by wearing a sweater with a hint of Lurex (sparkly yarn) or a silk shell covered in black paillettes under a blazer. When evening comes, you won’t need to go home to change, just take off the jacket and voila! It’s a party to go.

“We are seeing some glitz and shine in the daytime wardrobe,” Rutkauskas said. “It blurs the time from day into evening. But there definitely is more glamour at night.”

Glamour doesn’t need to be stuffy or uncomfortable, though. A key look this holiday season is “fancy pants,” which are as dressy as a full skirt, but a bit more practical, not to mention warmer.

“A lot of the outfits, even if they look glamorous, can be comfortable for a party at home,” Rutkauskas said. “There is a trend toward entertaining at home and wearing a satin pant and a Lurex sweater, even though it’s glamorous, it still lends itself to that.”

Cindi Dixon, manager of The Grasshopper Shop in Bangor, said she recently attended a holiday party and people were a bit more dressed up than usual.

“I think people are accessorizing their basics,” she said. “They’ll take a basic black velvet skirt or pants and update it with colors or a glittery top.”

At the Grasshopper, the look is comfortably elegant – a vintage-look velvet dress with a plunging neckline topped with a sheer, beaded jacket, or a pair of black pants paired with a soft, fluffy, bright-red sweater. And the skirts made from recycled saris have also been popular. The silk wrap skirts are shimmery and richly detailed. Plus, the adjustable tie waist is a plus at holiday parties, especially if you find yourself parked next to the spinach dip.

“Every single one of them is different,” Dixon said. “People don’t like all looking the same.”

Whether embellished or simple, luxurious fabrics are hot this season. Silk, especially shimmery, slubbed silk dupioni, adds a bit of shine without being overwhelming. Velvet is dressy on its own, and it’s even dressier when paired with a beaded top or a lace shell. Sweaters in cozy fabrics such as angora and cashmere are warm and elegant.

Sequin-covered pants look amazing, though it takes a little practice to walk in them (trust me on this one). For a more subtle look, satin tuxedo pants do the trick. For the bold and the beautiful, red glitter pants scream “holiday!” If dressing up isn’t your thing, glitter jeans rock around the Christmas tree. Leather pants just rock, period. And, as always, faux fur gives you a Marilyn Monroe-esque, soft, sexy look.

“That is a very, very glamorous, opulent sort of feeling,” Rutkauskas said. “It combines luxury and a soft feel to the touch.”

Also luxurious are the accessories. Dixon said antique-look, beaded necklaces have been popular. At Filene’s, dangly, chandelier-style earrings are enjoying a resurgence, along with rhinestone belt buckles, beaded handbags and faux gemstones on shoes. Just not all at once.

“You never see all of this on one person,” Rutkauskas said. “It isn’t as if you’re layering on the glitz. It’s editing, adding one thing at a time.”

Whether you decide to go all-out with the glitter or keep it subtle, one thing is certain – this season’s holiday fashions are excuse enough to throw a party.

“The look is very, very feminine and romantic,” Rutkauskas said. “It makes you want to celebrate.”

Special thanks to Kathryn Knight-Wise of Filene’s, Cindi Dixon of The Grasshopper Shop, Lisa Ludwig of Gap, and our model, Ruth Kermish of Frankfort.