Bootie call
Valentino’s mod ankle boot, the inspiration for this gift guide’s polka-dot motif, is probably the last thing you’d want to wear in three feet of snow, so wrap up a pair and pray for a green Boxing Day.
Valentino boots, $1,775 (U.S.) through store.valentino.com.
Compact discs
The season’s limited-edition cosmetics palettes are packed with blushes and shadows in pale pinks, plum tones and luminescent neutrals. For a holiday look as light as an early-December snowfall, just a touch will do.
Clockwise from top left: Lise Watier Aurora Celestial Light Powder, $36, eye shadow palette, $43 at drug and department stores (visit www.lisewatier.com for retailers). Cle de Peau Beauty Coffret (includes an eyeshadow and blush palette, lipstick and mascara), $200 at Holt Renfrew (www.holtrenfrew.com) and Ogilvy (www.ogilvy.com). Bobbi Brown Warm Glow Eye Palette, $56 at Bobbi Brown counters (www.bobbibrown.ca). Camelia de Plumes in Platine, $76 at Chanel (www. chanel.com). Quo All About Eyes Palette, $22 at Shoppers Drug Mart (www.shoppersdrugmart.ca). Keepsakes Plum Eye Palette, $47.50 at M.A.C (www.maccosmetics.com).
Mini moment
From tiny “trunks” by Louis Vuitton to downscaled pouches from Mulberry, petite purses have been upstaging large carryalls on the runway – and on the street. This year’s holiday message (besides peace and love): Sometimes, the best things do come in small packages.
Mulberry bag (top), $590 at Mulberry (www.mulberry.com). Salvatore Ferragamo bag (middle), $1,380 at Davids Footwear (www.davidsfootwear.com). Alexander McQueen bag (bottom), $1,245, Steven Tai top, $895 at Holt Renfrew (www.holtrenfrew.com). Kate Spade skirt, $298, watch, $250 at Kate Spade (www.katespade.com). Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection earrings, $500 through www.caroletanenbaum.com.
Choked up
Whether it’s a costume bauble or the real deal, oversized jewellery is extremely on trend. Search out precious pieces with especially architectural forms, such as Paula Mendoza’s collar featuring a parade of metallic pearls.
Paula Mendoza choker, $995, bracelet (at bottom of bracelet stack), $410 at Holt Renfrew (www.holtrenfrew.com). Arme de L’Amour bracelet (middle of stack), $300 through www.armedelamour.com. Cuchara bracelet (top of stack), $154 through www.cuchara.ca. Suno dress, $950 at Hudson’s Bay (www.thebay.com). Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection earrings, $550 through www.caroletanenbaum.com.
Links in
This season, some of the trendiest bracelets, be they delicate, interconnected rounds or heftier chains, blend rough and tumbled shapes with glittering gilding. These holiday treasures look most decadent with other cuffs and bangles in similarly warm tones.
Top row, from left to right: Stardust bracelet, $90 at Swarovski (www.swarovski.com). Oscar De La Renta bracelet, $295 at Holt Renfrew (www.holtrenfrew.com). KARA by Kara Ross bracelet, $165 at Hudson’s Bay (www.thebay.com). Middle row: Gold Chain Toggle bracelet, $142 at Brooks Brothers (www.brooksbrothers.com). Mindham Fine Jewellery gold-link bracelet with diamonds, $19,800 through www.mindham.com. Kenneth Jay Lane bracelet, $125 at Hudson’s Bay. Bottom row: Robert Lee Morris bracelet, $270 at Holt Renfrew. Twist Link bracelet, $4,100 at Tiffany & Co. (www.tiffany.ca). Julie Vos Bali Chalcedony bracelet, $259.99 at Elle Hardware (www.ellehardware.com).
Note pad
The holiday season’s lineup of new fragrances includes Chloé Love Story (a combination of orange blossom, jasmine and cedar) for her and a collector’s edition of Boss Bottled (which has a warm woody base) for him. Also on offer: Bottega Veneta’s sparkling Knot, a “Glamorama” version of Thierry Mugler Angel and fresh opaque packaging for Dolce & Gabbana The One.
Clockwise from top: Thierry Mugler Angel Glamorama Limited Edition eau de parfum, $138 at Hudson’s Bay (www.thebay.com). Boss Bottled Reload Collector’s Edition, $90 at Hudson’s Bay. Chloé Love Story, $100 at department and drug stores across Canada (visit www.chloe.com for retailers). Dolce & Gabbana The One for Men Collection’s Edition, $97 at Hudson’s Bay and Dolce & Gabbana (www.dolceandgabbana.com). Bottega Veneta Knot, $130 at Holt Renfrew (www.holtrenfrew.com), Sephora (www.sephora.ca) and Hudson’s Bay.
Seasonal shift
Giving a dress is a tricky task, especially if you search out body-conscious minis and over-structured gowns. Your go-to shape should be something that fits as easily as an Oxford shirt but feels special thanks to unique details and novel textures such as the pony collar and three-dimensional polka dots of this Victoria Beckham stunner.
Victoria Victoria Beckham dress, $1,050, Reese Hudson bag, $755 at Holt Renfrew (www.holtrenfrew.com). Shoes, $295 at Tory Burch (www.toryburch.com). Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection ring, $450 through www.caroletanenbaum.com.
Reed Krakoff dress, $2,590 through www.reedkrakoff.com. Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection necklace, $600, earrings, $450 through www.caroletanenbaum.com. Carvela Kurt Geiger shoes, $285 at Hudson’s Bay (www.thebay.com).
Vintage Oscar de la Renta gown, $1,200 through www.shrimptoncouture.com. Carole Tanenbaum Vintage Collection earrings, $350, bangle, $550 through www.caroletanenbaum.com.
Set design by Kalpna Patel. Styling by Odessa Paloma Parker. Product styling by Tricia Hall/Judyinc.com. Beauty and fragrance market edit by Megan Kirkwood. Hair by Matthew Collins for P1M.ca/Brennen Demelo Studio. Makeup by Vanessa Jarman for Rimmel London/P1M.ca. Manicure by Rita Remark/Plutino Group.
This story originally appeared in the November 2014 issue of Globe Style Advisor. To download the magazine's free iPad app, visit tgam.ca/styleadvisor.