Look-of-the-Day

It’s a family tradition to watch It’s A Wonderful Life every Christmas, and a personal favorite of both our editors.  (Fun Fact: We love it so much that it was worked into the maid of honor speech this editor gave at the other’s wedding!)  Here is the gorgeous Donna Reed as Mary Bailey in a beautiful, long-sleeved black dress with a white lace collar, a strand of white pearls and a pair of black heels.  All dressed up for Christmas dinner, Mary doesn’t realize that her husband, George, may be going to prison if he doesn’t sort out his uncle’s financial mess… but she figures out something is wrong pretty quickly!  Thankfully a pretty slick angel and the townspeople of Bedford Falls come to George’s rescue, after Mary gathers friends, family and neighbors to aid the man that’s worked hard for them all their lives.  It’s one of the most touching films of all-time, and Reed saves the day as one adorable heroine in this Christmas classic.

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Look-of-the-Day

Costume designer Marlene Stewart did a fantastic job outfitting The Holiday, because it seems we just can’t stop talking about the clothes in this movie!  Here, Cameron Diaz is wearing a silk black top by Carlos Rosario, a Roland Mouret white pencil skirt, black stiletto pumps and a leather and rhinestone belt that’s apparently vintage.  She stops by Jude Law’s adorable English home in this sexy outfit to surprise him, but he’s got two surprises of his own that she wasn’t expecting…  This glamorous look is perfect for holiday gatherings, or special date nights in December – actually this outfit is quite wearable year-round, but it sure does look good under a long dress coat – which makes it a perfectly lovely Christmas Eve selection!

O Little Town of Washington

Searching for an updated holiday look?  Well look no further than our First Family’s sophisticated 2011 Christmas portrait!  First Lady Michelle Obama looks glamorous, as always, in a textured Byron Lars capped-sleeved, black cocktail dress from his Beauty Mark line.  Many writers were impressed Mrs. Obama wore this dress a second time, as she sported the look earlier this year at the 9/11 Memorial, sparking many to commend her for reusing pieces of her own wardrobe!  Elder daughter Malia looks quite grown-up in her blue and black “Unconditional Osier dress” from Anthropologie (which is already sold out!).  Younger daughter Sasha looks just adorable in her silver and eggplant “Clarissa dress” by BB Dakota.  And the President looks handsome as always in a navy suit and silk tie.  The Obama girls all sported beautiful frocks with lines that look like they’re straight out of the 1950s, but the materials make them completely modern!  Whoever said Washington is Hollywood for ugly people hasn’t been to the White House in a while!

Look-of-the-Day

This “Fancy Friday” happens to be 1940s screen legend Barbara Stanwyck from the romantic comedy Christmas in Connecticut.  This editor’s sister pulled this movie off the shelf at their local library years ago, and it was surprisingly hilarious!  Stanwyck stars as Elizabeth Lane, a single writer from New York who pens a column about traditional cooking and housekeeping from the point of a view of a housewife, even though she doesn’t do a stitch of physical labor…  When an injured sailor returning home from WWII is interested in visiting her fictional home in Connecticut, she realizes it’s her patriotic duty to… well, lie to him!  It doesn’t help that he’s drop-dead gorgeous, and Miss Lane is supposed to be a Mrs!  Here, Elizabeth wears a beautiful, long black gown and a cropped, white jacket with fuzzy trim, while she gets distracted trimming her fake Christmas tree.  Fun Fact: The legendary costume designer, Edith Head was actually borrowed from Paramount Studios to outfit Ms. Stanwyck, alongside Warner Brothers costumer, Milo Anderson.  Below, we’ve included the link of Dennis Morgan as the handsome serviceman singing to Stanwyck.  You can imagine why “O Little Town of Bethlehem” was our favorite holiday song for quite sometime…

Look-of-the-Day

We loved these girls at Halloween, we love that Rachel McAdams is the Queen Bee, and we love that Tina Fey wrote it, so it’s no surprise Mean Girls is on our mind at Christmastime.  From left to right, here are Lacey Chabert, McAdams, Lindsay Lohan and Amanda Seyfried performing “Jingle Bell Rock” in their school’s holiday talent show.  They may only be high school juniors, but their clothes and moves look closer to a strip club holiday special!  (Much to the horror of some of their parents…)  The cool clique dons Santa hats, black knee-high boots, long black gloves, red spaghetti-strapped tank-tops adorned with white fur, and shiny skirts to match.  Costume designer Mary Jane Fort made the bottoms from red plastic to represent the clique’s nickname, “The Plastics.”  They may be mean, and their outfits are so not age-appropriate, but they still look cute for Christmas!

Wednesday’s Shoe

Looking for a way to dress up your little black dress for a holiday party?  Well these candy cane striped peep-toe pumps are certainly a fun accessory for the season without going over the top!  They have a 4 inch heel and can be purchased at SusansShoes.com.  They cost $34.00 and come in sizes 6 to 10.  We like to think Mrs. Claus wears these to cheer Santa up after a long night of work on December 24th!

Look-of-the-Day

We’ve talked about several of our favorite Christmas movies this past week, but It’s A Wonderful Life still remains our all-time favorite holiday flick.  There’s no other film on Earth that can make this editor choke up not once, but usually four times in one sitting – and that’s after seeing it dozens of times.  Originally panned by critics, the 1946 Frank Capra movie was completely insulted and ignored when it was released following the end of World War II.  James Stewart and Donna Reed play George Bailey and Mary Hatch, a pair of friends who have known each other since childhood.  All George wants to do is flee his one-horse town, but Mary actually misses Bedford Falls when she goes away to university and interns in New York City.  The above scene is when the two are reunited after Mary’s college graduation, and George is frustrated after finding out some news that may cause him to never escape their hometown.  Mary dons on a lovely full-skirted dress with an embroidered collar, princess sleeves and a ribbon tied around her waist.  She looks adorable waiting for her crush to admit his feelings, but he’s certainly in a different kind of mood… After arguing and yelling, the two answer a phone call from a mutual friend that leads to one of the most romantic scenes in cinematic history, and causes the future Mr. & Mrs. Bailey to realize they’re meant for one another.

Look-of-the-Day

Based on the frequency the lovely Miss Diaz has shown up in our “12 Days of Christmas Countdown,” we probably could have just written an article on all of her fabulous outfits as Amanda Woods.  (Guess we’ll compile them for next year!)  Here is Cameron Diaz, yet again, and Jude Law in the Nancy Meyers’ film, The Holiday.  The two play complete opposites who end up falling for each other when Amanda exchanges houses with his sister, Iris.  In these photos, they’re frolicking together after their first official date.  Diaz is sporting a long beige and white shearling coat by Miu Miu, a thin white scarf, slim-cut jeans and a great pair of slouchy brown leather boots.  Jude looks sexy, as always, in his navy overcoat, layered sweater with collared shirt, and a sophisticated plaid scarf.  The two may be from opposite ends of the Earth, but we’ve never seen east meets west look so good!

Look-of-the-Day

We’ve mentioned that The Family Stone was one of theSkinnyStiletto‘s favorite holiday films earlier this week, and we’re continuing to discuss the cast’s outfits we just love!  Fashion icon Sarah Jessica Parker plays an uptight Manhattanite named Meredith who does not fit in with her boyfriend, Everett’s family when she meets them for the first time over Christmas.  Meredith arrives to the Stones’ home in this tailored gray suit, black pointy stiletto pumps, a beautiful black trench coat and a bun so tight and slicked back, it’s practically within Marine Corps hair regulations.  She’s a successful businesswoman, and while her manners and image are picture perfect, her confidence isn’t as nearly put-together.  (Although, we’re completely on her side when Everett’s niece breaks the heel on her ballerina pink pumps.  Umm, hello?  I met you 15 minutes ago and you’re stomping around in a pair of my shoes that probably cost more than your whole wardrobe?  Don’t care if you’re 8, that’s so inappropriate!)  Meredith and Everett (pictured, below) look great together in their professional New York outfits, but their souls aren’t as great a match as they originally thought…

Look-of-the-Day

Considering this movie certainly inspires coziness, it’s no surprise we’d like to bundle up in the characters’ clothing, too.  In The Holiday, Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet play a Californian and a Brit, respectively, who switch houses for Christmas, after both facing relationship trouble.  While Diaz’s character, Amanda, contemplates leaving England earlier than planned, she wears this gorgeous winter white cable-knit sweater by TSE Cashmere.  Amanda may be freezing in the tiny stone cottage she’s staying in, but between this v-neck and a sexy Jude Law, who appears at her door, we’re sure she’ll have no problem keeping warm!  Now if only that sweater didn’t cost $1,000…