Tim Gunn’s Tips for Holiday Style
Project Runway’s mentor gives us advice on this season’s dos and don’ts.
By Christine Walewski
Who better than the man who coined the phrase “make it work” to offer up some words of wisdom on how to make this year’s holiday trends work for us? The chair of the fashion design department at New York’s Parsons The New School for Design and a mentor to Project Runway hopefuls, Tim Gunn has a no-nonsense shopping style. “I know what I want. I go in, find it and get out,” he says. “I can’t look around. I’m very focused.”
Here’s his take on what to shop for—and who to shop with.
Do try these trends. “Metallics, in any colour or shade, are big this season, and patent leather and vinyl are fun and affordable,” he says. “What I love about fashion today is that there’s something for everyone.”
Don’t overdo it at the office. Rather, for an evening out, try “an exuberant velvet with a capelet,” Gunn says. “In an office, it’ll just look like you’re going to a costume party.”
Do downplay the glam for your holiday office party. Opt for “a cardigan with rhinestone embellishments and a bracelet with a bit of bling. Thank God for accessories and embellishment.”
Don’t commit a holiday fashion faux pas. The worst offence in Gunn’s style bible? “Those themed sweaters! My mother has a closet full of them. They’re cute; they’re just not fashion.”
Do take the time to find the proper fit. “The most serious foible is that people buy clothes that are too big for them.”
Don’t bring an entourage. “Shop alone! Don’t shop with a friend who will talk you into something you don’t need.”
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