Put down the deliberately ugly holiday sweater. We need to have a chat. And not just about how on earth the Ugly Holiday Sweater became a trend. And you in the back with the Christmas Red/Christmas Green top, and your friend with the Hannukah Blue and White dress? You need to...

Statement Clothes is one of those fashion-y phrases that can be a bit confusing. What are statement clothes? What's the statement? Is this even something I should be wearing? You've got questions and your Auntie Jen has answers. So what are statement clothes? A statement piece of clothing is eye...

I've gone on and on about how you shouldn't buy clothes that you could only wear on a special occasion. In most instances, it's better to invest in well-made, versatile pieces. But that doesn't mean I think you should show up at parties wearing the same exact outfit you wear to...

We all need little pick-me-ups to help us get through the day. If you're like me, most of your mood boosters are in your phone or on your desk. From where I'm sitting, I can see a Tina Fey action figure, a calculator shaped like a friendly robot, and a photo...

There's a lot to love about the holiday season - the food, the family. There's also a lot to hate about the holiday season, like all the drama surrounding food and family.  You can make this year better, no matter how much your relatives work your last nerve. It has...

There's so much to love about parties - the fun, the food, the friends! And much to hate - really bad photos of you popping up on social media.  Some of those pictures are unavoidable - bad lighting and poor amateur photographers are as much a fact of life as...

I'm always going on about versatile clothing and how you shouldn't feel obligated to buy an outfit that's only appropriate at weddings, holiday parties, and special occasions. But "don't feel that you have to" isn't the same as "you shouldn't". Clothing is supposed to be fun. If you want to...

The more parties you throw, the easier it gets. You learn to schedule party day down to the minute. You figure out what needs to go in the oven when, and which closets are best for stashing clutter. But your outfit can be an afterthought. Which is a bad idea...

Even if you spend a fortune buying or renting a costume for Halloween, it's not going to look as good as something you threw together yourself. And tracking down a ready made plus size Halloween costume takes too much effort anyway. But you don't need lots of time or sewing...

As much as I love a closet full of classics that I can wear whenever, I do love to add a few new pieces each season to keep things interesting. Ideally, those pieces are classic enough that I can keep them in heavy rotation. At a minimum, they shouldn't be...

We talk a lot about how this or that outfit is appropriate for a cocktail party. But what do we mean by that? Even if you're never in your whole long life been invited to a Cocktail Party, you've probably been to that type of party. When we say cocktail...

The Holiday Season is a time to gather with your best and dearest. It's also a time when you can't avoid people who drive you up the wall. Sure, Aunt Katherine's hobby is criticizing people, your co-worker took credit for your fantastic idea, and the PTA is run by that mean...

Of course you want to dress up for holiday parties. Who can blame you? But you also don't want to look like some glittery thing people hang in the window to make it look festive. And you really don't want to end up with any clothes you can't wear again...

We're always hearing about the latest trends, the one color or style that you absolutely have to add to your wardrobe this season. Of course the problem with trends is that they look outdated after only a few months. I'm not saying you should ignore trends entirely, but maybe stick...

The great thing about November and December is all the parties - you get to see your best and dearest while kicking back and having some fun. The terrible thing about November and December is all the parties - getting through the season requires more planning than a military campaign. Even...