CLEVELAND —
Whether you want to sparkle or shine, deciding what to wear during the holidays can be a challenge, but you don't have to look far for stand-out style.
Here in Northeast Ohio, we have no shortage of great local boutiques that can help you put together the perfect holiday party look. Our 3News Style Contributor Hallie Abrams went to some of her favorite area shops and asked them to style a holiday party look that just might help inspire your next ensemble.
Blackbird Fly Boutique is a women's contemporary store in Pinecrest. Owner Angelina Rodriguez Pata says she was inspired to go brighter this season.
"I think we are very used to dressing darker in the winter here and especially for our holiday events," she explained, "and I just wanted to change it up a bit and do a little bit of winter white and a pop of color."
She paired a satiny blazer with rich green pants, pieces that should both have staying power.
"The blazer is by QT; this is a Spanish label, they've been around for quite some time," she told us. "It's a classic winter white satin blazer. A little sheen to the fabric always elevates it, but this can really be paired with a pair of denim and a great boot somewhere down the road."
For this look, Angelina chose to pair the blazer with hunter green pants.
"The great thing about these is that the flare is not so much that I don't feel like it's not age appropriate," she said.
Hallie pointed out that green is a great choice for the holidays and pairs well with the silver jewelry Angelina was wearing, which is called Linger Designs and is all handmade by Angelina and sold exclusively at Blackbird Fly.
Next up, a "pretty in pink" look from Banyan Tree, which has locations in Tremont and Crocker Park.
"Banyan Tree has been in Cleveland for 22 years now, so it's a bit of a staple," General Manager Jen Koury said. "What we love is that our owner designs most of our clothing, so it's very unique to Cleveland."
Koury styled a monochromatic fuchsia ensemble for her holiday look.
"We love this dress just because it's really easy to wear," she said. "Very simple for almost any body type, and it has pockets [which everyone loves," she said. "We wanted to show [how this is ]the color for the season and how you can just add simple jewelry to it."
The dress retails for just $58, and Koury pointed out most items at the store are under $100.
"So if you're looking for style, but also affordability, we have that available."
She also added a fun puffer jacket as the final element to her look.
"Living in Cleveland, it gets cold as we all know," she said. "So the puffer jacket over it is a really functional, kind of smart way to dress when you're out and about in the winter, but it's also super cute, so it adds a bit of flair and style."
Speaking of flair and style, men looking for fashion forward looks can find that aplenty at Next, which has three Northeast Ohio locations. Buyer Ahryn Tolley styled model Jon Solomon in a coordinated look that could work for a wide range of events.
"This is a brand called Valabasas and I thought it was sort of fitting for the holiday season because oftentimes you go for a really dressier look," Tolley said. "I think, post-COVID, people have been doing like sort of that lounge look, but this kind of in between [those extremes]."
Thought the flared pants may seem like a bold choice, Hallie pointed out they are more wearable than you'd think.
"It's still sort of like the skinny jean fit at the top and that little flare at the bottom to kind of go over your shoe or your boot, I just love it," Tolley responded. "I love how different it looks on [someone]."
Finally, if you're interested in dialing up the drama, add sequins! Tondi Wiley is a model for Evie Lou boutique in Tremont, which is owned by longtime local fashion columnist Kim Crow. She styled a sparkly two-piece ensemble that, combined, looks like a dress. Despite the glam vibes, it's surprisingly cozy too.
"It's very comfortable," Wiley said. "I love this slit. ... I love the off the shoulder, but it's not showing too much. It's just like little peaks of skin."
Both pieces are priced at $88, and they could be worn together or separately.
So, happy holiday party season, and happy shopping!