Unique Vintage x Style Section L.A. Holiday Party Dress Guide
Katie Echeverry knows her dresses. What started in 2000 as an in-home hobby selling vintage dresses on-line has turned into Unique Vintage, her Burbank-based megastore specializing in stylish reproduction vintage wares from every era under the sun. Echeverry knows her work functions, too. The 32 year-old worked as a pharmaceutical sales rep while waiting for her clothing business to boom and attended enough office holiday gatherings to last a lifetime. She knows that dressing for a holiday party can be a tough call, especially when judgmental family members and co-workers are in the mix. Here she shares her expertise so you can drum up some holiday season style that won't make you (or those around you) cringe later.
The Family Affair
The thought of trudging back into your hometown and showing off some post-high school skin might be tempting, but Echeverry warns against going too glam with the fam. "You don't want the aunts and grandmas to be offended," she says. Instead of the slinky little thing that drives your boyfriend wild, she suggests opting for a a dress that's both chic and comfortable without going over the top. And since satin, taffeta and sequins are likely too flashy for mom's dinner table, Echeverry says to stick with something matte. Her houndstooth Heartbreaker dress ($78) fits the fashion bill while covering the parts you don't want your creepy third cousin to see.
Houndstooth Heartbreaker Dress, $78. www.unique-vintage.com. Exclusive for Style Section L.A.:Receive 15 percent off your order by entering Style09 at checkout.
The Semi-Low Key Work Function
The budget's been slashed, your colleagues are jobless and the coffee has gone from premium roasted to, well, nonexistent. So what? There are still holidays to be celebrated and that usually means you're in for at least a dinner out on the company's dime (or lack thereof). And you don't need to dress to the nines for to visit a casual dining establishment downtown. "Keep it really simple," Echeverry says, suggesting a little black cocktail dress such as the 1950s-style stunner ($170) that also happens to be one of Unique Vintage's best sellers.
1950s-style Cocktail Dress, $170. www.unique-vintage.com. Exclusive for Style Section L.A.:Receive 15 percent off your order by entering Style09 at checkout.
The Corporate Ballroom Bash
Whether your major multi-national corporation just received a bailout or is just now asking Santa for one, chances are you'll find yourself invited to a swank, high-profile soiree fit for a mogul. And since this is likely one of the few times you'll be in the same room with the people whose names are on the building, you'll want to stand out. "Definitely wear color," Echeverry says. "This is a good time to wear something you don't normally get a chance to wear." And sexy isn't off limits here. She says that a form fitting gown is fine as long as you don't look like you're about to pop out of a fruit cake. Her Stop Staring dress in emerald green satin ($142) is statement-making enough for a screen siren but covers the bust and falls to the knee so the bosses wife won't call for your firing. Echeverry adds, "It's a good time to wear something fabulous, because you don't get to dress for those [work] occasions very often."
Stop Staring Emerald Satin Dress, $142. www.unique-vintage.com. Exclusive for Style Section L.A.:Receive 15 percent off your order by entering Style09 at checkout.
The Cubicle-Side Secret Santa