The easiest way to take your outfit up a notch OR make your go-to outfit feel extra special? Add fun holiday accessories! The holidays are the perfect time to pile on all the glitz and glamour…and we are definitely taking a “more is more” approach this year.
The wonderful thing about accessories is that you buy them once and have them forever. So buy ONLY the pieces that make your heart skip a beat…even if some feel like they will be primarly reserved for the holidays. It’s worth it in the long run.
We rounded up all our favorites – from investment pieces to the budget-friendly. Let’s pile it on friends!
Holiday Accessories
The Shoes
Gives us allll the shoes…seriously though, the holidays are THE time for a statement shoe.
The Ones That Sparkle or Shine
This time of year, we both love wearing shoes with a little sparkle or shine. Tammy snagged these at Nordstrom recently (some of you may have seen them in our Instagram stories). They are so pretty and surprisingly very comfortable. They also come in red (the heels of those are suede) and black (with crystal stones). Truthfully though, the gold are our top pick.
All of our favorite shoes that sparkle or shine…
(All of these brands fit TTS)
And we still absolutely adore our Veronica Beard Ganita shoes (below), and this Vince Camuto pair is very similar and on deep sale! Rachel has these in black and loves them (fit is TTS for her). FYI these are a perfect match-up with the The Cult Gaia Hera Bag discussed below!
A pair of sparkly or metallic shoes will take you far this holiday season – they elevate even the most basic of outfits (think black sweater and jeans). Add earrings and a bold red lip, and you are ready to go! As far as bags are concerned, either coordinate with your shoes (go metallic / sparkly) or your outfit – both work equally great.
The Black Ones
Our Favorites
Is there anything sexier than a sleek black pump? These classic Louboutins would be so dang good year-round. But those red bottoms for the holiday season? Sheer perfection. Rather than buying a bunch of pieces that are just OK – how about investing in one thing that makes you feel like a million bucks, and build your holiday look around that?!
(Seriously though…those black pumps + jeans/trousers + a simple white button down, jewelry and a red lip = so sexy without even trying.)
And these Staud heels are Rachel’s favorite – the ankle detail is everything. If you’re between sizes, we suggest going with the smaller size in this shoe.
More Amazing Options
We totally get those Louboutin’s are an investment. If you need a classic black pump that won’t break the bank, you can’t go wrong with these Sam Edelmans. Tammy has and loves them – very comfortable and the fit is TTS. She has a wider toe box and has taken hers to the cobbler for a little stretch and says it’s life-changing when it comes to pointy toe shoes!
Of course, you can never go wrong with Stuart Weitzman. And the sparkly pair are the black version of Tammy’s gold pumps discussed above.
Or Go For Color!
A beautiful bright pump is totally outfit-making for the holidays. Pair these with all your neutrals, add some jewelry and you are holiday-ready!
L’agence Goodness
Ok, so these are selling out like hot cakes and there are limited sizes remaining, but they are just too beautiful to exclude. Tammy has and loves the leopard sandal version and Rachel is seriously considering the leopard pumps. Forever classics that are also great for the holidays.
Holiday Accessories
The Tights
The Patterned Tights
We love to pair a patterned tight with with a solid colored dress (even black). It will instantly take your look up a notch and feel more festive. We’re obsessed with the Falke snow ribbon tights and fishnets. But an understated pair with a simple seam down the back are also super sexy.
Freezing Out? These!
Freezing outside? Fleece-lined tights are the answer to your Winter woes. Rachel has and loves the Plush pair from Shopbop, but the Nordstrom pair also get fantastic reviews and are only $10!
Holiday Accessories
The Bags
The Ones That Sparkle
Our Favorite
Our very top pick is this Cult Gaia stunner. It’s so damn good. Tammy saw it in Nordstrom and there was no way she was leaving without it. This one will be on repeat all season long – and not just for formal events.
The knot detail makes it extra special, and it holds a surprising amount. It doesn’t snag fabrics at all (the biggest complaint about some bags this type), it’s lightweight and easy to carry. A huge winner! (Rachel saw these photos and broke down and ordered it too.)
It is selling out many places, so if you have your heart set on it, don’t wait.
More Sparkly Bags We Love
While our top pick is the Cult Gaia bag, these are also stunning and worth a look. And note that the Reiss bag comes in a ton colors. We can’t pick between these three, we love them all.
The Silver Ones
Our beloved Clare V. woven bag sold out…then our favorite Zadig et Voltaire silver bag sold out. And we are bummed. We scoured and I hate to say it but there aren’t many good budget-friendly silver bags. These are all designer…all really expensive…all gorgeous. We’ll continue the search and cross our fingers for some restocks.
Or If You Prefer Gold
We can’t forget the gold bags…so many pretty options that scream holiday.
The Interesting Black Ones
Black bags are always a classic, but these have a little something interesting about them. These are all stunners but we will say the black clutch with attached pearls by Clare V has us totally intrigued.
Go Green
Green is all the rage this season – and one of our favorites regardless of trends. This bag is so beautiful – carry it now, thru the holidays, and all Spring, too!
Holiday Accessories
The Jewelry
Marla Aaron
We are both wildly obsessed with Marla Aaron jewelry – a small designer in New York City. We wear our Marla pieces dressed up and down almost every.single.day.
We get asked about our pieces often, and a few readers have requested an article. Look for our Marla Aaron article coming next week which will include the pieces we have, how we wear them, and our wish lists.
Hoops For Life
We wear hoops year-round and think they make any outfit look glamorous. Don’t be afraid to go big with hoops, as long as you balance the amount of jewelry you wear elsewhere. For example, when we wear larger hoops, we might skip a necklace or go for a more understated style.
For a little more glam and shine, these are our top picks. Tammy has the first pair (image above) and gets compliments on them ALL the time. They catch the light and look much more expensive than they are!
Statement Earrings
by our friend and designer, Lauren Blythe
Red Art Deco Earrings | Fuschia Old Hollywood Style Earrings
Our talented friend at Lauren Blythe Designs sent us these stunning vintage-jewel earrings (also available in a gorgeous green). They are AMAZING and the perfect pop of color – we are smitten with them and will be wearing them all holiday season (and beyond).
She’s currently offering our readers a 15% discount with code DENIM15.
Holiday Accessories
The Makeup
Sparkly Body Spray
Who doesn’t love a little shimmery skin for all the holiday parties?! We have heard great things about Sunday Riley Fairy Godmother body oil and plan on trying it this year. The reviews are great, and it’s an excellent brand. We will report back asap…a little shimmer feels like magic!
Glam up the eyes…
Charlotte Tilbury makes amazing eyeshadow palettes in a range of colors.
Tammy’s favorites
The thing I love about Charlotte Tilbury eyeshadow is that the primer is built in so they never crease. I have naturally oily lids and this is a rarity for me. I’ve been wearing the nude palette non-stop but just picked up the pearl foursome and will be looking at the new Smokey Eyes Are Forever, also. – Tammy
Rachel’s favorites
My favorite Charlottte Tilbury eye palettes are The Rebel (think smokey, kahki, gold) – it’s perfect for my hazel eyes and can be easily applied for daytime or made smokey for a more glam evening look. The greenish-kaki is also amazing for the holidays. The Bella Sophia palette is a fan-favorite and looks good on just about everyone. – Rachel
Westman Atelier Favorites
(See Rachel’s full article on Westman Atelier – here)
Finally, our favorite Westman Atelier items for the perfect finishing touch. We are both hooked and can’t live without these products.
The lip suede is the perfect way to add a bold lip and glam up a look – it’s truly fool proof. Tammy was scared of a bright lip and is now rocking it repeatedly. The great thing about this palette is that you can apply it with a lip brush for a bold look or with your finger for a more pressed-in subdued look (although we almost always use a brush around the cupids bow for definition). The colors in this palette are truly universally flattering.
And the Nana Squeaky Clean Lip Balm is perfect for blotting on top if you want to tone down the color a tad. Or just for an everyday gloss.
Lastly this glow trio includes a highlight, contour, and babycheeks multi-use blush stick. Three of our very favorites in this line – buy one for yourself and buy as gifts. Trust us – it will be a win!
And that completes our recommendations for all the most fabulous holiday accessories. Keep it simple or go all out — we won’t judge!
2 thoughts on “The Holiday Accessories You Need – More Is More This Year!”
Love everything! Thank you for including my earrings in your gift guide!!!! You girls rock! Xo
We love them! They’re so beautiful!