OP-ED
November 28^ 2007
2
Star Tech
Have Yourself a Mer
ry, Stylish Christmas
Erin Etheridge
Staff Writer
As the holiday sea
son draws near, many
people's minds shift from
schoolwork to social
events. One question
that will never fade is
what to wear to these
special occasions without
looking too festive.
This season, holi
day party dresses are a
mixture of classic and
contemporary. The little
black dress is as popu
lar as ever. The fashion
magazine InStyle sug
gests on its website,
http://www.instyle.com,
to "[A]dd sass to basic
black with colorful acces
sories, like turquoise ear
rings and shoes."
Red and ruby shades
are still considered fes
tive holiday colors.
However, the InStyle
website warns, "If you
want to show your fes
tive side, don't resort to
Santa accessories." It
goes on to suggest pair
ing such a dress with
metallic accessories in
shades of bronze or gold.
If you would like to go
more traditional, try
a pair of black pumps
instead.
Metallics are still
going strong this holiday
season. InStyle's web
site remarks, "A modem
way to wear metallics
is to pair gold accesso
ries with a silver dress."
Make sure such acces
sories match closely to
avoid a metallic mishap.
This season's hot
test trend is bold, bright
colors. InStyle's website
states, "Bright colors ...
look amazing on most
skin-tones." One of the
website's suggestions is
to pair a bubblegum-pink
dress with a gold, jew
eled necklace and black
heels. Another popular
combination this season
is a canary yellow dress
with red or black pumps.
A teal dress with a bow
at the bustline and paired
with black heels is an ele
gant choice as well. This
season's must-have color,
purple, looks stunning
with silver accessories.
"Purple ... looks wonder
ful on any skin tone and
is always age-appropri
ate," states InStyle's web
site.
If you are attending a
party that is less formal,
try a jeweled sweater
paired with denim and
heels. Check out the jew
eled wool and cashmere
blend shrugs and shells
at Banana Republic.
Metallic wool cardigans
laced with sequins and
found at J. Crew are also
a great pick, states the
InStyle website.
If you are feeling
more adventurous,
try wearing a jewel-
tone taiik embellished
with sequins or a bow.
According to InStyle's
website, Twelftii Street by
Cynthia Vincent, Robert
Rodriguez and MINT
Jodi Arnold aU offer great
pieces.
No outfit is com
plete without the proper
accessories, and this
season's trends comple
ment the bold colors,
textures and structures
popular during the holi
days, states the InStyle
website. Satin shoes,
clutches, and bracelets
are all in vogue this
season. Pearls, a classic
favorite, are shown on
jewelry and adorning
pumps and handbags.
Bold, crystal jewelry is
hot as well, as are peep-
toe pumps adorned with
bows. Shoes, jewelry
and clutches that fea
ture a combination of
Stylish cont. on pg. 3
Are you rurming
low on Christmas funds
this year? If you can't
afford gifts for all of your
friends, you might just
be in luck because tech
nology can save the day
(and your friendships!).
The Internet offers
tons of free or low-cost
options—you just have
to know where to find
them.
E-cards offer a free,
easy way to show people
that you're thinking of
them during the holi
days. Search for free
holiday e-cards on the
Internet, and a multitude
of options will appear.
My favorite e-card
selection (not only for
Christmas cards but also
for year-round events)
is a Hallmark division
called hoops and yoyo.
Hoops and yoyo are two
adorably cute (and hilari
ous) animated critters
who are bound to bring
a smile to any loved one
who receives one of their
cards. Visit http://www.
hallmark.com/webapp/
wcs/stores/servlet/Cate
goryDisplay?storeId=10
Chelsea
McGlaughlin
Staff Writer
001&catalogld=10051&t
abOn=ecards&categoryI
d=-102034&CatIDsList=-
102001;11443;-102034 for
the entire hoops & yoyo
selection. If you don't
feel like typing that, just
search for "hoops and
yoyo" and up will come
www.hoopsandyoyo.
com, where you can nav
igate to "free e-cards."
Thanksgiving, Christmas
and New Year cards are
among the offerings.
Even Facebook is
offering its users the
opportunity to send
some Christmas cheer.
The application "My
Christmas Tree" includes
a Christmas coimtdown,
a choice of dozens of dec
orated trees, the ability to
add a favorite Christmas
tune to your tree and a
virtual store in which
you can choose and wrap
presents for your friends,
and then send them to
their Christmas trees.
You can even include
a personalized mes
sage, and Facebook will
allow users to open their
presents no sooner than
Christmas day, so no
peeking allowed!
If you do have some
cash to spare and still
want to get something
technologically related.
there are a multitude
of options available.
Thousands of retailers
offer online gift cards—
many can even be sent
via e-mail. Amazon.com,
iTunes and Snapfish.
com all offer gift cards
and are also imiversally
appreciated. Amazon
offers everything under
the sun, so even that dif-
ficult-to-buy-for Uncle
Fred can choose some
thing he'll enjoy. As for
iTunes and Snapfish,
who doesn't like music
or photos? In addition to
picture prints, Snapfish
also offers an array of
personalized gifts, such
as coasters, mugs, post
ers, notepads, mouse
pads, ornaments, holiday
cards, and much more.
With the popular
ity of e-gifts rising, I
have to wonder if, one
day, everyone will sit
around her computer
screen to digitally open
her gift instead of con
gregating around the
Christmas tree. Let's
hope not. While technol
ogy is great, it certainly
can't take the place of
Christmas traditions with
family. This year, feel
free to find some cute
new technology-oriented
gifts, but don't go TOO
crazy witii them. Be sure
to remember the true
spirit of the holidays!
nas
roll ovar tha buibs
This year, send some holiday cheer electronically. Shown here: free hoops & yoyo e-card