Rachael Ray: Rachael's Daytime Talkshow

A Holiday Sweater Intervention

Aired on: December 24, 2010

"My friends do not like my outfits, they make fun of me," says Kathy, a 56-year-old retired teacher who spends the month of December in sweaters covered in Santas and snowmen. "I enjoy wearing festive sweaters just to get into the holiday spirit!" But her friends think she is starting to look a little too much like a Christmas tree and are asking Rach to stage a holiday sweater intervention. She introduces Kathy to a team of fashion experts who offer their tips for looking festive without turning into a human ornament.

Be festive without kitsch. "You want to embrace the spirit of the holidays, but you don’t want to be too literal," says whowhatwear.com co-founder Katherine Power. "That means definitely bringing in the glamour and the glitz, but leaving out kitschy elements like the snowmen or anything with blinking lights is probably not a good thing!"

Sparkle, but with moderation. Katherine and her whowhatwear.com co-founder Hillary Kerr suggest mixing gold sweaters, patent leather shoes and other pieces that shine with classic items like a crisp white shirt. Also be creative in your interpretation of the season's colors. "Dark burgundy is a wonderful choice instead of just doing red and green, which is again, taking the holiday season a little too literally," Hillary adds. "Dark jewel tones or any jewel tones are a great option as well."

Keep pins simple. Instead of packing on a rainbow of kitschy holiday pins, Hillary suggests sticking to two or three in gold and rhinestones worn in a grouping at the shoulder. "That combination of the two just has a little bit of that holiday spirit."

Mix fabrics for more formal events. Find a dress in a nice fabric and pair it with a jacket of a different texture for a fun, evening look. But even when festive, Hillary reminds, the dress doesn't have to cramp your waistline to look great. "Start with a dress that is first and foremost comfortable," Hillary says. "You can’t go to a party and be uncomfortable and enjoy yourself, it's just not possible, right?"