Let's slip into something more comfortable, shall we? With the holidays fast approaching, we don't want to feel trussed up like a Butterball turkey in our party regalia. If you prefer the holidays with free-range rather than restricted movement, fearing your outfit may tear, snag, catch on something or simply bust open at the seams in its efforts to relieve itself of your person, then consider a slip dress. 

For many reasons, the slip is a wardrobe staple. Not least of all because it can be worn so many ways and not just as it was originally intended... as a cocktail dress. Wear it to glamorous parties adorned with jewels and fur, but also dress it down for an everyday casual look. The best part is, it's one heck of a sexy dress and it's not going to give up the ghost on you, no matter how much of that Butterball you tuck away over the season!

Most often the slip dress comes in satin or silk with delicate spaghetti straps to mimic the original under-garment that was its inspiration. They're often cut on the bias and skim the body or hang loose... all the better for that big ole Butterball! Here I show it worn as it was designed for a special event, and below with the addition of a fur shawl to keep the evening chill at bay. Add a bejeweled choker or pave necklace for added party pizzazz. 

A dress that has the flexibility for day or evening wear is a sure win - versatility is the name of the wiser wardrobe game! However, daytime can be tough to pull off a slip dress without looking as though you're trying to steal your way home from an unexpected sleep over, perhaps even feeling somewhat vulnerable. 

Call in the cavalry by way of layers. Wear a smooth fitted tee under the dress. This can be long or short sleeved and it doesn't have to be white.  An olive-green tee makes a great under layer if your slip dress is black, and a graphic tee adds a fun urban feel paired with sneakers if you're running errands.  

A body suit is perfect when layering your slip dress over a top. It stays in place without riding up and/or causing any bulk around the midriff.  Makes for a smooth concern-free layer.

Now we're getting super gritty.  Sporty spice combined with edgy street style provides all the free-range movement one needs without compromising on style... what-so-ever!

A loose fitting sweater worn on top turns the dress into a skirt.  Mid length satin skirts paired with chunky sweaters are a leading trend right now. But don't waste your money on the skirt, buy a slip dress and turn it into a skirt with the addition of a sweater when the mood takes you! 

This look is easily converted into a dressier outfit by replacing the sock sneakers with heels. These sneakers were made even sockier (a word I just made up) by way of the protruding gold stripe ankle socks for an all-in wrestler vibe! The twist knot back of the sweater adds a sexy surprise to the rear view, even more so if I were a wrestler!

A moto jackets' work is never done, it keeps on going with whatever trends are thrown into the ring (I can't let go of the wrestling theme!). In case you didn't think this would work, here it is on the job, creating that blissful tension we all love between the feminine (slip dress) and the tough (biker jacket).  Cozy this look up with a colorful over-sized chunky scarf wrapped around the neck and ankle boots. 

The next outfit proves that this dress not only works many styles, but also works many seasons. An over-sized chunky sweater belted to create a more slimline silhouette and snake print ankle boots looks a chill day straight in the eye. 

Take away the belt, let the sweater swing free and change out the shoes for big daddy sneakers and you have a cute playful daytime look. 

In conclusion, the slip dress is clearly a garment that makes for an endless number of outfits given the different shoes and boots that can be paired with it, the tops that can be worn under or over it, various jewelry, other accessories, jackets, coats and colors etc.

So, six ways to Sunday is an extreme understatement but I always like to promise small and deliver big!  The slip dress is true to form - it goes above and beyond! 

I've linked several slip dresses below some of which are on sale, as well as other similar pieces worn in these looks.

​There are affiliate links in this post which means I may receive a small percentage of sales made. 
​The price is the same whether purchased via this website or at the store itself! ​

When you've been waiting for the perfect dress to come along in one of your favorite prints that just happens to be so "of the moment", well leopard always was, it's totally worth swinging from the chandelier and spreading the word, it would be rude not to! Here's to the ultimate leopard print dress, and the desire to swing from a chandelier!

 Firstly, it's the ideal print, not too small, not too big and not orangey (an orange hue can make leopard look cheap in my humble opinion). The long sleeves make it the ultimate fall and winter dress. Any animal print seems much more fitting for the seductive long winter nights than for whimsical summer evenings.

The length just above the knee offers more versatility than a maxi or a mini, more choices to play with. It can be left as it is for a dinner date with heels, belted and worn with over-the-knee boots or worn even shorter as a tunic over leggings.  In any of these capacities it serves as a very forgiving illusion to a jolly good holiday meal which also makes it the perfect disguise for our midlife midsections!
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The fabric is light but drapes well which lends the dress an easy convert to a shirt. Worn with jeans or leggings you can sport a half tuck at the front to permit as much coverage as you require at the derriere! 

​So, if I haven't convinced you yet, let's take a look at some of these style ways.

All dressed up wearing the dress just as it comes. The addition of vintage long tassel earrings, killer heels and my grandma's sequin evening purse create an easy glamour. 

With the addition of some sassy over the knee boots (linked HERE) and a vintage belt I purchased in the 80's from a boutique on Sloane Street in London (I'm impressed it still fits me), the dress takes on a whole new look. The belt brings the dress up just enough to show a little bit of thigh so nobody mistakes my boots for long johns! 

I added the smirk for extra mood ambiance!

The fabulous drape of the fabric combined with it's light weight texture makes it simple to tuck into jeans or trousers without causing bulk.  Here I've paired it with jeans and heels, perfect for a gathering with girlfriends.

Worn as a shirt, half-tucked into jeans paired with pom pom flats and over-sized tote gives the outfit a casual vibe, an easy shopping day outfit.

Depending on how much you tuck in at the front, you can control the amount of fabric that drapes at the back, especially good if you want to create this look with leggings and have a little more coverage.

Using a belt you can bring the dress up a little higher to create the perfect tunic. It works beautifully over these mixed media pleather leggings for a night out. Change out the heels for biker boots or tall boots and you create another look altogether. 

This dress is the princely sum of $49.90 from Zara. If we assume these outfits are the limit to it's versatility (which I don't believe for one minute) then we have an average price of less than $10 per look. 

Also good to know, as with many items from Zara, you can machine wash this dress on a warm hand-wash cycle, it hang drys in no time, and barely needs ironing!

At the time of writing this article there are only XL available, but you can click HERE to view the item and request an email notification when your size comes back in stock!  I've also linked below some of the other items I'm wearing in these pictures or similar finds.

Animal prints have long been the back bone of the fashion industry when it comes to pattern, and rightly so, it's instinctive one might say. Caveman was wearing animal prints before he even knew it was fashionable, albeit in the form of real skins and fur!  So, it makes sense that animal print has largely dominated the style arena - the foundation was set in history, relegating the reptiles to shoes and handbags. After all, how many snakes would it take to make a loin cloth, or more importantly a dress? With the invention of textile printing and the social lean toward "fashionable faux" this or that, it matters not in this era.  Now we can have endless lengths of Boa Constrictor or friendly Python wrapped about our person having materialized from a 100 yard by 54-inch bolt!

You may have noticed that this has been the year of the one piece swimsuit. Step aside itsy-bitsy bikini, there is a not-so-new player taking center stage and it's redefining sexy swimwear! 

​Once I left the corporate world of employment many moons ago, I said goodbye to the uniform. It’s not that I’m opposed to uniforms, especially when they come in the form of Firemen or Naval Officers! But having worn a uniform from Infant School to High School, throughout an extensive hotel career and then the corporate world of “wear what you like if it follows these guidelines”, I laid to rest my power suit, pantyhose and ever so prim shoes!
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Always on the hunt for the perfect piece that will cross the boundaries of casual to chic with just a change of bottoms or shoes! Here it is, a pretty floral pull over top with delightful balloon tie-sleeves from Anthropologie! 

​Spirits are lifted as spring emerges from hibernation and shows signs of sticking around. Even in Arizona, despite our mild winters and seemingly endless days of sunshine, there is a different feel about the season as warm tendrils of air waft around us and bees are sent into a frenzy over the blooming wild flowers.

What better time of year than spring to bust out some silk in bright vivid colors, especially colors that can be seen from outer space!  A silk buttondown shirt is a classic that stands the test of time, you can be sure it will re-appear merged with different outfits year after year which also makes it a good investment!

The shirtdress is a timeless classic that can be worn by young and mature women with the same level of effortless chic. It basically takes the form of a long button down shirt, comes in a myriad of fabrics ranging from denim (mostly in the form of chambray) to silk.  Like a good shirt, the shirtdress can be utilized for smart and casual occasions but with the added advantage of not having to wear pants! It's a wardrobe staple and the versatility it offers makes styling it fun. 

Crane birds are the latest graphic to turn iconic, rather like pineapples and pelicans in seasons past. My crush began last year with a pair of crane bird palazzo pants, and now continues with two recent finds that are so inexpensive they're bound to fly off the racks before you can say "Get the flock out of here!" 

​We have Balenciaga to thank for the return and subsequent sock booties crush that has emerged this past fall and winter season. That's alright, I for one enjoy crushing on high-end designer styles, especially when they're rapidly made available at a not so high-end designer price!

Shopping for jeans is perhaps one of the most difficult endeavors we women have to deal with from a clothing stand point. Finding the perfect pair has been my life's work!
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With high street shops and mall store favorites closing down on a weekly basis, we better get our heads around this online shopping malarkey. It's here to stay and millions of online vendors selling everything from cat litter to cat walk designer clothes are magically opening their virtual doors for business out there in the ether of internet land. So too are the plethora of  "influencers" jumping on the band wagon from here to Timbuktu persuading their followers that this, that or the other product is the best.  But it's not all bad... let me explain! 
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Hello, my name is Karen and I'm addicted to coats! As a self professed coat addict, I recently decided that a faux fur leopard coat is not just a "nice to have" but an essential winter wardrobe "must have"! Clearly everyone else thinks so too, because faster than I can write this article, the faux fur leopard coats and jackets are selling out like hot cakes.
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Here is my comparison between two faux fur leopard coat contestants that made it to the keepers finale!

Ready for Christmas, I wish! It's a rare occurrence for me to be fully prepared for Christmas in advance of the actual due date, in particular the buying of gifts. Even less likely to be gift ready for those I know who celebrate Hanukkah since the due date for that is even earlier! You probably think I have a fear of deadlines... perhaps so!

At least I have the decorations up! Last year the hubby didn't erect the tree until it was so late I didn't have time to hang the baubles on it! We had a naked tree all through the holidays with the only consolation being that it's pre-lit so it sort of had it's underwear on!