By Kristin Hull

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Yule or Kwanzaa, dressing for a December family holiday gathering isn’t much different than dressing for Thanksgiving. A mom wants to look cute, but at the same time she must be able to maneuver around the kitchen, eat to her heart’s content, sit on the floor to play games, cuddle on the couch to watch a movie and of course, feel warm enough outside and cool enough inside.

However, the Christmas/Hanukkah/Yule/Kwanzaa time of year allows us to be more festive than usual. So, why not embrace it? A simple metallic shoe or red sweater will help to make the day feel even more special. And, true to our Mommy Stylist commitment, we’ve found pieces that can be used to create a variety of outfits for a plethora of occasions (winter school event, play date, holiday lunch, etc.).

Want more ideas? Check out our still-stylish looks from last year and the year before.

Get the look

Knit Turtleneck Sweater ($19.95/H&M): This sweater will become your winter BFF. It will look effortlessly chic with just about anything from skirts to jeans to leggings (as long as it is long enough to COMPLETELY cover your bootie and crotch area).

Textured Geo Earrings ($3.80/Forever 21)

Hooded Wool Coat ($139/Zara – free shipping both ways!)

Lauren Jeans Co. Classic Straight-Leg Corduroy Pants (now, $74.99, reg. $99.50/Macy’s): The mid-rise waist on these cords will keep that muffin top where it belongs. However, you’ll no doubt get a bit bloated from all the holiday goodies and although these pants have some stretch, it’s never enough. But, we have a brilliant solution – your pregnancy belly band. Who says you can only wear these when you’re expecting? We wear them under loose tops (like the sweater above) to keep our mid-section warm and to hide our unbuttoned pants when we’ve over-indulged. And because a belly band looks like a shirt peeking out from under the garment on top of it, you’ll look like a layering pro. Would you rather have your pants feel like a vice around your stomach or enjoy the day looking stylish and feeling comfortable?

Rhinestoned Bow Ring ($3.80/Forever 21)

Big Buddha Alexia Handbag ($33.23/6pm)

Fur-Cuff Rubber Wedge Bootie ($42.50/Charlotte Russe)

 (Did you like this post? If so, sign up for an email subscription to The Mommy Stylist – on the top right-hand side of the home page – so you don’t have to remember to check the site. We’ll just email you whenever we post something new.)