Time to start planning your vintage New Year's outfit!

{Gold and green, two of the holiday season's most iconic hues shine through brilliantly in this elegant handmade fabric headband, which can be dressed up or down to your heart's content (and is fab for keeping your hair out of your face during a night of partying). $10.00 from FlosCaeli.}




{Pearls and New Year's go together like canapés and champagne - in fact, I rather think that the gorgeous rose gold hued beads on this 23.5 inch long, c. 1940s hand knotted pearl necklace resemble the bubbles in a glass of that most iconic of New Year's libations. $24.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.}




{Ramp up your usual red lip this holiday season with a sparkly, New Year's Eve (or Christmas) party perfect gloss that is bound to dazzle, shine, and impress from sunset to sunrise! Ruby Slippers Lip Glitz lip gloss, $8.50 for a 0.42 ounce tube from Live Beautifully Body.}




{If you're a fan of geometrically inspired jewelry, metallic hues, or vintage lucite, than this seriously chic mid-century rose gold plastic bangle bracelet with matching rhinestones is for you. $24.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.}




{Turn every last head in the room when you enter wearing this sublimely beautiful 1940s inspired slinky, curve hugging gold lace strapless dress that positively exudes Old Hollywood glamour. Available in modern ladies sizes 6 to 14. $179.00 from Blue Velvet Vintage.}




{This has really got to be the most fantastically well suited novelty purse for New Year's Eve ever!!! No matter if you drink or not - and perhaps all the more so, if like me, you don't (because it finally gives you a chance to carry around champers all night! :D) - this structured champagne bottle fabric bag is for you. It's fun, quirky, and sure to start many a conversation all evening long. $66.33 from Aldo.}




{What better way to keep shine at bay having a stellar vintage compact (that you've refilled) at the ready. This gorgeous 1950s pearlescent white seed bead and sequins stunner not only looks like its covered in confetti, but it also reminds me of falling snowflakes, making it doubly well suited to the holiday season. $32.00 from Chronically Vintage on Etsy.}




{I wear opaque black tights frequently from September to April, but semi-sheer black tights or stockings are something I very rarely sport (no idea why!). I think that if I had this party perfect, vintage inspired sparkly seamed pair, that would change mighty quickly! Available in modern ladies sizes S/M and M/L. $20.00 from My Tights.}




{Ummm, can we please take a minute to savour how delicately fabulous these vintage-esque sparkly gold t-strap heels are? As if their gorgeous, King Midas approved hue and mix of textures wasn't enough, the price is so affordable, you might be tempted to get two pairs! Available in modern ladies sizes 5.5 to 8.5 (as well as in various other equally marvelous colors). $32.59 from Amazon.}

♥ ♥ ♥

Each year, very nearly without fail, the work and energy involved with Christmas and the weeks leading up to it do such a number on my health, that by the time the last endearingly lovely day of the year comes along, I'm bedridden with flare-ups and genuinely crippling pain from various conditions and am lucky to be awake at all when the ball drops. I miss the annual local fireworks show at midnight down at the beach, I miss the festive feast, and I miss out on celebrating it with family and loved ones (aside, some years, from Tony, who will often very sweetly stay home or return home early to be with me - he's such an angel!).

Not this year! No siree, no way, no how. Okay, maybe not. As I've talked about at length in past posts (such as this 2013 edition of Saturday Snapshots), planning things in advance and juggling a plethora of severe chronic illnesses do not usually go hand-in-hand in the slightest. There are steps I can take, such as scaling back my usual holiday season workload, that can help a bit, but until a given date arrives (and even then - things can literally change on the health front for me at any moment of the day), I never know for sure what it will hold in store for me.

Perpetual (realistic) optimist that I am however, I like to dream big and hope for the best, while doing everything to facilitate my goals and the last one for this year is, fittingly, to celebrate on December 31st. As such, with little more than half a month left to go, I thought I'd share some of the delightful vintage and vintage appropriate offerings that have been fueling my creative fires when it comes to what I might wear for this special night.

New Year's is a really a go big or go home kind of event. Now is definitely the time to bust out the sequins, lame, sparkles, evening gowns, dramatic hats, bold makeup, fabulous updos, oodles of glittering jewelry and anything else shimmering, bright, OTT or otherwise awesome that your heart desires. It isn't a necessity of course, but it is a ton of fun and as there are usually so few other days in the year when we get to celebrate like this, very much including with our ensembles, so why not make the most of this super festive year end celebration, kick up your (rhinestone encrusted) heels, and party like it's 1949! :D

I can't promise that I'll be able to do the same, but I'll be trying my hardest to make that happen. Wish me luck - I'll be wishing all of you an endlessly happy New Year's celebration!