The eternal conundrum...why does it feel too soon to be thinking about Christmas in general...yet the perfect time to begin thinking about clothes for seasonal parties? And why am I even considering new party clothes when I have a track record of buying something for a specific event and, in all honesty, not exactly wearing it to death? Clearly, given my past history, any potential new purchases should say "party" in a less obvious way to allow for wearability in non-festive times. Which is where Philip Lim's holiday collection enters the picture...

As I'm naturally inclined towards the jazzy skirt/plainer top combo I fell hard for his magenta brocade skirt and off-center, tie-necked cardigan. On a side note, you see very few cardigans in this style but it's one of my personal favorites...I have an off-center, zip-up cardigan from APC and, even though it's plain black, it gets a lot of attention because of the lack of symmetry. On the dress front, I'm drawn to the pleated cranberry dress with built-in capelet but I know deep in my heart that this would be another one of those pieces that I probably wouldn't get too much wear out of post-party season...I also have a nasty feeling that, in person, all those ruffles and flounce may look more "Sugar Plum Fairy" than "belle of the ball".