Main Feature: Introduction
Time to Take a Good Look

It’s only October, and early in the month at that—and people have plenty of stuff to worry about other than what they’re going to wear to the company Christmas party or a holiday reunion or a gala fundraiser.

So why be reminded about it this early?

Well, largely because the pain of Christmases past are too easy to recall. A dress is discovered to be too small too late—too late to remedy with even the fastest pounds-off diet, too late, even, to have a decent shot at finding something decent among the disarrayed racks at department stores. Or a radically altered hairdo, motivated by “a change for the holidays,” inspires mortification—but again, there is no time to grow it out, not even time to run out to Rite Aid for a scarf.

Remember?

Considering that there will also be holiday shopping and card-writing and tree-getting to deal with, planning your holiday look now promises to save anyone major stress come, oh, about a month or two from now. There’s still time to try a new ‘do and to grow it out if it’s dreadful. If the dress is most likely going to be on the small side, there’s still a comfortable amount of time to pare down a couple or more pounds. Breathe in—and breathe out. Reduces stress, doesn’t it?

We put together a holiday package designed to have something for every planner—from those contemplating a surgical nip or tuck before a whirlwind of black-tie dinners to those who want to look good for a couple of potlucks. Even those who couldn’t care less about Christmas may find something to take home here. After all, the ritual of beauty is not only for the holidays.