While we renovate our future atelier/showroom/shop, Mona has become a second home.
You may or may not remember our last year’s festive adventures.
This year, we took over their basement and played dress up a bit.
Valisia’s
Structured Drama for the Festive Season
At every special occasion, I believe you should wear something that shouts your personal aesthetic in the boldest way possible. For me, that means shoulder pads and short lengths, a silhouette that leans unapologetically into drama. The Pygmy Possum Jacket x Sanktoleono paired with the Eastern Quoll Shorts x Sanktoleono is, quite simply, the ideal match. It’s sharp, theatrical, and slightly defiant, the kind of outfit that enters the room before you do.
What I especially love is the integrated silver-plated jewellery by Sanktoleono. That subtle gleam feels tailor-made for Christmas gatherings. It is like wearable ornamentation that doesn’t need anything else to sparkle. Someone else might keep the rest of the jewellery minimal to echo those integrated accents. But hello, we are talking about me, so a bold silver choker is not only welcome, it’s essential.
And let’s talk practicality for a moment: both pieces are crafted in ecological wool, which is a blessing because I am terribly cold. In winter, in autumn, and, quite frankly, in spring too, hahaha. So this outfit manages to be dramatic, festive, and surprisingly protective against my eternal struggle with low temperatures. A Christmas miracle, really!
Bare Skin, Strong Lines
Here we go a bit more defiant, but always in an ultra-chic way.
First of all, sheer fabrics are always the way to go if you want to show a little more flesh while still keeping things refined. The Suite V silk shorts work perfectly because they play a clever double game: on one hand, they’re made of sheer silk —light, teasing, almost translucent, but on the other, their boyish, above-the-knee cut keeps the silhouette sharp and grounded. That contrast is exactly what prevents the look from slipping into anything obvious.
To maintain the tension between sexiness and elegance, the strapless bodysuit with a dramatically low sweetheart neckline does all the work. It’s unapologetically sensual, very 80’s Madonna, yet structured enough to feel intentional rather than revealing for the sake of it. When skin is shown through clean lines and confident cuts, it reads as power, not provocation.
And on top of it all: power shoulders again. My mother’s vintage jacket brings authority, history, and a touch of inherited glamour, framing the exposed skin with strength and structure. This is exactly how sexy elements become chic instead of cheap; by balancing softness with severity, flesh with tailoring, nostalgia with attitude.
In this outfit, honestly, who cares about the cold. Just walk fast, look fabulous, and run quickly into a heated place. Fashion first, survival second.
The Art of Balance
This last outfit is, to me, the perfectly balanced one. It’s where proportion, intention, and comfort meet, without sacrificing attitude. The Cavillace shorts in black ecological wool come with that super high cut that instantly sharpens the silhouette and adds a confident edge. They’re bold, yes, but also extremely clean in their lines.
That’s exactly why they work so beautifully with the Natiheven blouse. Its boxy shape and the decorative hanging circles at the sleeves bring structure and movement without leaning into overt sexiness. I firmly believe that when you wear something that short on the bottom, the top should step back a little - less about revealing, more about presence. And honestly, those dangling circles feel like my personal take on Christmas ball ornaments. Dramatic, and thankfully not fragile, so no risk of breaking one while gesturing wildly with a glass of wine.
Temperature-wise, this outfit lives in an in-between state: warmer on top, a bit more windy on the bottom. But the fact that the shorts are made of wool softens the deal and makes the whole situation surprisingly wearable.
Alexandra’s
In Defense of the One-Dress Christmas Eve
Sometimes the perfect Christmas Eve outfit is just one dress. Not because you’re lazy (heaven forbid) but because one dress, if chosen correctly, can literally do all the work for you. It does have, of course, to meet a few very specific requirements in my head. It needs to be a maxi, first of all. It needs some kind of design detail that makes people look twice without you having to do anything else. And it needs to feel expensive, not shiny.
The “Black Watch” dress checks all these boxes. The stand collar, extending into cape-like asymmetric sleeves, immediately declares your intentions: dramatic, architectural, done. The fine wool gives it weight (both literally and figuratively), and the gold-plated hardware detailing is strong enough that jewellery becomes unnecessary, almost redundant. With a length like this, I always go for sharp pointed-toe shoes. They keep the look sleek and slightly commanding.
My hair is still wet, my effort is minimal, and this look still feels finished.
Blood and Black Lace
There’s something undeniably thrilling about night-out dressing that flirts with sheer layers. Silk, lace, transparency, all that teasing of my silhouette and my legs without ever being crystal clear. Texture, movement, a little sexiness, exactly what I need after 9 PM.
Because it’s Christmas, I did what any reasonable person would do and swapped the classic black bralette under my fitted lace top for a silk red one.
Now, if you’re sitting there thinking, “How does one wear a transparent silk skirt in December without either freezing or looking like a regrettable mid-July experiment?” — relax. It’s actually easier than summer, thanks to stockings. In my case, laced ones, because cohesion matters. Add some high-waist black briefs underneath (bonus points if it’s leftover swimwear, ‘cause nothing goes to waste in fashion) and a pair of knee-high boots, and suddenly the sheer skirt stops being a problem and starts being entirely winter-appropriate.
Short Skies Ahead
This outfit solves the Twixmas paradox: I want to look festive enough to acknowledge the season, but practical enough to survive crowded bars, uneven dance floors, and long car rides home. Drinks are calling. Dancing is inevitable. Yet somehow it looks like someone thoughtfully assembled this ensemble, when in fact it required approximately 10 minutes of conscious effort.
I have this inexplicable fondness for shorts in the winter (much more than summer). Knee-high boots make it entirely rational (and stylish), providing an illusion of extra height, structure, and ease of movement without a single wardrobe malfunction, all at once. Tuck in a silk black shirt with a subtle sheen, leave a few buttons undone, and suddenly you’re festive and vaguely sensual. Laced stockings echo the embroidered collar of the shirt, which is the sort of thing only people who look closely to textures will appreciate.
Stella’s
The perfect time of year to not care (even less than usual) about the percentage of legs you are showing
A silk jumpsuit is one of the most all-season items I can think of. It’s great in summer — chic and amazing against bare skin — and arguably even better in winter. A super short one (like the “Collins St., 5pm”) feels easier for me in autumn or winter, as I can wear it with tights because, first and foremost, I’m a hypochondriac -and I’m not even sorry.
The shine of the silk and the ties around my wrists already cover my accessorising needs (which I don’t always have, to be honest), so I simply added a vintage brass choker and chose shoes that are embellished enough on their own.
Dressed in under 2 minutes and called it a day.
If you are eager to look like a Christmas Tree
I certainly am.
Enter one of my favourite pieces: these Issey Miyake trousers. They are so comfortable and so funny, and I always think I look either like a dinosaur or a Christmas tree. We’ll go with the latter, given the season.
Chances are you’ll attend dinner parties, regular parties, and also find yourself walking around an extra-luminous town. This outfit will take you from stroll to dance floor without changing a single thing. I mentioned it above and I’ll mention it again: every piece from the Pleats Please collection is surprisingly easy to wear (and travel with), it never wrinkles and always looks great.
I’m constantly experimenting with it, and my latest obsession is wearing it with all kinds of blazers and jackets as tops. One of my favourites is the Hoyos jacket. It’s designed to be worn on its own, usually against bare skin. I broke my own rules, but I’m obsessed with turtlenecks of all kinds.
I can and I will forgive your sins
When I made the Altalun dress in off-white instead of maroon, I clearly didn’t think I would look like the Pope. Is it a deal-breaker for me? Of course not — the Pope is very well dressed. And I’m not afraid to forgive your sins.
This dress is perfect for festive dinner parties: it looks effortless and chic, yet at the same time it’s very forgiving if you go for a second or even a third plate. It’s the ideal blank canvas to have fun with accessories. I opted for 3 brooches instead of 1, as I certainly had room to play. I would also love an armband, tight bracelets over the sleeves, or very long necklaces — that is, if I owned those things.
Have a great Christmas!
Valisia + Alexandra + Stella