HOLIDAY SHOPPING AT RUSTAN’S

Ricardo Preto: ‘Holiday dressing is about attitude and comfort’

Lisbon-based Portuguese designer Ricardo Preto, who designs exclusively for Rustan’s Men and Women, has one very important piece of advice on dressing up for the holidays: “It’s very important that women are very comfortable in what they’re wearing.”

Looking good and being comfortable is the only way to enjoy Christmas parties, which is what the season is all about — having fun with friends and family.

“It’s the attitude that makes the dress; it shouldn’t be only the dress that will make you feel good,” he says. “Accessories complete the look, including hair and makeup — and they should reflect the personality of the woman.”

But there are different kinds of parties we attend, especially on New Year’s Eve. When the invite says “formal,” what is acceptable for the occasion? Ricardo says, “When they request ‘formal’ attire, we should be considerate of the occasion. I would suggest that if you don’t want to wear a formal gown, then a long skirt with a beautiful top or even a white dress shirt (like the classic Carolina Herrera) or even a suit would still be appropriate and classy.”

Here, Ricardo makes it easy for women to dress for the different holiday occasions as he presents his top looks from Rustan’s. He has put together formal gowns and casual long dresses, ranging from Josie Natori to Halston Heritage and his own label Ricardo Preto, and paired them with jewelry pieces, bags and shoes to complete the look.

“The gowns I selected for Holiday 2018 are all inspired by the 1980s, which is a trend right now. The brands that we carry in Rustan’s appeal to various styles and my choices are always based on being effortlessly chic,” Ricardo says.

What are the common mistakes of holiday dressing? “I think there are no mistakes for holiday dressing. If the person is confident about what she is wearing, there can be no mistakes. I think bad taste doesn’t exist because it is seen in the way they carry their clothes. I just believe that people have different tastes.”

Is it better to be overdressed for the holidays or under-dressed? “I think it is always better to be overdressed.”

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Ricardo Preto and featured labels are all available at Rustan’s.

Visit the author’s travel blog at www. findingmyway.net. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter @iamtanyalara.