12 Essentials ALL Post-Grads Need in Their Closets

When you’re pulling that 14-hour cram sesh in college, it’s easy to fall back on yoga pants and sweatshirts. But while that uniform may fly during your 8am physics class, the real world calls for a wardrobe that is a little more grown up. Whether you are a post-grad looking to upgrade your wardrobe, a senior trying to figure out what to wear to that internship interview or just looking to add a little fun to your everyday workwear, we’ve got 12 pieces that will add some stylish sophistication to your closet.

1. Floral Blazer: Make your wardrobe pop with a printed blazer. Pair this floral jacket from Modcloth ($68) with colored pants and a white top for a chic business look that will take you through spring and summer.

2. Basic Dress: Every girl’s wardrobe needs a simple dress that will take her through the workday and into happy hour. This bright little number from Madewell ($78) comes in a few different colors and looks great alone or paired with a statement necklace or a fun pair of printed pumps.

3. Collared Shirt: A great structured top is a staple that can be worn in a variety of ways. This floral shirt from Boden ($58) looks great with pants, a black skater skirt or even a pair of high-wasted denim shorts for a gorgeously grown-up vacation look.

4. Pretty Pumps: It’s time to perfect your power walk with a sleek pair of pumps. The bright chartreuse color in this pair from Ruche ($43) is the perfect way to add an unexpected pop of color to a powerful career outfit.

5. LBD: This sweet frock from Dear Creatures ($110) is the perfect little black dress. With a lacy top and sweet scalloped hem, it makes for a fun date-night dress or a casual day in the office.

6. Watch: Before you get into the habit of constantly checking your phone at your desk, invest in a stylish time piece. This grey and rose gold watch from Need Supply ($100) is chic, yet simple enough to go with everything in your closet.

7. Classy Night-Out Dress: It’s time to ditch the cheap club wear for some classy grown-up pieces. This pale pink lace dress from Nasty Gal ($88) is a sophisticated option for a night on the town.

8. Structured Handbag: Trade in your slouchy book bag for a structured one you can haul to coffee shop work sessions and lunch meetings. This satchel from Matt and Nat ($150) has a removable strap that you can throw over your shoulder when you’re on the go.

9. Graphic Pencil Skirt: Add some personality to your closet’s most classic items by going with pieces that have a unique graphic pattern. The geometric pattern overlaid with a floral print on this skirt from Anthropologie ($158) is quirky and fun without being too overpowering or crazy for the office.

10. Wrap Dress: Wrap dresses are always in style and flattering on all body types, making them a worthy investment piece. Try this ASOS ($135) dress with a vintage-inspired pattern to make heads turn.

11. Chambray Pants: A pair of chambray pants can be dressed down with a white t-shirt and strappy sandals or spiced up with a pair of flats and a linen blazer. This pair from Nordstrom Rack ($74) comes in a dark or light wash.

12. Colorful Cardigan: Add a pop of color to your outfit by pairing it with a brightly colored sweater, like this Kate Spade cardigan ($278). You want to aim for a piece that’s comfy and casual, yet still feels mature when paired with high-waisted pants and a black top.

What are some of your favorite sophisticated styles? Let us know in the comments!

We've been loving all the cute winter outfits we've seen this year and can't wait to see how others express their personal style in 2025. We're sure some people will continue going for the 'quiet luxury' look while others may prefer to re-vamp the mob wife trend. Whatever works for you is A-okay with us — except if you plan to wear outdated shoe trends.

There are just some pieces of fashion that should remain in the land of nostalgia instead of forcing them to be trendy again — and we know just what they are.

Find out which outdated shoe trends to stay away from in 2025

There aren't any rules stopping you from wearing these shoes, but they may raise an eyebrow or two. This is one of those times where we're not pretending we'll listen without judging.

1. Wedge Styles

José Martin Segura Benites

As popular as these shoes were, it’s time to officially retire them. They have a way of reverting an outfit back to the early to mid-2000s and we’d love to not be reminded of our nights spent walking on sticky floors in a dark, sweaty club.

2. Shoes Without Heels

Jeffrey Campbell

We still can’t believe this was once a coveted trend, but we’re not afraid to admit we bought into it. Though we haven’t seen anyone wear heelless shoes in a while, we sincerely pray no one thinks about revamping them in 2025. They deserve to remain a nostalgic piece of fashion we hardly ever talk about.

3. Excessively Chunky Heels

Fashion Nova

There’s a chunky heel and then there’s something that looks like a walking cinder block. In a perfect world, we’d abolish the latter so they never see the light of day again. But, we know someone is still making heels that can cause serious damage if someone steps the wrong way so we’ll say this: try not to bring them into 2025.

4. Sequin + Glitter Shoes

Amazon

These were once one of the ultimate party girl shoes, but nothing says outdated quite like all-over sequin shoes. It doesn’t matter if it’s your birthday or not, wearing them is a style faux pas in 2025. The only time they’d be acceptable is if you’re going to an 80s-themed party.

5. Patent Leather Boots

José Martin Segura Benites

It almost pains us to say this but patent boots are officially on the outdated list. They were once considered the ‘cool girl’ shoe to wear. Now they unfortunately scream, “I’m stuck in my late teens to early twenties and I’m not ready to let go.”

6. Dominatrix Style Boots

Fashion Nova

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with wearing knee or thigh high boots. However, we’d love to see less of the dominatrix style. Unless you’re headed to fashion week and are working with a stylist to convey a certain look, please skip this outdated trend in 2025. We'd hate to see you appear on someone's 'worst-dressed' list.

Want to know what's okay to wear? Scroll through our style trends to see what we're loving!

If you're anything like me, you treat Christmas like a whole fashion show. Whether it’s a wholesome family dinner or a (not so wholesome) party with hometown friends, I always plan to pull a look or two.

As opposed to years past, I’m looking to shake up my Christmas outfits a bit, playing with multiple patterns, cozy (yet stylish) layers, and, of course, a good pair of boots. Looking for inspo along those lines? We’ve got all the Christmas outfit ideas you need to stun at this year’s festivities.

Check out these 12 Christmas outfit ideas you have our full permission to copy this season!

Kayla Walden

Sparkles are extremely festive this time of year – go all out with a sequined dress to really embrace the Christmas spirit! You can find so many similar options at Anthropologie and Nordstrom. When paired with some cute ballet flats, you'll be feelin' like a little Christmas fairy in no time.

Haley Sprankle

A blazer will never fail to make your Christmas outfits look sophisticated. Layer one on top of a basic cable knit sweater for a classic feel (that'll also keep you super warm)! From there, trousers or tailored jeans will do. Don't forget to accessorize with red Christmas nails and a bold red lip color!

Jasmine Williams

Layers, layers, layers: it's the name of the Christmas outfit game, especially if you live somewhere super cold. But a practical 'fit doesn't have to be boring! Start with a comfy turtleneck and pants (over some leggings for extra warmth), then go crazy by mixing colors and patterns. This plaid + leather combo will be on repeat. Step into your favorite winter boots to bolden up the look!

Ali Ives

Statement jackets are the way to go. This leather one is lined with a furry material that not only holds in your body heat during outdoor excursions, but looks so chic, too. Layer one with some leggings, a black mini dress, and a bright red sweater like this one so you feel cozy all day long! Don't forget the boots, either! 😍

Haley Sprankle

Hair bows are the perfect accessory to rock alongside your Christmas outfits. From sleek sweaters like this one to more formal dresses, they fit the occasion oh-so nicely.

Haley Sprankle

For a *spicier* holiday get-up, don't hesitate to reach for your fave tall boots and little black dress. It's a no-fail combo! With an all-black situation like this one, you won't have to spend extra time worrying about if your outfit is matching perfectly or not. Wear the two pieces with some sheer black tights, or get creative with colored ones, like a bold red or sparkly white.

Kayla Walden

If your personal style leans more preppy, this is the Christmas outfit idea to copy: loafers and a pleated skirt instantly make you look dressed up, but the nice part is you're not sacrificing comfort for style one bit. This outfit formula can span over endless color combos, but we particularly love the burgundy-leaning look with this one.

Meredith Holser

You can never go wrong with a good green or red plaid dress. Bonus points if it's vintage, like this one! You can easily dress it up with tights and a cardigan, with boots or ballet flats to match!

Kayla Walden

Velvet dresses have our hearts (and closets). The material evokes a very vintage-y Christmas vibe that you can style over and over again. We're currently eyeing similar styles to this one from Target and Anthropologie!

Rachael Sprankle

Sequins shine again! If it's Christmas party time, you truly cannot go wrong with an eye-catching ensemble like this one. You'll leave the whole crowd stunned. A sequined dress also makes for some ahh-mazing Instagram pics! 📸

Ali Ives

Bundling up this winter doesn't have to be drab. Throw on a plaid scarf on top of a layered look to embrace all the Christmas vibes!

Kayla Walden

Playing with different materials and non-traditional color combos might just surprise you when it comes to creating the coolest Christmas outfits. For instance, this 'fit combines leather and suede, which contrast each other beautifully. You also might not immediately think of black and brown working well together, but this outfit idea defies all fashion "rules" in that regard.

Haley Sprankle

For a Christmas-y night out (ahem, bar crawl, anyone?), don your cutest holiday sweater with some comfy jeans and boots. We've found some really great options for fun holiday sweaters that are still super stylish!

Haley Sprankle

Get you a good tall black boot, and your Christmas outfit ideas will go far. They work wonderfully with everything from maxi dresses to midi skirts!

Kayla Walden

No matter what you wear this Christmas, there's always room for a playful (and festive!) hair bow.

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A Complete Unknown finally rolls into theaters on Christmas Day (you know..like a rolling stone?) but the cast is already generating serious buzz. Timothée Chalamet snagged a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Bob Dylan, while Monica Barbaro just won the Astra Film Awards' Breakthrough Performer Award. But when I sat down with the actress, I couldn't help but go all the way back to the first day of filming the December movie.

Here's what A Complete Unknown's Monica Barbaro had to say about meeting Timothée Chalamet and learning guitar for the role of Joan Baez.

Monica Barbaro loved working with Timothée Chalamet on 'A Complete Unknown.'

Monica revealed in a Rolling Stone interview that she met Timothée Chalamet a week before filming — and that he was already more-or-less in character. "The first time we met was a music rehearsal," she tells Brit + Co exclusively. "So we just really launched right into it, which was nice because I admired his work so much from afar and any level of intimidation that I may have had, I could just sort of funnel into music prep, which was great."

"It was a beautiful experience of getting to hear our voices harmonize as these characters and hear the accompaniment of our guitars," she continues. "And we were able to kind of like anchor ourselves in the music and have sort of a meeting of minds that was maybe a little more similar to Joan and Bob because they met in the music scene as already very proficient musicians. So that was a beautiful magical day. And then we like launched right into filming."

Monica Barbaro (who you'll recognize from Top Gun2) stars as musician Joan Baez, and even though Monica had to learn how to play guitar for the role, you'd never guess just by watching the film. She carries herself with such confidence and ease that I'd have believed she'd been playing her whole life. And the fact her voice sounds like a Disney princess is just the cherry on top.

"I'm not a singer, I didn't play guitar," she says. "So there was sort of this introductory level thing going on where I just had to figure out how to form my hands and in some way, I thought about how she might have done that at like 14, I think, when she first picked up guitar. But that was just like an overhaul of everything — I mean, all my time just poured into that training."

She was doing her own research, but also worked with vocal coach Eric Vetro, who's also worked with Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter, and Shawn Mendes. "He encouraged me to consider what the lyrics of songs meant to her," Monica says. "Because the best musicians are storytellers and that's one of the best things about he renditions of these folk songs is you feel the story of the song."

And because of that, focusing on the lyrics "was also a part of the character development. So there were sort of siloed things like voice, guitar research, and then her speaking voice," she says. "And then all of those things started to just kind of like meld, you know. You have to play and sing at the same time and tell a story and do it from the perspective of Joan. And so so they just sort of over time kind of like bridged."

But no matter how much prep Monica, Timothée, and Elle Fanning (who stars as Sylvie Russo) did for the film, they still had to film in the middle of New York City, which came with its own set of 2024-specific challenges. "It was interesting to be filming and have people sneaking videos and posting them on the internet," she says, admitting that she "really just tried to turn all of that off to the best of my ability."

The film highlights the tension between celebrity and fame, considering we meet Bob Dylan right before he becomes, well, Bob Dylan. "It's a privilege to have to have so much attention and excitement on a project and I appreciate the intent, but you kind of just sort of turn it off a little bit and disengage," Monica says, "especially when you're talking about just a very different kind of fame in the sixties."

Read up on 23 Hilarious Tweets About The Timothée Chalamet Lookalike Contest That Timothée Crashed for a good laugh.

As I type this, I'm sipping on chai tea, wrapped in a blanket covered in hedgehogs holding candy canes, while twinkly lights hang on the wall behind my head. That's right baby, it's Christmastime!! (Well, almost). It might not be Thanksgiving yet, but we're getting in the holiday spirit early, because...well, why not? A few Christmas music, a taste test of Taylor Swift's chai tea cookies, and A Charlie Brown Christmas are all surefire ways to make any cloudy, dark-before-5 pm day merry and bright. After you've watched Snoopy prepare dinner for all his friends in A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, press play on the oh so sweet A Charlie Brown Christmas!

Here's everything you need to know about how to stream A Charlie Brown Christmas for the 2024 holiday season.

How To Stream 'A Charlie Brown Christmas'

You can stream A Charlie Brown Christmas is streaming on Apple TV+ this year, which is also where you'll find It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. So if you're wondering, 'Is A Charlie Brown Christmas on Netflix?' unfortunately, no, it's not.

But while the $9.99 cost for an Apple TV+ subscription gives you access to literally so many other titles, it's understandable if that's a deal breaker. Good thing there's a 7-day free trial! Apple TV+ is also airing the special for free on two days during the holiday season: December 14 and December 15. Mark your calendar!

Check out Everything Coming To Apple TV+ In 2024for a look into the streamer's newest projects!

What happened in A Charlie Brown Christmas?

CBS/Apple

A Charlie Brown Christmas Plot

In A Charlie Brown Christmas, our titular main character is not feeling merry and bright. Even though the world is cheery (and snowy) around him, he simply can't break out of his funk — especially when he tries to direct his friends in the local Christmas play and they all make fun of him. But thankfully, Linus, and one special little Christmas tree, help save Charlie Brown's Christmas spirit.

The special definitely struck a chord in audiences. According to TODAY, almost half of the entire country tuned into the premiere, and A Charlie Brown Christmas ended up winning an Emmy in 1966 for Outstanding Children's Program.

When did A Charlie Brown Christmas come out?

CBS/Apple

A Charlie Brown Christmas Release Date

A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired on CBS December 9, 1965. Even though Charles M. Schulz's comic strip introduced characters like Charlie Brown, Sally, Linus, and Snoopy in 1950, this was the first time the characters appeared in a TV special.

Can I stream the music from A Charlie Brown Christmas?

Concord Music Group

Yes you can listen to the A Charlie Brown Christmas album (which has sold more than 5 million copies) on streaming platforms!

Why is A Charlie Brown Christmas not airing?

CBS/Apple

After Apple bought the rights to the Charlie Brown specials in 2018, A Charlie Brown Christmas, A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown haven't regularly premiered on TV. 2022 marked the last time Apple allowed PBS stations to air A Charlie Brown Christmas once during the holiday season.

Will ABC show A Charlie Brown Christmas?

Check out 60 Unique Christmas Card Ideas That Also Make Great Instagram Captions for more inspiration!

This post has been updated.

Let's be honest...I'll watch just about anything Reese Witherspoon or Will Ferrell are in, but I'm especially ready for You're Cordially Invited! While I was already hooked on this dynamic duo just based on the two of them alone, the trailer just dropped — and it did NOT disappoint. From wrestling alligators to wearing big, fuzzy zebra costumes, there's a lot of really funny stuff to unpack with this upcoming movie. Let's get into it!

Check out the You're Cordially Invited trailer here!

www.youtube.com

- YouTube

Okay, let's address the elephant — or two-time Superbowl-winning quarter back — in the room first. Hello, Peyton Manning! I swear, this man is everywhere right now, and I'm so here for it! I'd be lying if I said I didn't laugh at his "Paintin' Manning" commercials lately.

Anyway, back to the plot at-hand! When Reese Witherspoon's sister and Will Ferrell's daughter get engaged, the both manage to book the weddings for the same day (June 1)...and at the same venue! Classic conundrum! Instead of rescheduling, the two groups are forced to work it out between the two of them, and things get a little hairy.

Throughout the hilarity — and chaos — that ensues, we see a lot of good stuff. This includes (but is not limited to):

  • Will Ferrell doing his daughter's hair in giant rollers
  • The two wedding parties battling over the sunset ceremony
  • A giant, fluffy zebra knocking a cake over during a conga line
  • Male strippers that are totally giving Magic Mike vibes
  • Will Ferrell wrestling an alligator?!

Needless to say, there's a LOT going on in this movie. If I'm already laughing that much at the trailer, I just know this is gonna good!

Catch You're Cordially Invited on Amazon Prime on January 30, 2025!

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