The holidays are great and all -- seeing family, celebrating with friends, blah blah blah. But the best thing about winter is undoubtedly the clothing. In the spring and summer you're stuck trying to look cool in whatever won't make you sweat, but in the colder months you have options.

Like this Armani Exchange ribbed wool sweater. The fitted, ribbed look is great, especially for broad-chested guys, but my favorite part is the kangaroo pockets -- a clever little addition, and a great way to keep your hands from turning into ice cubes.

And to top it off, the sweater is a steal at only $22.49. Buy it for yourself, or make up for the crappy Christmas present you gave your brother/boyfriend/spouse with a little belated holiday cheer.

Racking your brain trying to think of a last minute gift for the special lady in your life? There's only four shopping days left until Christmas. So if you've been putting it off, the time to act is right now.

I know, I know -- sometimes it's hard to think of what to give someone else. Maybe this year you shouldn't bother trying to be considerate, and instead get her something that you'll really enjoy -- sexy lingerie! Even better, is that Victoria's Secret has just launched their Semi-Annual Sale, so you can buy the hottest undies at almost half the price.

It's a Christmas miracle!

[via Fabsugar]

It's getting down to crunch time. If you haven't started your holiday shopping, you better get out to the mall right now. And even if you have found gifts for the loved ones on your list, if you won't be seeing them in person this season, it's time to get those stylish presents in the mail -- pronto!

Here's a few deadlines to keep in mind as we approach the last few shopping days before Christmas:

• FedEx: Saturday, December 22, 2007, is the last day to ship in time for Christmas arrival.
• U.S. Postal Service: Monday was the last day to send domestic mail for arrival before Christmas. Express Mail sent by Saturday will arrive on Christmas day.
• Amazon.com: Monday was the deadline for free shipping for orders of $25 or more. Tuesday is the deadline for standard shipping orders to arrive by Christmas Day. Last day for expedited shipping to arrive by Christmas is Saturday, December 22, 2007.
• L.L. Bean: Last day for free shipping to US addresses is noon EST on December 21, 2007.
• Landsend.com: Standard shipping for Christmas ends at midnight ET Wednesday, December 19, 2007.
• Nordstroms: Last day for free shipping is December 19 at noon.
• Macy's: December 19 at noon.

[via Shopping Blog]

Sure, holiday parties are a blast, but they're probably a little dressier than your day-to-day wardrobe. You could run out and spend hundreds (or even thousands) of dollars on nicer outfits, but the truth is that a few items will make all the difference.

One of those items is a blazer. This will come in handy when you need to look really nice -- khakis, ties, dress shoes, etc -- but also will take just a about any outfit from sloppy to chic.

Check out this Kenneth Cole Two Button Blazer as a possible option. It's formal enough for anything short of a black tie affair, but looks fantastic with jeans and festively-colored dress shirt. I'd also recommend this brown leather sport coat from Alfani (which is what I'm wearing this holiday season). As you can see in the photo, it works with a shirt and tie, but also looks great with a hooded sweatshirt -- even a t-shirt if you're going to a pseudo-casual party. Plus, it's fairly warm, so you can get away without wearing a bulky overcoat.

Add a nice pair of boots, and your grubby jeans and t-shirts suddenly start to look like Christmas party attire.

As I've mentioned before, I'm sure it's not easy to figure out what you man might want for Christmas. If you don't feel like shelling out hundreds of dollars for a Wii, or a new set of state-of-the-art power tools, stick to what you're good at. There's a number of small things he'd never buy for himself that, if taken care of, would make him significantly more stylish (which is great when you need to show him off to friends, colleagues, etc -- right?).

Like a watch, for instance. My guess is he either doesn't wear one, or has some ugly black, rubber, sporty thing that's somehow still ticking away from when he was in high school. Gently encourage him to start dressing like a grown up with one of these classy Timex or Casio watches on Target.com. They're functional, straightforward, and stylish -- but also aren't absurdly expensive.

The best part, is that until December 31st, the watches are 5-15% off. Check it out!

[via See Jack Shop]

It's time to start thinking about all those Holiday parties coming up, isn't it?

Since jewel tones are big this season and they're a perennial choice for Holiday dressing, the Sleeveless Tie Dress by Elijah is a natural, especially since it's also purple. Oddly enough, the eggplant colored dress is made of 100% cotton, though it's got a sheen to it. The gathered neckline ties around the neck, halter-style, and features a sexy keyhole opening in the back. We're thinking a giant-jewel accented sandal as the perfect pair for this dress.

Available from Neiman Marcus for $265.

If you like strolling through the snow, embracing the icy winter weather with your warm-hearted lover, here's a useful (albeit not super attractive) item: Glovers.

Billed by the manufacturer as "the most romantic, cosiest gloves ever invented," this odd little fashion item is just what it looks like -- a glove for two. That way you can hold the hand of that special someone without the fear of frostbite. Now nothing, not even arctic temperatures, can stand in the way of your true love!

Of course, you won't be able to stop holding your partner's hand until the walk is over, and you'll probably get made fun of by neighborhood teenagers. Just something to keep in mind before you get all romantic and put this under the tree.

[via gearfuse]

Does she take three hours to get ready in the bathroom before she spends eight hours to get ready for her dinner party in the kitchen? Does she insist on wearing an apron that complements her Milly tunic minidress? Does she have just as many kitchen gadgets as she does pairs of earrings? If so, she's a Fashionable Foodie, and these are the best 20 gifts for her, whether they're food, fashion, or both. Click through on each image for details about each gift and where to buy.

In case you haven't figured out from the gift lists that have been popping up all over the web, the massive sales, and the red, green and white decor spilling itself all over everything, it's the Holidays.

We're getting into the spirit, too, here at Styledash. We're making lists, checking them twice, and putting it altogether into something nice. It's Styledash's Haute Holidays Guide with Gift Guides, Holiday Party Fashion, and Holiday Hair and Beauty. You've already seen some of the Gift Guides, but you ain't seen nothing yet. We have everything from the standard "What do I get for a guy?" to "What should I get for my fantasy BFF, Britney Spears?" all from a very stylish perspective. And if the season is more of a Hell-iday for you and you plan to escape to either sand or snow, well, we've got vacation style planned, too.

Check back often for new gift lists and posts, or find everything in one place on the Haute Holidays Guide.

Every Christmas I have no idea what to get my girlfriend, sister, and mother. I'm fairly confident I could wander through the aisles of my local Mega Box Store and, without putting much thought into it, find something my dad or brother would die for -- because if I think it's awesome, chances are they will too.

But the women in my life are always giving each other candles, gift baskets, and other kitsch I'd never think to purchase -- is this what they want from me?

I imagine you ladies are faced with a similar conundrum when it comes to buying gifts for your brother, boyfriend, father, etc. Just because he's a man, does that mean he needs a power tool for Christmas?

Obviously, the answer is no. Rather than fall back on something stereotypical, pick out something he'll use, but probably wouldn't bother to buy for himself -- like a wallet, some nice looking luggage, etc. You know his taste, and (chances are) you have a better eye for what's fashionable, so you'll be able to pick out a stylish item or two that won't end up at Goodwill. Check out this post on Fabsugar for a few idea to get you started.

You're likely to see some style disasters around the office this time of year. Not that there's anything wrong with being festive, but trust me -- the blinking Rudolph sweater is best left in the closet.

But while most fashion foul-ups are easy to spot, others will sneak up on you -- especially as you're asked to socialize with co-workers outside the office (like at your annual holiday party, for instance). Dress too wacky, too sexy, or just plain bad, and the boss is likely to see a side of your personality you'd probably rather they didn't.

Follow these tips to make sure you don't find yourself applying for a new job in the New Year:

• Keep it under control-- dress up too much and it'll look like the office party is the only night out you've had since last year.
• If you want to show off, use your accessories (nice watches for guys, a stylish bag for the ladies).
• Stay true to your company culture. If you work at Google, I'm sure you can wear whatever you want. But if you're a Wall Street financial analyst, you'll probably want to err on the conservative side -- even if the invitation says "casual."
• Remember: just because you're not at the office, doesn't mean the normal office rules don't apply.

Essentially, be careful. Because your co-workers only see you in "work mode," it's tempting to go overboard with an outfit that says "this is who I really am!" But on Monday you'll be back in the office -- hopefully with no regrets.

Ah, the holidays. The only time of year when you're forced to wear that freakish thing grandma knitted for you, or the shockingly ugly red and green sweater your Aunt Mildred gave you last Christmas. But never fear, not every festive garment is a total fashion disaster.

Take these Docker's sweaters at Kohls, for instance. None of them are adorned with Rudolph or Santa -- in fact, they aren't even Christmas colored. However, a subtle patterned look (like the argyle corduroy one in the photo), is a nice way to suggest (but not scream) holiday cheer.

Plus, these sweaters have recently been reduced from $50 to $29.99 -- just in time for your annual tour 'round the Christmas party circuit.

Does the thought of another holiday filled with over-crowded malls, fighting families, and incessantly jolly tunes about gift-giving fat men make you cringe? Don't worry, Scrooge, Urban Outfitters has your back.

They've created this not so subtle "Santa Claus Hates You" t-shirt, which prominently features 'ol Kris Kringle giving those saccharine seasonal revelers the finger. That's that!

While at first glance, this shirt is kind of funny, it's also trying way too hard (just like everything else you'll find at Urban Outfitters). That said, I can see it working in colder climates -- peaking through multiple layers, partially covered by your scarf, so that anyone who catches the message will be surprised (and not affronted).

A word of caution though: avoid wearing this around kids. As parent, I can assure you that one look at this disgruntled version of St. Nick will send children into snotty, tearful hysterics -- leaving you to deal with some very angry moms and dads, who are probably already about to snap from all the holiday-related stress. I'm just sayin'.

[via Fashion Indie]

Sunday is Father's Day -- do you have your gift yet? If you're like me, the answer is probably no.

It's not that I don't love my dear old dad. The reason I don't have a gift yet is that he's incredibly hard to shop for. He isn't interested in clothes; he's picky about books; he hates television. He does like technology, but only if it involves radio tubes, so modern gadgetry is pretty much out of the question. (And you thought you're dad was hard to shop for!)

For those of you still in the market for last minute gift ideas, here are a few items that I would pick out for my dad if he wasn't, well, my dad.

Façonnable solid linen dress shirt ($155) Poor dad! He has to wear long-sleeves in the middle of the summer, so do what you can to make this less miserable.
The Office Complete Series ($30.49) Don't get me wrong, I love the NBC version, but nothing beats the original BBC show The Office. Trust me, next to Gareth, Dwight Shroud looks normal.
John Grisham's latest book The Innocent Man ($19.11) Say what you will, literati, but John Grisham can tell a great story. The Innocent Man -- his most recent book -- is actually nonfiction. Who knew he had such range? P.S. La Grish lives in my town and he is one good-hearted, philanthropic mofo. I can't help but hope he grows even richer!
L.L. Bean Maine Isle Flip-Flops ($24.95) No one likes mandals, but these flip-flops are possibly the least offensive pair I've seen in a while.
Bike Friday New World Foldable Bike ($875 and up) Give your pops the gift of health disguised as an awesome piece of mechanical engineering. It's perfect for business travelers, since the bike is plane friendly.