Madewell Holiday Lookbook 2012

If there's one thing we can count on Madewell for (aside from great denim), it's styling cues that are as easy as they are incredibly cool. Case in point: the brand's latest holiday lookbook, which supplies the festive styler and easygoing girl alike with plenty of party-outfit fodder. We're talking polka dots made chic and kelly-green skinnies with leopard skimmers here . . . the kind of quirk and playfulness you've come to expect from Madewell with a refreshingly grown-up, perfect-for-any-holiday-setting twist. We know how it goes, too. You start your December motivated and energized on the fashion front, and by the second week in, the drive to change up your cocktail dress M.O. has waned. That's why we couldn't have asked for a better boost of inspiration than this one. Inside, you'll find just what you need to get those styling wheels turning again. The requirements? A little bit of sparkle, something printed, and a great no-frills blazer. See our quick takeaway tips below, then click through for 12 ways to punch up your holiday style A-game.

• The sparkle-and-shine treatment doesn't have to be over the top, as evidenced by this green denim look. If you temper the sequined statement with, say, even bolder complements (hello, bright hues and leopard-printed skimmers), you don't run the risk of being overtaken by eye-catching embellishments.
• Polka dots can be made refined with some help from one classic navy-blue blazer and white pumps. The juxtaposition of whimsical print and tailored pieces works solely based on the strategic placement of the playful and the poised. Because you have a no-fail staple to offset the girlie polka dots, you can take your look from youthful to night out instantly.
• We love the idea of print on print (always), but what really stood out to us in this tougher take on the trend was the cropped trouser. Done up in a jacquard, printed, or brocade finish, these flashier pants can do all the outfit talking.