i’ve been on a doozy of a holiday dress-shopping binge over the last two months. trust me, i love a great party dress, shoes and sparkly accessories as much as the next girl. and if you hire me to shop dresses for you, i will bring it.

that does not mean i’m against easy and simple. especially in the madness of the holiday season…you may have forgotten that, yes, you need to dress up for that holiday party. so what to do? last minute scrambling aside, i have two words for you: black and white. fine, that’s three. and i want to change the last one to “eggshell white.” so four.

the black-and-white thing is on-trend this season and can’t think of an easier, flattering-on-all color combo that is equal parts classic and of-the-moment. here are some simple ways to get ‘er done for your holiday soirees.

1. lbd. for the uninitiated, that stands for “little black dress.” this can even be a basic black shift you wear to work. add a white tuxedo blazer (a white jacket can work too and I know you have one from spring, right?), a dash of sparkle around the neck and some animal print pumps for texture. mad men glamour for the millenium.

2. eggshell white lace tee. fast becoming one of my closet essentials, this little number packs a punch when it comes to versatility. for holiday, it adds a touch or romance to black skinny pants (if you don’t have the tuxedo, no worries, any pair of black slim-fit trousers will work) and a classic cashmere crewneck cardigan. amp up the look for evening with an bold necklace and some sparkle.