Designer Kat Gorgenyi is still on crutches–the dowdiest possible accessory for the holiday season. At the end of October, a car smashed into her legs when she was in a crosswalk. Days later, she ventured out for the first time to a party at her boyfriend's workplace, Mihrab Gallery on Main Street.

"Oh, God," she recalled thinking, "I hope I don't end up sitting in a corner by myself." Summoning her inner phoenix, Gorgenyi adorned herself with "an extremely loud outfit", which included one of her attention-grabbing hair toppers. These oversized confections feature birds, feathers, flowers, netting, and other feminine embellishments, some real and some artificial. For the holidays, she has a festive line of sparkly, fluffy poinsettia combs, which soar skyward like decorative fins ($25 and up).

It worked. "All night, people were coming up to me and wanted to talk to me," the designer said in a phone interview with the Straight , explaining that her wallflower-busting accessories create an instant happy vibe. Floral chokers with ribbon ties ($25 and up); statement-shouting beaded necklaces and bracelets ($40 and up); and saucy leather corset-laced cuffs with hearts and crosses ($20 and up) fill out her collection.

Gorgenyi's company, Smart Tart Designs ( www.smarttartdesigns.com/ ), is the flashy topper on a rocky 34 years. She gave up art by Grade 8 because the Grade 12 art students seemed so much more sophisticated.

It’s up to you whether you wear anything with your Smart Tart lace-up sleevelettes.

After graduating from high school, she turned to hair-styling. A car accident inspired her to pursue film makeup, though unfortunately her instructor's knowledge extended to stage makeup, not film. She joined her best friend working in a special-effects shop, but tragically, he died of stomach cancer a few years later.

Depressed, Gorgenyi took months off. Then she worked at a Yaletown boutique, went on EI, and decided to start a design business. When her EI ran out, she got work at a Gastown shop and was hit by the car. Now she's having the time of her life.

Gorgenyi's designs are crowd pleasers at Portobello West market. (The next one is on December 16.) This week, they're on sale at the Jem Gallery's Naughty Not Nice adult Christmas show, until Tuesday (December 11) at 225 East Broadway.

Although she started her company designing sexier pieces–like leather lace-up gauntlet cuffs–her more recent work is decidedly glam. Old Hollywood has stuck with her, defining Gorgenyi's vision of what is feminine and grown-up. She loves to dress up. In an era of fashion minimalism, she confidently describes herself as a "maximalist".

"When I was younger, I was really hyper-aware of what other people thought of me," Gorgenyi explained. "The older I've become, the more I've freed myself from that. It feels good."

This holiday season, Gorgenyi encourages women to take fashion risks. She hopes her toppers and other accessories will free celebrants from style boredom.