What to Do, What to Wear: Holiday Parties
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been blasting Christmas music since the moment I finished Thanksgiving dinner. Yes, I am 100% in the holiday spirit. And when my friend told me that she was hosting a holiday party, my immediate thought was “YES!”, then “WAIT! What do I wear?!”
You can’t just wear any old thing to a holiday party – there are considerations! These include, “how festive/dressy/sparkly do I want my outfit to be?” This may seem like a selfish post, as I’m in need of some inspiration for my upcoming party, but I figure some of you out there may need some as well. Here are three holiday outfit ideas for you (and me)!
Casual Silver & Gold
Necklace: Topshop, Lipstick: MAC, Cardigan: H&M, Clutch: Forever 21, Top: Dorothy Perkins, Shoes: Modcloth, Jeans: H&M
Our first outfit is inspired by two quintessential holiday shades – silver and gold. (Does anyone else immediately think of this song when they hear the phrase “silver and gold”?)
I really like this outfit because is it incredibly versatile. The foundations of the outfit are neutral (black pants, white lace shirt) so you can either dress it way up or way down. This time, I decided to go all out and dress it up!
A silver sparkly cardigan and sparkly gold heels may seem like overkill, but fear not – it totally works. Because you’re keeping the sparkly pieces far from each other, you can easily get away with multiple glitter pieces. The white, gold and black clutch really pulls the ensemble together because it pulls three colors from the look. To glam up the outfit just a little bit more, I added a fun silver and gold necklace and, of course, a bold red lip.
Dressy Red & Black
Blazer: Miss Selfridge, Clutch: Miss Selfridge, Dress: Modcloth, Tights: Miss Selfridge, Earrings: White House Black Market, Bracelet: Dorothy Perkins, Shoes: Lulu’s
Since red is the color of Christmas and all things Holiday-themed, what could be more holiday-appropriate than a fun, festive, red dress? Pair the dress with a structured black blazer and pretty lace tights for both warmth and style. For your feet, add some black ankle booties. To give the look some sparkle, add pretty red earrings and a sparkling cuff bracelet. Finish off the outfit with a cute clutch and you’re ready to party!
Fancy & Festive
Sweater: Tilly’s, Nail Polish: Essie, Necklace: Nordstrom, Skirt: Romwe, Clutch: Boohoo, Shoes: Dorothy Perkins
Last, but certainly not least, I’ve created a very festive outfit that incorporates all of the signature holiday season colors — silver, gold, green and red. (You could also swap these colors around depending on which holiday you’re celebrating – blue, silver and white would look fab for a Hanukkah party!)
To create this look, I paired a cropped sweater with a green high-waisted skirt. (Add tights if it’s cold where you are!) Next, add a gorgeous statement necklace as your primary accessory, and paint your nails a deep red hue. Finally, a velvet clutch adds the perfect amount of texture, while the caged toe flats lend a touch of playfulness.
What do you think?
Are you guys as excited for the Holiday season as I am!? Are you going to any Holiday parties this year? Are you doing to be hosting one? Which of these Holiday outfits is your favorite? Is there anything else you’d like to see me do in upcoming columns? Let me know in the comments below! :)
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Posted on on December 5, 2012 / Filed Under: Fashion Tips / Tags: Christmas, Christmas Party, Festive, Heels, Holiday Party, Outfit Ideas, Party, Red and Green, Silver and Gold, Sparkle, What To Wear
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Charlotte
I’m sorry for being such a geek, but after the premiere tonight I can’t see that second outfit without singing Red and Black (“Red- the blood of angry men, Black- the dark of ages past, Red- a world about to dawn, Black- the night that ends at last!”) from Les Miserables… love all the outfits though, especially Outfit 1 and the tights from Outfit 2
Jodie
Nice article! I liked outfit one the most!
Danielle - Duquesne University
Charlotte– I’m so sad to admit that I’ve never seen Les Miserables! But I know that I would LOVE it. I need to go see it!
Jodie– Thank you! :)
Callan
Great outfit ideas! I like that you included a pants option, a skirt, option and a dress option. I think the first is my favorite.
Alice
These outfits are all really cute, but what about outfits for holiday parties that aren’t specifically for Christmas? I’m Jewish, and wearing something red and green to a Hanukkah party isn’t exactly what I’m looking to do. Or even non-denominational holiday parties, something cute and festive that isn’t Christmassy would be nice
Alana
Love these! Number 2 is my favorite, though it’s a little dressy for what I usually wear for a party. But I could definitely see myself wearing number1!
Zephyr - CF Editor
Glad you guys like!
Alice – Great point about the red and green not being Hanukkah-appropriate – we do suggest in the post that you swap the colors in the last outfit if you’re celebrating another holiday. You’re right, though – the last outfit is really Christmas-specific. But wouldn’t the first gold/silver outfit be fine for a Hanukkah party? Or is gold off limits? I know silver is usually a Hanukkah color…
Danielle - Duquesne University
Callan– Glad you like them! I wanted to include lots of options!
Alice– I was thinking of that when creating this post. I definitely think the first outfit could work for any sort of party– it’s neutral enough to work for a variety of holiday parties. And although red is a Christmas color, it’s also a very trendy color for this season, so I think you could get away with it without screaming Christmas. Outfit one or two could work great for you. :)
Alana– Outfit two is definitely the dressiest! I don’t normally dress up that much for parties either. I’d normally go for outfit one too, so maybe we should step out of our boundaries and go super dressy! ;)
lafashionista55
I love the first look! I have the cutest gold glitter pumps from Chinese Laundry. They are the perfect holiday shoes!
Bethany
Love the looks but I was thinking the same thing as Alice when reading the article