It’s here! The sparkle, the festive lights, the fun traditions and…the calendar full of parties and gatherings. And…what are you wearing? Trust us, planning your outfits ahead of time is THE answer to avoiding last-minute stress. Office soirées, family get-togethers, a glitzy party night…whatever the occasion, the holidays are the perfect excuse to dress up and shine. If you’re not sure what the heck to wear, or you just need some fun inspiration, we’re sharing a range of 10 holiday party outfit ideas. Everything from casual outfits (think jeans and special tops!), colorful (bring on the red and burgundy), and dressy (how about sequins and lace?). These 10 party-perfect looks are as memorable as the celebrations themselves. You’ll feel confident and look your best.
Did you check out our Holiday Lookbook? It’s full of outfit inspo for every holiday occasion on your calendar!
What to Wear to a Holiday Party
Before you choose your holiday party outfit there are 3 things you want to keep in mind. The type of party, dress code (if any!), and location. The looks we’re sharing today range from elevated casual to dressy. If you’re going to a semi-formal event, you can check out this post for elegant semi-formal outfit inspiration. If no dress code is specified, each of the following looks is chic and a little bit extra!
When you want to elevate your holiday party look, think about fabric and special details. Velvet, sequins, silk, lace, and holiday-inspired colors like reds, greens, and metallics are all festive choices. If the party is outdoors in a colder climate, make sure you incorporate an intentional third layer into your look. Your third layer shouldn’t be an afterthought! And for outdoor parties think twice about your shoe choice. For example, block-heeled pumps or booties will fare better in the grass than stilettos. And now, on to the outfits…
10 Holiday Party Outfit Ideas
#1) Cashmere Sweater Dress
This first holiday party outfit idea is SO easy, SO comfortable and SO soft. Erin’s wearing a midi-length cashmere sweater dress from Aqua which is Bloomingdale’s in-house line of cashmere. It happens to be one of Erin’s favorites when it comes to high-quality cashmere. This dress will keep you warm, but you can still layer a coat or jacket over it. She paired it with a wide Dior belt, Stuart Weitzman sock booties, and a chunky statement necklace. This dress is basically a blank canvas you can style a ton of ways depending on how dressy or casual the party is. It’s currently fully stocked and on sale!
#2) Sweater & Sequin Skirt
This next look also incorporates cashmere. But this time, a soft and cozy cashmere sweater paired with a stretchy and (actually!) comfortable sequin pull-on skirt. Both pieces are by Aqua for Bloomingldale’s and both are very reasonably priced. The sweater has cable knit details and great texture. We love it paired with the sequin skirt for a casual-meets-dressy, effortless party outfit. Erin also added a pair of silver slingbacks to complete her holiday-ready look. This would be a great outfit for a holiday house party, dressy work party, or New Year’s Eve get-together.
#3) Leather Pants & Sweater
If you prefer to wear pants or you just need an outfit to keep you a bit warmer, these next two looks are both festive and chic.
On the left, Erin is wearing an embellished open-knit cashmere sweater with the most beautiful pearl details. On the right, she’s wearing a deep burgundy brushed cashmere sweater that has a bit more coverage. She styled both sweaters with a pair of Generation Love faux leather pants that have a cool and trendy wide cuff. Erin said these pants are killer! No sticky fabric and no clinging. They have a 31” inseam which works perfectly with the Sam Edelman cap-toe slingbacks. Erin is 5’4” for reference.
These pants are more versatile than you might think so we wanted to show you these 2 ways to style them. Both looks are holiday party-ready. The pearl sweater is more elegant, feminine, and dressy and the burgundy sweater is a tinge more casual. You can style the pants with a hoodie and platform sneakers after the holiday season too!
#4) Holiday Top & Jeans
If we had to pick a favorite, this just might be it! How gorgeous is this top? If your holiday party is on the casual side but you still want to look a little glam, just wear a pretty statement top with your favorite jeans. This 1.State burgundy blouse has gorgeous, billowy chiffon sleeves that add some drama to your holiday outfit. We love the high neck and super lightweight fabric that makes it easy to tuck it into a pair of jeans, trousers, or a skirt. This top is perfect for a holiday party. Erin styled it with a pair of Favorite Daughter wide-leg jeans, a pretty pearl-embellished belt to add some bling, and burgundy slingback pumps.
If you’re looking for more ways to dress up jeans for a holiday party, make sure you check out this post next with 6 affordable holiday tops!
#5) Jeans, Silk Blouse & Blazer
Here’s another jeans-inspired look for a casual holiday work party or dinner party. Erin is wearing a pair of flattering Mother jeans with a washable silk blouse and blazer by Quince. Let’s start with the blouse…we love the deep green color and the tie neck is elegant and sophisticated. Perfect for the holidays! The blazer is actually a very reasonably priced dupe for the Veronica Beard Miller blazer and you can even add the zip in/out inserts. Finish your look with a pair of pointed-toe booties or heels and you’ll be holiday party ready with chic separates you’ll wear long after the holiday season.
#6) Velvet blazer & Black Pants
We wanted to show you another blazer outfit that dials up the sexy a bit! In this look, Erin is wearing a gorgeous, structured velvet Zhivago blazer. Just like sequins, velvet will instantly make your outfit holiday-ready! Under the blazer, Erin’s wearing a sexy, cropped, faux leather bustier top by Milly. It has a sweetheart neckline, one shoulder strap, and a twisted bodice. It’s so chic…and definitely wowza, but still very tasteful. You could wear the blazer open to show a bit more of the top and a little more va-va-voom. These pieces take your favorite pair of black pants or trousers up a notch so they feel more holiday party-appropriate. Add some impactful jewelry, heeled booties, and a sparkly clutch and you’re ready for a dressy or even a semi-formal holiday party.
#7) Silky Midi Skirt and Bodysuit
Sticking with the sexy theme, this next look is a head-turner for sure! On top, Erin’s wearing a lace, satin jersey, semi-sheer bodysuit with an open back. She paired it with a beautiful silk midi skirt and black booties for a head-to-toe black outfit. If the weather is cold where you live, just add a pair of tights and a cozy faux fur jacket and you’ll be set.
#8) Monochromatic Light Neutral Outfit
Wearing head-to-toe light neutrals is another holiday outfit idea that is SO elegant. Erin is wearing a cable knit sweater by Free People and another silk skirt from Quince. This one is maxi length and the prettiest champagne color. She added some white booties and pearl hoop earrings to keep everything in a light color family. The chunky sweater is on the slightly more casual side, but the silk skirt definitely dresses it up. You can wear a long white or ivory-colored coat if you need a third layer.
#9) Monochromatic Black Outfit
Earlier in the post, we mentioned that lace is an elevated fabric for holiday parties, so we just had to share this super chic monochromatic black outfit. The sheer lace blouse by L’Agence is elegant, a tad sexy, but also very sophisticated. Erin’s wearing a bralette underneath to show some skin, but you could easily dial it back by wearing a camisole or tank underneath. To glam it up for the party, just add a pair of big, sparkly earrings or a statement necklace and ring. You could even add a bag or shoes with some sparkle. A burgundy or red lip and nails will make this outfit holiday-party-perfect. It’s the extra styling details that take your look to the next level!
#10) Anything RED
Is there a more festive, holiday color than red? We wanted to specifically share this red outfit because we know some of you don’t always love to wear red close to your face. Red can be tricky to wear for certain skin tones! Erin is wearing a beautiful lace top by Wayf (super affordable and a Team Busbee favorite!) and a pair of cropped red pants by ALC. Of course, you could also opt for a pair of red shoes, earrings, or a bag to add a touch of this festive color to your look.
Do you need help finding an outfit for a specific themed holiday party? Leave us a note below…we are happy to help you find the perfect look!
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