My Party Looks – Most Flattering Holiday Dresses

‘Tis the season to party! Right now I am madly searching for the best holiday party dresses this season. From the usual holiday events to fall weddings, all my clients are in need of a flattering holiday dress. And I personally never pass up an excuse to acquire a new party frock. I recommend you also start shopping for your festive looks now. If you wait, you’ll end up settling on a new dress you don’t love or a dress you already own that doesn’t feel exciting.

Holiday Party Dress Code

Before you search for a flattering holiday dress, you need to know the dress code for the event you’re attending, and a proper invite will state whether it’s black tie, cocktail, “festive,” or a more casual affair. If you’re confused by the dress code, this article has some good tips for decoding the terminology.

I always ask to see the invitation to an event before shopping for a client. But it’s not just the dress code instructions I am seeking. The style of the event is also implied by the invitation itself. I’ve had many a client confused by terms like “California cocktail,” “barnyard chic,” “cocktail casual,” and other seemingly contradictory strings of adjectives. A client of mine was invited to a formal wedding, but the dress code stated, “Be Sexy.” If my client had just told me the dress code was “Be Sexy” and not shown me the invite, I would have missed the fact it was a black tie event.

Which brings us to the public service announcement of our post… If you’re the one hosting a party, please understand most people stress about choosing the right outfit for big events. Pretty please be specific with your dress code instructions and accurately reflect the vibe of your event with your invitation design. The invitation is vital for your guests in selecting the “right” outfit.

Most Flattering Holiday Dresses

With my thoughts on dress codes out of the way, let’s continue with how to choose the best holiday party dresses. I get all kinds of holiday dress requests from my clients, but mostly, my clients just want to be comfortable and not feel like they have to suck in their bellies or worry about their back fat. Here is what I look for when shopping for flattering holiday dresses:

• Scoop necks or v-necks
• Ruching
• A-line skirt hems
• Fit + flare silhouettes
• Stretchy fabrics
• Thicker or layered fabrics

Best Colors for Holiday Dresses

As you might have noticed, red is my personal favorite holiday dress color, but numerous colors make sense for this party season. Here are a few of the other colors I love for the holidays:

• Burgundy
• Hunter green
• Emerald green
• Ivory
• Purple
• Metallic (silver, rose gold, gold)
• Navy

Buying Multiple Party Dresses

Generally, I recommend my clients buy at least three holiday dresses or outfits. If you don’t end up wearing one of the dresses over the holidays, chances are a random event will come up in the next few months that requires a fresh frock. There is always a wedding, gala, charity event, or surprise occasion that comes up. For my clients who think I’m overzealous, I encourage them to purchase their holiday dresses from a store with a fantastic return policy (I am looking at you Nordstrom and Zappos.) And come January (or June!) if you still don’t need the extra dress, or don’t like it anymore, you can return it without issue.

Styling Tip! If you need shoes to go with your holiday dress, check out my posts on the best silver heels and gold heels. If flats are more your style, I also have a post on dressy flats that work with cocktail dresses.

Vince Camuto Ruched Velvet Sheath

This dress is available at Vince Camuto and Macy’s.

Sizing: 2-14

House of Harlow 1960 x REVOLVE Sabrina Dress

Sizing: XXS-XL, this dress runs large, order 1-2 sizes down.

Farm RIO Passion Mini Wrap Dress

This dress is available at Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Farm RIO and Anthropologie.

Sizing: XXS-XL

WAYF Long Sleeve Sequin Cocktail Dress

Sequins aren’t just for New Year’s Eve. The hunter green color of this flattering maxi dress gives it a festive vibe for the holidays.

Sizing: XS-XL

French Connection Deon Candra Jacquard Dress

This dress is available at Bloomingdale’s, Nordstrom, Macy’s, French Connection, and Dillard’s.

Sizing: 0-14

ASTR the Label Serilda Dress

This flattering holiday dress is available at Revolve, ASTR the Label, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Amazon.

Sizing: XS-L

HELSI Crystal Kisses Strapless Minidress

Sizing: XS-XL

Tanya Taylor Metallic Fringe-Embroidered Midi Skirt

Sizing: 0-14

Rumer Tropez Mini Dress

Sizing: XS-L

Helsi Riley Embroidered Deep V-Neck Mesh Mini Dress

Sizing: XS-XL

La Femme Illusion A-Line Tulle Ballgown

Sizing: 00-20

Dress the Population Catalina Fit & Flare Cocktail Dress

This flattering holiday dress is available at Nordstrom, Macy’s, Amazon, Anthropologie, and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Sizing: XXS-XXL

Karen Kane Fit & Flare Sweater Dress

This flattering holiday dress is available at Nordstrom, Dillard’s, and Amazon.

Sizing: XS-XL

Dressy Group Wrap Satin Maxi Dress

Sizing: 00-30WXL

Karen Kane Scalloped Lace Cocktail Dress

This dress is available at Nordstrom, Belk, and Dillard’s.

Sizing: XS-XL

STAUD Wells Dress

This flattering dress is available at Bloomingdale’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Shopbop, and Nordstrom.

Sizing: 00-16

Kiyonna Whimsy Wrap Dress

This dress is available at Nordstrom, Amazon, Kiyonna, and Saks Fifth Avenue.

Sizing: XS-XL

ASTR The Label Lace A-Line Midi Dress

This flattering holiday dress by ASTR is the same dress I’m wearing in the photos, just in a deep burgundy shade. And can I just add that this dress is incredibly versatile and can work for the holidays and beyond. I call it my magic dress for its ability to work for multiple events, including weddings (as you can see here). It’s available at ASTR The Label and Amazon.

Sizing: XS-XXL

Dress the Population Iris Spaghetti Strap Plunging Long Dress

This dress is available at Amazon, Nordstrom, Anthropologie, and Macy’s.

Sizing: XXS-3X

Eliza J Pleated Keyhole Cutout A-Line Dress

Sizing: 2-14

 

 Original photography of French Connection and Farm Rio dresses by Lissa Haby

ASTR red dress photography by Kris Davidson in conjunction with National Geographic. Location: The Pendry Hotel, Make-up: Antonella Annibale