Dress code guide
Festive attire
Also written festive cocktail, holiday cocktail attire, festive formal, holiday festive attire
Cocktail polish with a wink: sequins, velvet, tartan and seasonal color.
What it means
Festive attire means dressing up with a celebratory twist: usually cocktail-level clothing plus seasonal touches like sequins, velvet, metallics, tartan or holiday colors. It's most common on invitations to December holiday parties and New Year's Eve.
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What festive attire really means
Festive attire is the host's way of saying: dress up, and have fun with it. You'll see it most on invitations to office holiday parties, December dinner parties and New Year's Eve celebrations. By default it sits at cocktail level, so think party dresses, dressy separates and suits, then add something that feels like a celebration, such as sequins, velvet, a metallic shoe, a tartan skirt or a jewel-toned tie.
The word that follows festive sets the level. Festive cocktail means cocktail attire with sparkle. Festive formal means long gowns or dressy midis, tuxedos or dark suits, with velvet and shine welcome. Festive casual means a nice sweater, trousers or a skirt, and boots. In every case, one or two festive elements look more polished than head-to-toe holiday theming, and the novelty sweater stays home unless the invitation asks for it.
When you'll see it
- Company holiday parties
- Holiday open houses and dinner parties
- New Year's Eve parties
- Winter weddings and holiday-season receptions
- Charity holiday galas, often as festive formal
- Seasonal cultural and religious celebrations where the host invites guests to dress up; follow their lead on colors and modesty
Festive attire for women
Take a cocktail outfit and give it one festive note: a sequin top, a velvet dress, metallic shoes, a jewel-toned satin skirt or a touch of tartan. The formality follows the word after festive, so read the whole phrase before you pick a hemline.
Lengths: For festive cocktail, knee to midi is the sweet spot, and a sequin or velvet mini with opaque or sheer tights is fine at office and friends' parties. Festive formal calls for floor-length or a formal midi. Festive casual leaves length open: a midi skirt with boots or tailored trousers are both right.
Outfits that work
- Sequin long-sleeve mini dress with sheer black tights and black suede pumps
- Velvet wrap midi dress in emerald or burgundy with gold earrings and block heels
- Sequin or metallic top with black satin wide-leg trousers and pointed pumps
- Tartan taffeta midi skirt with a fine black turtleneck and heeled knee boots
- Plus-size: a sequin V-neck blouse over a bias-cut satin midi skirt in a deep jewel tone, with pointed block heels
- Petite: a velvet jumpsuit in a deep color with a defined waist, metallic flats and sparkly earrings
- Fabrics
- Sequins and beading
- Velvet and crushed velvet
- Lamé and metallic knits
- Satin
- Taffeta and brocade
- Tartan wool or silk
- Shoes
- Suede or velvet pumps
- Metallic sandals or pumps
- Velvet flats or loafers
- Heeled knee boots for festive cocktail or casual
- Embellished or bow-trimmed heels
- Accessories
- Statement earrings
- A metallic or beaded clutch
- Sheer black or sparkle tights
- A faux fur stole or velvet wrap
- A velvet headband or bow hair clip
Festive attire for men
Start with what you'd wear to a cocktail event, a suit or a blazer with trousers, and add one festive piece: a velvet jacket, a tartan or holiday-colored tie, a fine turtleneck, a patterned pocket square or velvet slippers. Keep the rest simple so the festive piece stands out.
Outfits that work
- Velvet blazer in bottle green, burgundy or midnight blue with a cream turtleneck, charcoal flannel trousers and suede Chelsea boots
- Navy suit with a deep red or forest green silk tie, a patterned pocket square and brown oxfords
- Charcoal suit with a fine-knit turtleneck in black, cream or burgundy and polished loafers
- Tartan trousers with a black or navy blazer, white shirt and velvet slippers
- Festive formal: a tuxedo with a velvet dinner jacket or a colored bow tie
- Festive casual: a fine Fair Isle or cable-knit sweater over a collared shirt, wool trousers or dark chinos and leather boots, only when the invitation says casual
- Fabrics
- Velvet
- Flannel
- Merino and cashmere knits
- Tartan wool
- Silk for ties and pocket squares
- Shoes
- Velvet slippers
- Suede or leather Chelsea boots
- Leather loafers
- Brown or black oxfords
- Patent oxfords for festive formal
- Accessories
- A holiday-colored or tartan tie
- A patterned silk pocket square
- A simple lapel pin
- Patterned dress socks
- A cashmere scarf for the walk in
Color, time and season
Getting the details right
Festive attire is the moment for jewel tones and shine: deep red, emerald, sapphire, plum, gold, silver and bronze. Black works beautifully when it sparkles or comes in velvet. Winter white can look fresh at a holiday party, though not at a wedding. Tartan and plaid add seasonal pattern without going kitsch. For celebrations tied to specific traditions, such as red and gold at Lunar New Year or bright, rich colors at Diwali, follow the host's lead; some traditions avoid all-black or all-white outfits, so ask if you're unsure.
Office party right after work
Build on a workday base: swap flats for heels, add statement earrings or a sequin top, or change into a velvet blazer and a festive tie.
Evening parties
Go fuller on sparkle and velvet after dark. A sequin dress or a velvet jacket feels just right at an 8 p.m. party.
New Year's Eve
The most sparkly night of the year. Metallics, sequins and black with shine all fit, and festive formal events may call for tuxedos and gowns.
Daytime gatherings
For a holiday brunch or open house, keep the festive touch lighter: a velvet skirt, a tartan scarf or a jewel-toned sweater instead of sequins.
Etiquette
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Read the word after festive; it tells you how formal to go.
- Pick one or two festive elements and keep the rest classic.
- Choose tights, a coat and shoes that can handle winter weather.
- Wear sparkle and velvet with confidence; they're exactly what festive means.
- Keep hemlines and necklines work-appropriate at an office party.
- Carry a clutch or small crossbody rather than a tote at a crowded party.
Don't
- Don't wear a novelty or light-up sweater unless the invitation asks for it.
- Don't go head to toe in holiday theming; costume-level red and green looks like a uniform.
- Don't show up in your everyday office outfit without a festive touch.
- Don't wear jeans unless the invitation says festive casual.
- Don't skip a proper coat; festive season means cold nights in much of the country.
- Don't wear all white to a winter wedding.
Compared
Festive attire vs. other dress codes
Festive attire vs. cocktail attire
Festive cocktail and cocktail attire share the same hemlines and suits. Festive adds sparkle, velvet, tartan and seasonal color.
Festive attire vs. creative black tie
Creative black tie starts from gowns and tuxedos and then adds personality. Festive usually starts from cocktail attire, unless the invitation says festive formal.
Festive attire vs. dressy casual
Festive casual overlaps with dressy casual: sweaters, nice trousers, skirts and boots, with a holiday touch. It's not suit-and-tie territory.
Questions
Festive attire FAQ
What does festive attire mean on an invitation?
It means dress up and add a celebratory touch. Unless the invitation says otherwise, aim for cocktail level: a party dress, dressy separates or a suit, plus something festive like sequins, velvet, metallics, tartan or a jewel-toned tie. If it says festive formal, go dressier with gowns and tuxedos; if it says festive casual, a sweater and trousers or a skirt will do.
What is festive cocktail attire?
Festive cocktail attire is cocktail attire with holiday spirit. For women, that's a knee-length or midi dress, a jumpsuit or dressy separates in sequins, velvet, satin or a jewel tone. For men, it's a suit or a velvet blazer with trousers, often with a festive tie or pocket square. Polished heels, loafers or Chelsea boots finish the look.
Can you wear an ugly holiday sweater to a festive party?
Only if the host asks for one. Festive attire means dressed up with a seasonal touch, so a novelty sweater usually reads too casual and can look like you misread the invitation. If you love a playful sweater, save it for a party that calls itself an ugly sweater party, or choose a refined version: a fine-knit sweater in a jewel tone or a tasteful Fair Isle for festive casual.
Do men have to wear a suit for festive attire?
Not always, but it's the safe starting point. A suit with a festive tie works for any festive cocktail party. A velvet blazer with flannel trousers and a turtleneck or open collar is a stylish alternative at most holiday parties. For festive formal, move up to a tuxedo or dark suit and tie; for festive casual, a good sweater and wool trousers are enough.
What colors count as festive attire?
Jewel tones and metallics are the classic choices: deep red, emerald, sapphire, plum, gold, silver and bronze. Black counts when it has sparkle or velvet texture, and winter white works at non-wedding parties. Tartan and plaid add a seasonal pattern. You don't need to wear red and green; one rich color with some shine reads festive on its own.
What should you wear to a festive office holiday party?
Festive but work-appropriate. Choose a velvet or satin dress at or below the knee, a sequin top with tailored trousers, or a suit with a jewel-toned tie or velvet blazer. Keep necklines and hemlines in line with your workplace, since you'll see these colleagues on Monday. If the party starts right after work, bring a festive layer, jewelry or shoes to change into.
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