What to wear
What to wear to a holiday party
One festive detail, one practical layer, and you're ready for any invitation.
The short answer
For an office holiday party, wear your best business casual with one festive touch, like velvet, satin or a jewel tone. For a friends' Christmas party, match the setting, from a cozy sweater with jeans to a sequin top or velvet blazer. If the invitation says "festive," add sparkle, holiday color or a playful accessory.
Usual dress code: Festive attire
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Before you get dressed
The right holiday party outfit starts with two questions: who is hosting, and what does the invitation say? An office party in a conference room, a company dinner at a restaurant, a neighbor's open house and a friends' Christmas party with a gift swap all have different expectations. The season invites a little shine, texture or color, and the setting tells you how much.
Invitation wording is your best clue to what to wear to a holiday party. "Festive" usually means cocktail or dressy casual clothes with a seasonal twist, "cocktail" means a cocktail dress, dressy separates or a suit, and "ugly sweater" is a costume brief. Not every guest celebrates Christmas, so many workplaces keep themes wintry and general. When in doubt, ask the host.
Holiday party: outfits for women
For work, keep your usual office silhouette and swap one piece for something festive, like a velvet blazer, a satin skirt or a metallic knit. With friends, go as sparkly or cozy as the party calls for, and plan for standing, mingling and maybe dancing.
- Office party at work: black tailored trousers, a jewel-toned satin blouse, a velvet blazer and pointed flats or low block heels.
- Office party at a restaurant or venue: a knit midi dress in burgundy or emerald with sheer tights, statement earrings and heeled ankle boots.
- Friends' Christmas party: a sequin or metallic top with dark straight jeans or leather-look trousers and block-heel boots or velvet flats.
- Festive or cocktail invitation: a sequin long-sleeve mini dress with sheer black tights and suede pumps, or a satin slip dress with a faux-fur stole; on a petite frame, the mini length keeps proportions balanced.
- Ugly sweater or cozy party: a holiday sweater or a chunky knit over a turtleneck, with jeans or corduroys, boots and a sparkly hair clip or plaid scarf.
- Plus-size: a velvet wrap dress, or a satin blouse, wide-leg trousers and a longline blazer with block heels; velvet drapes softly and looks rich under warm party lighting.
Holiday party: outfits for men
At the office party, wear your usual business casual and add one seasonal element, like a velvet blazer, a festive tie or a rich knit. At a friends' party, the range runs from a chunky sweater and dark jeans to a dinner jacket for a black tie invitation.
- Office party at work: charcoal trousers, a crisp white shirt, a burgundy or forest green merino sweater or a knit tie and brown leather shoes.
- Office party at a venue: a navy or charcoal suit with an open collar or a patterned silk tie, a pocket square in a holiday color and dark leather shoes.
- Festive or cocktail party: a velvet blazer in oxblood, emerald or navy, a cream or black turtleneck, charcoal trousers and suede Chelsea boots.
- Friends' Christmas party: a shawl-collar cardigan or cable-knit sweater over an oxford shirt, dark jeans or cords and leather boots.
- Ugly sweater party: the loudest holiday sweater you can find over a collared shirt, with dark jeans and clean sneakers or boots.
- Big & tall: a merino or cashmere-blend sweater in a jewel tone over a spread-collar shirt, dark tailored trousers with stretch and, for a festive invitation, a velvet blazer in a long cut.
Color
Colors to wear and to skip
Wear
Jewel tones like emerald, ruby, sapphire and plum look rich in winter light and suit the season without being literal. Metallics, velvet and sequins add festive texture. Black, cream, camel and navy make a calm base for one shiny piece. Choose the jewel tones and metals that flatter your own coloring.
Skip
Head-to-toe red and green can look like a costume unless it's a theme party. At the office, go easy on all-over sequins and metallics, which read more nightclub than conference room; one shiny piece is plenty. Pale, delicate fabrics are risky around red wine and a buffet.
The most flattering version of any color is the one that suits your own coloring. Find your color season to know which shades to wear near your face.
Details
Things to consider
Office or friends
An office party is still a work event, and coworkers and managers will remember what you wore. Keep hemlines, necklines and fit at a level you'd be comfortable with in a meeting. Friends' parties give you more freedom to go glam, cozy or themed.
Location and time
A lunch or afternoon party at the office calls for business casual with a festive accent. An evening event at a restaurant, hotel or venue allows cocktail-level dressing. A house party usually leans cozy and casual.
Weather and coats
Winter parties mean coats, boots and cold walks from the car. Pick a coat that looks good over your outfit, carry shoes to change into if it's snowy, and add tights or a warm layer under dresses.
Inclusive themes
Many workplaces say holiday party because guests celebrate different traditions, or none. Winter colors, sparkle and cozy textures fit every celebration; save Christmas novelty wear for friends' parties unless the invitation asks for it.
Etiquette
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Read the invitation for dress code words like festive, cocktail or ugly sweater.
- Add one festive element: velvet, sequins, metallics, a jewel tone or plaid.
- Wear shoes you can stand and mingle in for a few hours.
- Test sequins and metallic knits for scratchy seams and underarms before the night.
- Treat an office party like a work event with a festive dress code.
Don't
- Don't wear anything to the office party you wouldn't wear to a client dinner.
- Don't show up in a novelty sweater unless the invitation asks for one.
- Don't wear shoes that pinch; holiday parties involve a lot of standing.
- Don't pile on sparkle; one shiny piece usually beats several.
- Don't dress down more than the invitation suggests; jeans won't read as festive at a cocktail party.
Questions
Holiday party outfit FAQ
What should I wear to a Christmas party?
Wear something a step dressier than your everyday clothes, with one festive touch. For a casual Christmas party at a friend's home, try a velvet top or a cozy sweater with jeans. For an evening party at a venue, choose a cocktail dress, dressy separates or a blazer with an open collar. Jewel tones and a little sparkle suit almost any invitation.
What does festive attire mean?
Festive attire means your usual party clothes with a seasonal twist. It's roughly cocktail or dressy casual, plus holiday color, sparkle or playful accessories: a sequin top, a velvet blazer, a plaid skirt or a bright tie. It doesn't require a costume, and it rarely means formal wear unless the invitation also says black tie.
What do you wear to an office holiday party?
Wear what you'd wear on an important day at work, plus one festive piece, like a velvet blazer, a satin blouse, a jewel-toned sweater or a metallic accessory. Keep hemlines, necklines and fit office-appropriate, and adjust for the venue: an evening party at a restaurant allows a dressier look than one in the office.
Can I wear jeans to a holiday party?
Yes, at many casual holiday parties, especially house parties and friends' gatherings. Choose dark, clean jeans and dress them up with a sequin, satin or velvet top, a festive sweater or a blazer and boots. For office parties at a venue, or any invitation that says cocktail or festive, trousers, a skirt or a dress are safer.
What colors should you wear to a holiday party?
Jewel tones, metallics and rich winter shades are the classic holiday party colors: emerald, burgundy, sapphire, plum, gold, silver and deep red. Black and cream make easy bases for one shiny accessory. Pick the shades that flatter your coloring, and avoid wearing red and green together head to toe unless you're going for a theme.
What should I wear to an ugly sweater party?
Wear the ugliest holiday sweater you can find, from light-up designs to 3D appliqué, with simple pieces underneath: jeans or cords, a collared shirt or turtleneck, and boots or sneakers. Handmade sweaters earn extra credit at many parties. If sweaters aren't your thing, a festive cardigan, a holiday vest or a novelty tie also counts.
Keep reading
Related guides
Dress codes
More occasions
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