Holiday Party Outfits for the 2018 Season

Can you believe how quickly this year has flown by? Halloween has already come and gone and here we are, barreling into November and burying ourselves deep in holiday party fashion planning. There’s plenty to do before the end of the year, but one major event will be here before you know it – Christmas party season. Do you have your holiday party outfits picked out yet?

If not, don’t worry. We’ve been cultivating a great little holiday collection for a range of parties and we’ll be happy to share all our advice for putting together some smashing holiday party attire, no matter what sort of soiree it is.

Speaking of soirees, what sort of events are you planning on attending this year? Knowing that ahead of time will give you a solid jump on your outfit planning. Every party is unique, so your fashion choices should be, too!

Pick your party:

Family Get-Together

The most comfy-casual of parties, beat only by the kind where you stay at home to snuggle with your sweetie beside a roaring fire in your jammies. It’s unlikely your family is expecting a showstopping outfit, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun and be cozy at the same time. Choose some beautiful dark wash denim and pair it with boots and an adorable cropped sweater for a fun, casual look. For something a little dressier, a sweater dress and tall boots is also an option. Also works well for viewing a children’s winter pageant or Christmas card photos at the Tree Farm!

Office Party

Time to dress to impress without edging into inappropriate-for-the-workplace territory. You’ll be mingling with coworkers, their significant others, your boss, and possibly a child or three if your office party is family friendly. Keep it buttoned up, but not too much… it is a party, after all! A knee or calf-length pleated skirt in a gorgeous jewel tone will look amazing with a black blouse or sweater. Add some black heels and you’re good to go.

Friendly Gathering

Hitting up a party at a friend’s house? Don’t forget to bring a bottle of wine to match whatever you’re wearing! As for outfit ideas for a holiday party at a pal’s place, you can be a little more daring than you normally would in front of family or coworkers. Try a short, rich velvet dress with opaque tights, black ankle boots, and a colored wool coat to keep you warm. Pair the look with bold statement jewelry – think lots of sparkle! – and you’re ready to get the party started.

The Fancy Cocktail Thing

Ah, the fanciest of holiday shindigs: the cocktail party. Well, okay, it may not be THE fanciest – you don’t have to go white-tie and evening gown – but it’s still imperative that you look great. You’re going to want to go with a dress here, preferably something sleek and stylish. Green, red, and gold are all favorite holiday cocktail party colors, and black can work as an accent color or main color if you want to go that way. Did we already mention sparkle? Sequins are a great idea too - find them on a short shift dress or long flare pants!

Okay, now you have a good idea of what sort of holiday party you’ll be attending and which Christmas party outfits will work best for each. Now let’s get more specific with the trends. What are we seeing a lot of this year?

Velvet

So much velvet! With the 90's making a big time comeback in the fashion world, you’ll spot all sorts of velvet dresses in darker, gothier colors like black, burgundy, navy, and emerald. The texture of velvet is the best aspect of wearing a velvet piece. It adds depth to the outfit. Darker colors are perfect for the season and velvet tends to stay toastier than sheerer fabrics, keeping you warm on cold winter nights.

Animal Print

Feel like you’ve been seeing a lot of jungle-esque prints around lately? You’re not alone. Animal prints are coming onto the scene big this winter and they’re super easy to incorporate into a party outfit. If you’re not brave enough to wear animal print on a dress or coat, then try to use it liberally in your accessories – shoes, handbags, even leggings if you’re feeling really experimental. Pair them with a solid color and they’ll make you stand out amid the (evergreen) trees.

Brown Knits

We’ve been leaning pretty heavily on blacks and jewel tones ourselves for our holiday extravaganzas, but browns are coming in just as strong this season. You’ll likely see lots of sweater dresses, chunky sweaters, and cozy coats showing up in varying shades of warm brown and amber. This color is the perfect building block, especially if you warm it up with plenty of gold accessories. Once you find the right shade for your skin tone, you’ll look like a cozy winter goddess, guaranteed.

Bare Legs

We’re not advising you to freeze your toes off this winter, but mini dresses are definitely making a big splash in the holiday party fashion scene. Short skirts falling between knee and thigh are very hot right now, even if they don’t keep you very hot. If you’ll be attending a warm indoor party, it might be worth braving the elements between the car and the front door if you find that killer miniskirt that makes your legs look fab.

Make It Sparkle

Whether it’s crystals or sequins, there’s no denying the trend toward all things glitzy and glam. It may be a call back to the fashion of the 80's and 90's, which is all the rage right now, or it may just be the love of sparkle. Whatever the reason, you’ll find plenty of accent pieces that add that touch of starshine to your party getup. Keep an eye out for crystal earrings, bedazzled chokers, sequined handbags, sparkly shoes, and much more. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in here, don’t you think?

Comfy Boots

There’s a certain amount of appeal to looking chic in straight knee-high boots, but this year we’re also seeing a return to slouchier numbers. These boots look comfortably worn and artfully folded into themselves to give you that “I didn’t even have to try to look this effortlessly comfortable” look, but in a fashionable way. If you want to make a statement, look for a white boot! We’re seeing beautiful white boots right now in the perfect “winter-white” shade.

Experimental Layers

Are you the artsy and experimental type? Lucky for you, layers are always in for winter. However, this season, the Parisian fashionistas have made creative layering a runway-worthy fashion trend. Try shirt dresses with slacks, coats as shirts, a short skirt with a long jacket (didn’t Cake write a song about that?), or a loose belt to cinch your sweater over your outfit. Don’t be shy! Now’s the time to let out your inner child and play dress up with every item of clothing in your closet. Something’s bound to work!

Christmas Sweaters

Let’s get serious a second… the Christmas sweater will never die. It’s a staple of the season, a tried-and-true family tradition, and the subject of many a party invite. Whether you go “ugly” or you opt for traditional, it’s the perfect compliment to your holiday outfit. You don’t have to stick to the holiday theme, however… if reindeer and Santa Claus aren’t your thing, you can choose red argyle or a classic fairisle knit and still feel right at home.

Slip Dress Base

If you want to start simple and build up your outfit from scratch, go with a slip dress in a silk satin. They’re easy to find, easy to wear, and easy to layer. The perfect blank canvas for almost any look! Go full-on glam with high heels and tons of statement jewelry or keep it simple with a sweater pullover and ankle boots. However way you play it, you’ll look effortlessly stylish.

Plaid

When in doubt, stick to the classics, we say. Thankfully, the classics are also on trend this holiday season. At least, the classic pattern plaid is. Whether you go red, green, or even navy is entirely up to you, but there’s no doubt that you’ll be instantly festive. Plaid works well on oversized boyfriend-style shirts, skirts, sweaters, blazers, or even on shoes.

There you have it. Stick to these holiday party fashion trends and you’ll be making a statement no matter where you end up. You can always visit us here at PUNCH Clothing to see our current selection of winter fashion. Our sales associates love to style our customers, so don’t be shy about asking what would look great on you for a party.

Right now our new arrivals are brimming with cozy sweaters, daring jackets, smoking hot dresses, comfy boots, jewel tone and rhinestone heels, and a whole lot more. We love finding unique clothing that makes a statement, and that means there’s plenty of selection for a fashion-forward lady looking to make a social splash this Christmas season.