Style Tips · May 03, 2021

19 Holiday Party Outfit Ideas for Every Event

by Carmen Lopez

Sweaters, skirts, scarves, and sequins - it’s time to pull out your holiday season wardrobe! But it can be a challenge to dress for all the different kinds of holiday events you’ll be attending. How fancy should you get? Should you wear pants or a dress? Heels or boots? Should you go timeless or trendy or elegant? There are a lot of variables to consider…

So I’m going to help you stress less about dressing up - so you can see outfit success this season! In this guide, I’m going to give you specific outfit ideas for every event you’ll be attending this season.

I’m giving you recommendations based on everlasting trends and essential pieces you should already have in your wardrobe, with winter trends and styles mixed in as accents. But don’t be afraid to put your own style spin on these looks. I hope you enjoy the Ultimate Guide: Holiday Party Outfit Ideas for Every Event You Have This Season!

Psst… Check out our Holiday Designer Dress Guide (under $150) for an easy go-to holiday outfit for any occasion.

Thanksgiving

For Thanksgiving, you want to be stylish & comfortable. You want your clothes to be forgiving as you eat your way through turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. Here are some options to look Turkey Day festive while staying comfy and cute for dinnertime.

Outfit #1 (For a casual day with friends and extended family)

“Fall” colored sweater, like tan, brown, orange, or olive green
Blue jeans, light or medium wash
Brown knee-high boots or booties
Colorful earrings (to accent the neutral colors)
Chunky necklace (depending on neckline of sweater)

Outfit #2 (For a put-together look)

Maroon/burgundy sweater or long-sleeve
Black flowing skirt
Black tights (slightly sheer and pattered is on trend)
Light brown booties or heels
Pearl hoop earrings

Outfit #3 (For comfort and practicality)

White tee shirt
Neutral solid or print cardigan (you can remove if you get hot)
Black leggings
Large purse (to add some dimension to the look)
Gold watch or bracelet

Black Friday/Cyber Monday

Are you going shopping for Black Friday weekend? Whether you’re hitting the stores or buying from the comfort of your home, there’s only one directive for your Black Friday outfit: sustainability.

Black Friday is all about consuming. We spend so much money, and it’s easy to get caught up in the craze of the “buy, buy, buy” holiday season. It’s fun to buy, but it can also be really wasteful.

So let’s do it a little differently this year and buy gifts that are good for the environment, good for our communities, good for our health, and good for our wallets!

This season, we’re all about buying sustainable gifts. Check out our sustainable gift-giving guide here!

That’s why I recommend choosing an outfit that’s totally sustainable, preferably secondhand or pre-loved. Why? Because it will help keep sustainability top of mind while you’re shopping. If you’re wearing an organic cotton tee you bought from Current Boutique, you’ll remember to think about ethically and organically sourced materials when buying for your mom. If you’re in your favorite consignment designer jeans (that you bought at a fraction of their original price), you’ll start looking for other articles that support the longevity of timeless fashion.

Start shopping for your stylish, sustainable, preloved outfits here! You can also check out these 7 websites to shop secondhand designer clothing and accessories.

Work Holiday Party

Work holiday parties are always a dressing nightmare, especially with the question of how fancy you should be.

I have one rule of thumb for work parties: The basic dress code from work should still apply, unless otherwise stated. If jeans aren’t permitted at work, you probably don’t want to wear them to the holiday party, unless the invite says to dress casual and everyone is talking about wearing jeans. If you wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing a revealing top to the office on Monday morning, you probably shouldn’t the night of the holiday party either.

Dress as though you were going to the workplace—but with a little more glitz and glam! It’s always better to look more refined than not.

Outfit #1 (For a party that’s right after the work day)

Black blazer
Sequin tank top (under blazer)
Black pants (jeans or trousers)
Tan heels (a wardrobe must-have)
Chunky bracelets

Outfit #2 (For a fancier party at a restaurant or venue)

White or red collared blouse, tucked in
Black leather midi skirt
Black patent/suede heels
Dangling earrings and decorative rings
Optional: black tights, venues tend to get cold

Outfit #3 (For a relaxed party at your boss’s house)

Cashmere white, maroon, or other holiday-neutral sweater
Black jeans
Comfy booties
Designer clutch purse
Diamond or Christmas-themed earrings

Another awesome option for any of the above events is a black jumpsuit with a blazer or sweater on top. Pair with gold jewelry and tan heels, and you’ve got a gorgeous look that’s both stylish and totally work-appropriate.

Friends’ Holiday Party

Every year, I attend three standing annual Christmas parties. One is a friend’s ugly Christmas sweater party. One’s a casual event for a family friend, and the other is a fancy party that goes all night.

So how do you know what to wear to each of your parties? Take note of the invite (which might define a dress code), remember what everyone wore to last year’s party, and don’t be afraid to ask the host or another attendee what they’re wearing!

The outfits we’ve listed below are some options if you don’t know what to wear.

Outfit #1 (For the “fun” friends hosting a party)

A whimsical sweater, like one with penguins or snowflakes
Dark blue jeans or black jeans
Dress it down: black Converse or ballet flats
Dress it up: black or colorful heels
Pearl earrings

Outfit #2 (For something timelessly trendy)

White knit sweater, elbow-length
Red high-waisted skirt
Black heels or flats
Gold jewelry accessories, like a chunky necklace or bracelet
Hair in curls or a braid

Outfit #3 (To feel a little sophisticated and fancy)

Holiday-colored dress with lace neck and arms (a lacey burgundy or black dress is my go-to holiday outfit)
Black tights (a winter fashion hack)
Ballet flats or booties
Snakeskin or colorful purse
Gold dangling earrings

Hanukkah or Christmas Eve Dinner

Are you going to a nice dinner at a restaurant or friend’s house to celebrate the holidays? Need an outfit that’s not super fancy but also a little more dressed up? We’ve got your looks!

Outfit #1 (For something effortlessly chic)

Little black dress
Knee-high leather boots
Dangling earrings
Red, white, or gold clutch or crossbody purse
Bright lipstick

Outfit #2 (For a trendy yet sexy look)

Black or white turtle neck
Plaid skirt (reds, greens, golds, blacks, and whites)
Black knee-high boots
Leather jacket, neutral or black
Gold drop earrings

Outfit #3 (For a feminine silhouette and vibe)

Tan or white long-sleeve blouse
Satin midi skirt, light-colored
Tan heels
Pearl accessories
Optional: black tights (if you’re going outside and want to stay warm)

Christmas Day

It’s a great day of family, food, and giving. But what to wear?

Outfit #1 (For chilling with the fam)

White long-sleeve top
Red plaid sweatpants
Pearl earrings
Warm slippers
Hair pulled back with a ribbon (like a present)

Outfit #2 (For going out on the town)

Winter White sweater
Black jeans
Holiday scarf
Ballet flats, slip ons, or booties
A new jewelry or clothing item you received for Christmas (show it off!)

Outfit #3 (For attending a fancier Christmas party)

Velvet dress, red or black
Thin, hanging necklace
Sheer tights or pattered
Black strappy heels
Optional: denim jacket (to get in the winter 2019 look and to dress it down)

New Year’s Eve Party

There’s no reason not to dress up for New Year’s Eve—even if you’re just staying home with your family. It’s the start of a new year, so you want your fashion game to be on-point when the clock strikes midnight!

Have you made your New Year’s style resolutions yet?

Outfit #1 (The NYE go-to holiday dress)

Sequin party dress (black, silver, gold, or red)
Open-toed black pumps
Sheer black tights or patterned
Favorite purse
New Year’s 2020 tiara or glasses

Outfit #2 (For something minimalistic with shine)

Black jumpsuit
Sparkly heels
Sparkly earrings (top and bottom of outfit are sparkly!)
Black cross-body purse
Gold watch (to make sure you don’t miss midnight!)

Outfit #3 (For a girl’s night out)

Sparkly tank top
Black leather leggings
Colorful pumps (that are easy to walk in)
Clutch purse
Black drop earrings

Your Holiday Dress Guide

For the holidays, you can’t go wrong with deep red or winter white, leather or velvet. And for the New Year, sparkles and satin are always in fashion.

At Current Boutique, we love dressing up in gorgeous, quality clothes that make us feel great. And we think the holidays are a great excuse to get dolled up!

We believe you don’t have to sacrifice quality and style due to price. When you buy secondhand, you have access to stunning designer pieces—at a fraction of the price.

So start browsing our holiday looks at Current Boutique. Order today to make sure you have your new look in time for your holiday event!