5 Festive Cocktail Attire Ideas

The holidays are in full swing, which means celebrations big and small, from family gatherings and holiday office parties to cocktails and house parties with friends. While some events may be more casual than others, many will require festive cocktail attire, and we’re so glad you’re here because we are specialists in cocktail attire. So, if the dress code requests a certain level of festive formality, we’re here to help you pick the perfect look for any holiday party or event.

What to Wear for Festive Holiday Attire

Festive holiday attire differs from cocktail attire. Festive holiday attire—or holiday attire meaning festive formal—is a dress code that offers opportunities for creative styling.

In general, festive cocktail attire transcends holiday dressing. While it can mean sparkle, sequins, and sophistication, it does not necessarily mean you have to wear red, green, silver, or gold. Festive cocktail attire is colorful, fun, and semi-formal. Think vibrant colors, unique textures, fun shapes, and easy-to-wear statement volume. Since office Christmas parties can be held in various venues, including at the company, hotels, restaurants, and bars, consider the site before choosing your festive Christmas attire. The location will give you a key to the level of dress formality. Most importantly, festive cocktail attire is not casual. So if you chose to take inspiration from 90’s red carpet style, try again because jeans and sweaters do not make the cut for this dress code.

While the holiday festive attire dress code is most popular during the winter season, which encompasses Christmas and New Year’s Eve, you may receive a wedding invitation that specifies festive wedding attire. Festive attire wedding is gaining popularity as a prevalent wedding dress code. The same principles apply. Fun, colorful looks are in. Like holiday festive attire, this dress code offers more flexibility. Embrace print, texture, embellishment, and shape. However, do honor the unanimous etiquette wedding dress code and do not wear an all-white style unless the wedding couple has requested this color scheme.

Here are a few style tips to inspire your festive cocktail attire:

Experiment with new volumes.

While we highly recommend you skip the bustle and train look, festive attire holiday party styles offer chances to try new shapes. We love the gigot-inspired sleeve trend, especially on a mini length that gives the sleeve a playful spin. The festal gigot fits full at the shoulder and becomes tightly fitted to the wrist.

Choose colors that pack a punch.

This season’s festive chic attire comes in all the colors, including jewel tones, neons, and even acid brights. If head-to-toe color is not your thing, try dress styles with a colorful accent, such as jewel-tone color blocking, a bright trim, or a contrast illusion.

Accessorize with glee.

Festive dressing inspires us to pull out all the stops, especially when accessorizing, because a well-chosen accessory can make the whole outfit. Earrings, bracelets, and necklaces are the accessories we first consider, but don’t forget about the other shiny adornments waiting to bring your festive cocktail look to the next level. For example, elevate an elegant black dress with a sparkly belt or add requisite sparkle with glitter-covered hair clips, a sequin-encrusted clutch, or iridescent crystal face gems.

Embrace shine.

Thanks to the shiny trend taking over, there are so many new ways to shine this season. Look for metallic jerseys, sequin-fringe, slinky gold lamé, and silver and gold trims. However, if your heart is set on wearing a super-sexy LBD, style it with some festive, razzle-dazzle bling.

Play with hem lengths.

Unlike black tie or formal dressing in which a gown is recommended, the wonderful thing about festive cocktail attire is that hem lengths are not specific. Mini, midi, tea-length, maxi, high-low—you decide.

Ditch the Dress.

Opt for a jumpsuit or coordinating top and pant duo when you want festive cocktail attire that’s not a dress. Dressy jumpsuits and two-piece sets are fantastic options when you want to look cute and polished without a lot of effort. A velvet duo will easily take you from day to night, and a sequin jumpsuit will take you from night to late night. If you haven’t worn a sequin jumpsuit, you haven’t lived. We recommend having two. Jumpsuits and duos are easy to style, too. Add something sparkly like a pair of drop dangle earrings, touch up your lipstick, and you’re ready to party holiday style.

Don’t Forget the Layers.

For many of us, winter means cold, blustery weather, so don’t forget to style your festival cocktail attire with equally-appropriate layers. For festive casual party attire, layer with jewel-embellished accessories, fur-trimmed jackets, or an oversized faux-fur overcoat in a loud color.

5 Festive Cocktail Attire Ideas

Dazzling Illusions

The illusion marries magnetism with modesty. An illusion dusted with sequins or decorated with metallic embroidery makes it a perfect choice for a holiday party. Our emerald green Klara Sequin Illusion Midi Dress is a sparkly number that boasts hourglass draping and paillette-embroidered, long-sleeved tulle illusions. It’s a gorgeous holiday option that blends timeless elegance with feminine allure.

Statement Sleeves

Statement sleeves are a fun way to honor holiday attire’s playful side. From ruffled rosette shoulders to lace puff sleeves, sleeves are a fun way to turn the festive dial way up on a holiday look. Our Dune Embellished Mini Dress, cut from a bead-encrusted and paillette-embellished tulle, is designed with batwing sleeves. This twinkling mini moves with ease, making it an apt choice for festive Christmas attire.

Head-to-Toe Embellishment

This season’s sparkle is sexy and slinky and does not skimp on glamour. Enter our Avi Diamante Plunge Gown, a stretch velvet silhouette that features pin-stripe-inspired iridescent diamante. This style is a dazzling choice for a holiday party that leans more formal. It’s a long-sleeved style designed with a V-plunge embroidered tulle illusion, low-profile shoulder pads, and a universally-flattering blouson waist.

Liquid Shimmer

Sequins for New Year’s Eve are like florals for spring—and that’s a good thing—because sequins bring the razzle-dazzle to festive dressing. This season, look for sequins stitched onto stretchy fabrics because these slinky, light-catching silhouettes move like liquid shimmer when worn. Our Audrina Sequin Plunge Gown is a smoldering gown cut in gleaming bronze sequins. It’s an NYE style that will sparkle and shine into the new year.

Jewel-Tone Velvets

Jewel-tone velvet dresses deliver plush, decadent hues, which make them striking options for festive cocktail attire. Instead of the season’s traditional green and red color palette, look for velvet silhouettes in saturated blues, such as our Viola Embroidered Velvet Gown. Harking back to Old Hollywood, this cobalt blue gown is a curve-hugging study in silver screen glamour that features a hand-cut embellished applique and an hourglass-accentuating fit.

Festive cocktail attire embraces fun and festive styling. Holiday dressing is an opportunity to try new shapes and volumes, play with hemlines and sleeve lengths, and choose colors that make a statement. Remember to welcome shine, accessorize with glee, layer with statement outerwear, and, most importantly, have fun. Lastly, if you’re shopping last minute, inquire with a Tadashi Shoji customer care specialist about holiday turnaround times and expedited shipping to ensure you receive your dress in time. So, get shopping! Find your festive cocktail look at tadashishoji.com.