Men have it so easy.  All a guy needs to do is throw on a dark suit and he’s well on his way to enjoying your office party’s open bar, but for you the choices aren’t so cut and dry.  Sure you can put on your favourite jewellery and experiment with a heavier perfume (I like Chanel Coco Mademoiselle), but what are you to make of that ambiguous dress code?  Worry not.  Whether your party calls for “dressy casual” or “cocktail attire”, here are three holiday-ready looks guaranteed to fit the bill:

1.       Grey dress, black tights, heels

Usually when I hear the words “shoulder pad dress” I go running for the hills, but not so with this smart, beaded silk dress from Ted Baker of London.  The thin material and short hemline may be a little risqué for a work function, but when worn with black tights and a pair of nude or beige-coloured heels, this dress will get you noticed in all the right ways.

*a note about colour: While many would call red dresses for women appropriate attire for a holiday party, I suggest using seasonal colours in a much more subtle way.  A flash of green here or a burgundy belt worn over the dress above gives just the right hint of festivity without being gaudy.  After all, you want to invoke romantic notions of Christmas, not visions of Santa Claus.

2.       Lace trim camisole, dark blazer, black jeans, heels

Wearing a dress isn’t the only way to look and feel sexy outside the office, which is why this relaxed but sophisticated outfit makes the list of great holiday party looks.  Wearing a camisole under a black or navy blazer will give your casualwear a dressed-up appeal, and if you’re in the mood to show cleavage but don’t want to come off as unprofessional, this is a clever way to accentuate your best features.

3.       Black dress, heels, accessories

One of the biggest faux pas one can make when dressing for a holiday party is to overthink an outfit.  Instead of second guessing yourself and trying to explain your fashion choices later, why not pull out your little black dress and let it do the talking for you?  The lbd is not only a safe choice for any dress code, it’s also universally flattering, meaning you’ll feel confident no matter what and can devote more attention to the really fun part of dressing up – accessorising!

Think you’ve got the art of dressing for office parties down to a science?  Give us your tips in the comments below!

Did you know?
Audrey Hepburn’s lbd in Breakfast at Tiffany’s was not only a showstopper, it’s also a record-setter. In 2006, the dress fetched an incredible £410,000 at auction – six times its original estimate.

-Jeff O.

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