Between all the office festivities, the random gatherings with friends and your in-laws’ annual Christmas party, you have a lot of dressing up to do this month. The challenge: How to do it without repeating the same outfit? The great thing about dresses is that they’re easy to throw on. The bad thing about them? They can feel stale...fast. Don’t waste any frown lines over it, because the PureWow team is here to show off five fresh looks that don’t involve a single boring frock.
Styling: Lauren Epstein/Photo: Gieves Anderson
A New Twist On The Classic Power Suit
Put festive separates on your seasonal radar
A company holiday party is as good an opportunity as any to break out a look meant for making moves—in Angela’s case, that means a makeshift suit. First, take cropped velvet pants. Then team them with a jacquard blazer and bustier combo (yes, they are coming back, folks). “I’m surprised how comfortable this is to wear,” says Angela. Tip: Just make sure to keep the jacket on until you’ve officially left the coworkers.
Sleeves That Make A Festive Statement
Picture yourself singing along to Mariah Carey holiday tunes
This blouse was practically made for the holidays (in fact, the sleeves themselves are something to celebrate). What’s more, nothing flatters a figure quite like a V-neck and a tied waist. And the white pants? One hundred percent acceptable after Labor Day. Stacked heels punctuate the look and perfectly complement Grace’s boot-cut bottoms.
A Skirt That Checks Every Box
Your pencil skirt has officially been promoted
Jill didn’t just see a delicious, hip-hugging velvet skirt—she saw a chance to nail holiday dressing without an actual dress. Worn in a longer length, this skirt is still completely appropriate (you are hanging around with your family, after all) without being stuffy. Look to a leather jacket to keep the look casual, and finish off with a pair of killer boots. Seriously, we can’t get over these boots.
A Updated Approach To The Holiday Palette
Ditch the red in favor of this hue
Ah, millennial pink. It shows no signs of slowing down, and we feel it’s a refreshing alternative to your classic holiday red. The key here is to wear it in festive fabrics. Genny has paired her blush-pink blazer (velvet) and blouse (sequined) with embellished jeans and the chicest satin sneakers. “I feel like I’m cheating by not wearing heels, but I think I just lucked out.”
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Head-to-toe Embellishments
Danceability Score: 100
Shoulder cutouts, frills and florals check all of our “fun and festive” boxes. But it’s the dark hue that brings it back down to earth. Roberta paired the blouse with leather skinnies to add a sleek texture, and in lieu of heels, she’s rocking a pair of what she’s dubbed “overstated” flats—fit for cutting a rug. We’d argue this outfit also sends the message that Roberta has her priorities straight.
