In This Post: From casual in plaid to festive in a little red dress, these holiday outfits are timeless and perfect to wear to all of those upcoming parties. To inject some realness, there’s also a note to relieve some of the fashion pressure that surrounds this time of year.
**This post may contain affiliate links (which means I make a small commission when you shop from them) and sponsored items (gifted items are indicated with a [c/o] and sponsored links with an [sp]) because we all have to pay our bills, and I’d rather keep creating awesome content for you than get a real job. All opinions are my own.**
The Look: Eliza J Dress | Faux Fut Coat | Sam Edelman Shoes | Clutch (vintage from my mom!)
Photos by Alex Barone
As I looked at my holiday budget on Monday and everything I need to purchase over the next 2 weeks – from holiday gifts and baking supplies to bills and business expenses – I couldn’t even fathom fitting a dress to wear to this weekend’s holiday party into the mix. There’s a gold sequin dress in the back of my closet that I was initially planning on wearing, but when I put it on, either my thighs were a little bigger than the last time it was worn, or it got a little shorter since then, but either way – I didn’t feel comfortable in it. Frustrated, there was this thought of, “I HAVE to buy something new” that kept ringing in my head. For some reason, buying something new makes us feel fabulous and after an encounter with a dress that no longer fits, I was feeling anything but fabulous. It’s exciting to walk out of the door in something you’ve never worn before and it does feel so good! But, that’s not always realistic…
I rewear outfits and dresses ALL the time, so I’m sure my resistance here was from feeling inadequate in that moment and feeling like I need something to bring me out of it. That’s when I knew it was time to do some mental reframing and decided I’d wear this high neck green Eliza J dress that I wore to a wedding back in November. What I love most about it is, aside from the incredible color, is that it’s absolutely the perfect length – short enough that I can get away with it as a cocktail dress, but long enough that it looks more elegant than most cocktail dresses.
The moral of this story is, you don’t need a new dress to look or feel spectacular. The expectation that we need something fresh for each occasion is a pressure we put our ourselves because the truth is, most other people don’t care what we’re wearing as long as it fits the vibe of the event. If you felt marvelous in your outfit the first time around (whether that was last year, last month, last week, or yesterday), WHY NOT WEAR IT AGAIN?! Feeling holiday fabulous comes from inside and while it’s fun to indulge in the glitz and glam of the season, you can totally do that on a budget and with things you already have! So in today’s post, I’ve rounded up some holiday outfit ideas as inspiration for how to use what’s already in your closet!
In the end, I did accidentally end up finding a fabulous, affordable velvet dress from Target (it’s only $27.99!) that I love the fit of, so I’m going to wear that. But, mentally, I was completely prepared to wear the green dress because it fits like a glove in all the right places and makes me feel so fancy!
Timeless Dresses
I know we’re talking about not adding to your wardrobe here, but I’ve picked these dresses because they’re completely timeless. So, even if you scoop one up now, you will have them in your closet forever to wear again and again! Or, if you have a timeless dress in your closet (everyone has at least one in there!), nows the time to bring it out.
Holiday Colors
Wearing anything red, green, and/or gold automatically makes it look like you’re putting in the proper holiday party attire effort.
Velvet Statements
I’m not saying you should go back and break out your Juicy Couture Velour Tracksuit from 9th grade that’s still hiding in the back of your closet, but velvet pieces are great to pair with basics. So, if you already have a black sweater you love, pair it with burgundy velvet pants (my girl Victoria *sleighs* this look in her recent outfit). Or, grab a pair of velvet loafers that make any skinny jean and cable knit sweater combo holiday ready.
Sequin Anything
It doesn’t matter what it is. If you have sequin anything in your closet – a dress, a skirt, a handbag, a tank – now is the time to break it out! For bonus points, feel free to mix velvet and sequins for extra holiday glam!
Accessories
Classics like pearl jewelry, a red bow, or a holiday-themed statement accessory are all great ways to add to the holidayness of your look.
Pretty in Plaid
Plaid will never not be a holiday outfit essential. Take any plaid pieces you have at home and mix with neutral staples like black jeans, white sweaters, and even denim for a casual but festive outfit!