Style Tips: Holiday Office Party Outfits

Bring on the holiday parties!  Today we’re talking holiday office parties, though most of these outfits would work for non-office holiday parties too.  I think holiday office parties are a little (just a little) trickier in that you want to strike a balance between being festive and maintaining professionalism.  

Also, any holiday party outfit, office or not, needs to be practical.  One person said on Facebook that sometimes holiday party outfit ideas include spaghetti straps, which is kind of absurd.  And this is a Southern Californian who doesn’t even have real winters saying that!  Even in a heated building I wouldn’t have bare arms–or bare legs for that matter.  (I figured with Outfit #2 you’d throw a warm coat over it while in transit or wear it with a cardigan.)  

Specific to the office party theme, I tried to use pieces that could be be worn on a normal day in the office as well as be dressed up for a holiday party.  Lastly, since “office-appropriate” varies widely depending on your work place, I stuck with looks for business casual environments.  

Here are some tips for making office attire a little more festive!

Mix colors with neutrals.  Rather than showing up head to toe in bright red or green to show the holiday spirit, mix colors with neutrals.  Even if you wear an entirely red dress, pair it with neutral tights and neutral shoes to balance out the outfit.  

Go for festive jewel tones.  If you’re worried about pulling off colors, go for festive jewel tones.  Above I used a lot of maroon or darker greens, and deep purples or teals would look great too.  Jewel tones add sophistication to an outfit that will help you maintain a level of professionalism while still looking festive.

Metallics and shine.  I think the simplest way to add holiday cheer is by adding a little sparkle!  Just switch out a simpler necklace for a shiny one, like one of the two featured in the outfits above.  Outfit #1 sans necklace would be great to wear during the day for the office, and you could easily switch out your jewelry for a sparkly statement necklace and even add more bracelets or earrings for an office party later that evening.  Or incorporate shine into the outfit with a top that has sheen, like in Outfit #5.

Lace details.  Pieces with lace details can be festive without blatantly screaming “I LOVE THE HOLIDAYS!”  

Lastly, below are some more pieces that I thought would be great for a regular day at the office and could be dressed up for a party.  

Links to Shop:

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