Holiday Party Looks That Are Anything but Sequins

It is the time of the year when you dive deep into your closet to pull out the party numbers that have sat ideal for the most part of the year. The sequins, the glitter, the embellishments – can you imagine dressing for the holidays without the mandatory razzle and dazzle? Blasphemous! But what then, would party dressing entail? Hold that thought. The answer is, in fact, alot.

Sequins, and all else that glitters, are not the only options in the party wear arena. Beyond the fact that conventional party dresses have been worn to death year after year,  the idea of shelling out that much money for a number only to wear it once kills us. There’s also a very high probability that every other girl you’ll meet is contemplating a short, shiny number.

Nailing a fabulous holiday look means thinking outside of the box, past all the racks of high octane party dresses that assault the senses. Here, we show you the ways to skirt around oh so over done holiday wear and veer into new territory. The added bonus: these are pieces you won’t have to stuff away till December rolls around next. Work them in your wardrobe for the days when you feel like making a statement but without looking like you got your calendar dates mixed up for the next party season.

 SAY YES TO A STRONG SILHOUETTE

It’s easy to get lost in colours, glitter and prints when you’re putting together your festive look but in hindsight, a silhouette adds to an outfit just as much. Rather than falling into the trap of short, shiny party dresses, steal the show in a structured jacket with a ruffled trim, an ’80s puffy sleeved dress that is #trending or a bustier top featuring intricate folds. You could make a grand entrance, strong shoulders first!

 SETTING THE MOOD WITH SATIN 

You could think of satin as sequin’s discrete cousin. While it rises to the occasion, it doesn’t overtly scream party! holiday! or festive! Sophisticated and luxurious to the touch, a satin number is a versatile yet timeless addition to any woman’s wardrobe. Be it a flowy, slinky slip dress, a minimal camisole or a ankle-grazing skirt, satin announces your arrival in a quiet, lady-like fashion.

 PACK ON THE PRINTS

With prints, your outfit does the talking for you. Nothing quite says personality the way piling on the prints does. If you’re girly, floral prints won’t fail you. If you’re on the edgier side of things, we’d suggest reaching for leopard or zebra motifs. An outfit that doubles up as a conversation starter? A sweet party hack!

 WON’T FALTER IN FEATHER

Ah, we recall Kylie and Kendall Jenner’s Met Gala moment earlier this year with such fondness. If you have an inner diva awaiting to come out to play, we suggest taking a leaf our of the Jenner party dress guide with hints of feather. Ah, the drama of dancing the night away in a feathered number.

 BRING ON THE BLING IN FOOTWEAR AND BAGS

On the outfit end, we’d suggest staying away from the bling but where you can compensate for its lack of is in the footwear and accessories arena. We’ve already taken you through our line-up of shiny shoes for the party season, so here we have here a rundown of carryalls that will have you shining bright like a diamond.

What To Read Next: The ABCs of Prepping Your Face for a Night Out, Because You Can’t Do Party Season Without Shiny Shoes, and Kulala Guides: How to Survive Small Talk at a Party | Cover Image: Qide Sim