Cocktail attire simply means short, elegant dresses for her and dark suits for him. (via Glamour Greetings, which site, incidentally, lists no definition of semi-casual). The dress pictured below, believe it or not, turned up in a box of stuff from my parents and grandmother this summer. Oddly enough, nobody remembers whose dress it was to begin with. Oh well! It’s mine now! (I’m still working out the shoe thing, I have until December 20th.)
Realizing that this kind of serendipity doesn’t happen all the time, most have to shop for something to wear to their company Christmas party, let’s make this our annual collection of holiday festive-wear tips. Here’s last year’s post. Updated to add this link to Angie’s Holiday Party Cheat Sheet.
Options for cocktail dressing:
- The ubiquitous little black dress.
- Dressy separates, possibly with some shine or sparkle. I took that route last year.
- Street length (however you define that) silk dress. Try not to choose one that looks like you pulled it from your lingerie drawer. Or your linen closet.
(I will suggest that some of the garments being sold as cocktail dresses this season would be lovely worn to a party as a top.) But since I’m attempting to stay on the positive side, this is lovely (and reasonably priced!).
Another do: make your own cocktail sauce: ketchup + horseradish to taste. Yum!
What are you cocktailing in this year?
LOVE the black dress!!!
I love the high waistband on your new-old dress! Very pretty!
In addition to what you’ve listed, I’ve worn non-silk dresses–usually wool, sometimes synthetic–for cocktail parties and similar events. I’ve also done a dressy suit with a silk top under the jacket, for a gathering on a Friday night, and didn’t feel inappropriately dressed either for work that day or play that night (although I did change accessories from one to the other)–so I think suits can work as cocktail attire, too.
OMG, what a find (that dress)!! I love it!!
I’ve never known what cocktail attire was. Thanks for enlightening me!
That is a fantastic dress! Lucky you!
What a great find!! I’m going with the LBD this year, as you probly know. Pairing it with some great wine-colored heels, black purse, silver earrings and bracelet. Still need to find the earrings. I guess I’m going bare-legged and freezing. I can’t bring myself to do toeless hose, and hose with open toed shoes just seems wrong.
Major dress envy over here! Gorgeous!!!
dcrmom – I really like the dress you chose; I think you’ll look great in it and be able to wear it many times again. I like the shoes and accessories too. Actually, I saw a pair of similar colored shoes on clearance at Macy’s recently that I’m considering for myself: wine-colored patent peep-toe sling-backs with a not-too-high chrome heel.
I know I didn’t comment on the hose and open-toed shoes thing, but I’d probably wear sheer-toe hose. We used to do that all the time in previous fashion cycles. Did you check out Angie’s cheat sheet yet? I think she says the same thing.
I have a black stretch velvet scoop neck dress that can be pressed into service, but I don’t think it’ll be used this year. Most of the events I’m going to are a bit more casual, so it’s the sweater dress and tights with different accessories as often as possible this year!
Wendy, I love your practice of having something which you could wear in your wardrobe at any given time. 🙂