2015-12-04

I always get emails this time of year asking my advice on what to wear to an office Christmas party, so for Day 16 of our 25 Days of Winter Fashion, I thought I’d show you what I’m planning to wear to my husband’s company party tonight.

I’m also excited to be partnering up with Cyndi at Grace + Beauty and Kristin at BonBon Rose Girls today for this stylish holiday party collab!



similar LBD | similar suede pumps | earrings | tassel necklace | tennis bracelet | similar minaudières | similar hose

My husband’s office party is always the first Friday of December, so I’m usually looking for my outfit early in the season. The dress code is festive but not overly formal. Sometimes I wear a dress, and sometimes I do a sparkly top with dressy jeans or ponte pants.

I happened upon this LBD at White House Black Market several months ago, and I knew it was perfect for this occasion. I snapped it up right then and there, and I’m so glad I did because it’s long gone now.



I love White House Black Market for party attire. Whether it’s a cocktail dress for a fancy affair or a sparkly sweater for a more casual event, they always seem to have just the right thing.

Unfortunately mine is no longer available, but here are some more holiday party dress suggestions. Most of these dresses are under $100.


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This LBD is a blank canvas that is begging to be accessorized. I love that I can dress it down with tights and boots or dress it up with fishnet stockings and stilettos or anything in between. Plus, SLEEVES!!!

For this event, I want to be dressy but not over the top so I’ve decided to wear pumps and sheer black hose and some black and silver jewelry I picked up at White House Black Market.

Yes, I said hose. Last winter, we debated what hose to wear with a black cocktail dress and whether pantyhose were even in style at all. The overall consensus was that in the wintertime, sheer pantyhose are appropriate with a semi-formal dress — especially for those of us of a certain age, ahem. I will still go bare legged in the summertime because I have a tan (or a good self-tanner) but in the wintertime, these legs need some coverage. Sheer black hose or sheer skin-colored hose are equally appropriate.

Thanks to Princess Kate, nude pantyhose are no longer considered frumpy. I know that she’s a princess, and she probably has to wear them, but I do think she has normalized the look for the rest of us. Secretly, I’ve always been a fan of sheer nude hose. I like the airbrushed look that it gives the legs, so I’m thrilled they’re in vogue again.

The key to wearing pantyhose without looking frumpy is to wear very sheer, natural looking hose. These Ultra Sheer Control Top pantyhose by Donna Karan come highly recommended by a stylist at Nordstrom, if you’re looking for recommendations. And bonus, they’re on sale!!

I tried this dress with both nude and black hose, and after looking at both sets of pictures, I decided to go with black. Here’s a picture so you can see to compare.

That totally works, but I think I’ll probably go with the black tonight. They’re more formal and give me a little more coverage. Tights are an option, and they’d make the outfit more trendy, but my husband works with actuaries. They’re not exactly known for being trendy, so and I’m playing it safe and keeping it classic.

As for accessorizing this dress, I was planning to wear a chunky statement necklace that I already have, but the sales associate at White House Black Market suggested this Y-Drop Tassel Necklace, and I love it. Sometimes I feel that large necklaces are aging, but this feels flirty and fun.

You can barely see my earrings, but they are these Faceted Jet Earrings.

I’m also wearing a simple tennis bracelet from my Stella & Dot Boutique. I wanted something that compliments but doesn’t compete with the rest of my jewelry.

The minaudière I’m holding is from the Nine West Outlet. I’ve been wanting a minaudière for ages, and I knew it would be perfect for this outfit, so I snapped it up.

My shoes are black suede pumps from Stuart Weitzman. My mom bought them for me when we were shopping together many moons ago. They’re old, but they’re classic. I love the styling, but I also love how comfortable they are. The style I have is long gone, but the Strongswoon is similar. Of course, you can totally find suede pumps for less than $100. They’re a great staple to have in your closet.

While I love these black suede pumps, what I really wanted to wear with this dress was my new leopard heels.

I tried. I really did, but I can’t walk in these. They are just a little bit higher than the suede pumps, and the heel isn’t as stable. I felt ridiculous trying to walk around in them, whereas I feel confident in the Stuart Weitzmans. They’re just more comfortable overall. I guess that’s the way it should be since they cost 4 times as much as the leopard ones. Ha!

As for a coat, I didn’t think to get a picture of that. If it is cold, I’ll be wearing my new silver down parka that I shared yesterday. I’m all for being warm when I’m wearing a skimpy dress! If I had a fur bolero or something of that nature, I’d totally wear that. I also love this fur trim cape. I don’t dress up enough to purchase something new, so my coat will do just fine.

For more holiday style inspiration, be sure to visit BonBon Rose Girls and Grace + Beauty! And it’s Friday, so you know what that means!

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