Bright Bazaar by Will Taylor
holiday party outfit
In My Outfits

What To Wear To A Casual Holiday Party

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Our intimate holiday party out at the beach house is almost here! It’s kindly being sponsored by Moen and so far we’ve ticked off the following from the planning list: the design direction, the tablescape theme and the party playlist. Before we head into the kitchen to cook up a platter of festive foods and shake cocktails with added fizz I wanted to share some advice for holiday party dressing. Sure, we’ve all seen the velvet blazers, shimmering shirts and bold bow ties – and there’s nothing wrong with any of those things. In fact, in lots of cases they bring just the right vibe to a holiday party. However, as we’re hosting a more low-key gathering with a few close friends out at the beach house, I wanted to share some tips on what you can wear for a holiday party that’s more than friday night movie night but not Met Gala levels of fancy!holiday party outfitIt’s fun to dress up, especially for a holiday party, but if you are like me then super smart and buttoned up dressing just isn’t you. If you are nodding your head then here’s how I like to dress for a smart yet intimate holiday party. I start with a classic denim shirt that I can wear under a cozy lambswool red sweater. You could mix this up with any festive color: purple, green, red – whatever you feel most comfortable in. My one tip is to keep the sweater bright and solid. The lack of pattern makes the outfit feel smarter vs., say, a fairisle sweater which reads more ‘heading downtown for Saturday brunch with friends’. Also, keep the sweater bright because it’s the sole pop of color in the look so it’s the element of the outfit that brings that festive spirit.By keeping the rest of the outfit muted in sophisticated shades of navy it will make the sweater sing. Simple, classic and tasteful: not an ugly holiday sweater in sight! I love this pea coat, especially the brass buttons which make it feel a little more special and perfect for smartening up this look. The scarf is the perfect finishing touch as it pulls together the red and blue look with a nice splash of seasonal pattern. Another way to elevate this simple yet stylish outfit is to throw on a pair of suede Chelsea boots. Again, white sneaks with this look would read casual weekend brunch, but a quick swap out of the shoe for something smarter like these boots and the whole look becomes smarter and more elevated.You can shop my holiday party outfit below. (FYI: The images in the shop widget automatically pull through and don’t match the colors/styles I’m wearing here but when you click through they take you to the same colors I’m wearing in this post!)

// Original photography created for & posted in partnership with Moen.

Author

Will Taylor

Will lives in NYC and is an interior design author and content creator. He's been blogging about his love of design, style and travel since 2009. His #MakeYouSmileStyle approach to decorating and dressing has inspired over one million Instagram uploads to the hashtag from followers across the world.

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10 Comments

  3. Jackson Reply

    Enjoy the party Will! It’s been fun to follow along w/ all the preparations. Jackson 🙂

  5. Daniel Reply

    That’s also a great tip for New Year’s Eve! Thank you! Have a wonderful and inspiring 2018! 🎉🎉🎉

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Hey, I'm Will

Welcome to Bright.Bazaar, my make-you-smile style corner of the internet. I’ve been sharing my love of beautiful design, feel-good homes, everyday style, inspiring travel and, pretty much everything in between, since 2009. As well as working as a content creator, I write interior design books and edit a bi-weekly e-newsletter called Smile Mail. I live in New York City with my heartmate and can often be found listening to Madonna’s Confessions album and dreaming up my next home renovation project.