Holiday cocktail party fashion: The dos and dont's

Tis the season … to party- and whether you're going to a festive family function, a friends yuletide gathering, or your office Christmas party - you want to look and feel great, right? So we've got the holido's and holidont's when it comes to dressing for a holiday affair. 

1) Do go sparkly, or go home!

• First of all, sequins NEVER go out of style - you know you have something sparkly that you've been waiting to wear all year - so now is the time! 
• In this case we've gone head to toe sequins, but you can always break them up and do one piece - mixing hard and soft and pairing a sequin skirt with a chunky knit sweater
• The high neckline on this number keeps things sophisticated, especially when you're going with a shorter hemline - you know what else is sophisticated? The price. This Marciano dress is under $150
• You also don't want to do a ton of jewelry for this look since you're already shining bright - so keep things simple 
• For a bit more of a rock and roll feel, we've paired this hot little number with a hot little bootie from Nine West
• Don't save the sparkles strictly for your clothing - feel free to spread the glitter love to your face and nails
• Spanx is your friend! Nothing makes you feel more confident and comfortable than smoothing out all of those lumps and bumps, so invest in a good pair to hold it all together, and here's another thing - some Spanx fabrics don't always work with your clothing, so when you're going to buy the undergarment, bring your dress with you

2) Do choose a comfortable heel

• Choose a platform heel over a stiletto since you'll likely be standing most of the night - the platform doesn't put as much stress on your arch as a 6 inch heel does
• Sometimes you need to spend a little bit more for comfort - believe me, there's nothing less sexy than seeing someone stumble around in the stilettos
• Don't be afarid of colour, especially over the holidays; and you don't have to wear red or green to fit in
• This dress is such a simple, classic silhouette that Jamey will be able to wear time and time again - if you're going to spend your hard earned cash on a new dress, try not to overspend on something too trendy 

Dress - Gussied Up
Tights - H&M
Shoes - The Bay
Clutch - Nina, Nordstrom 

3) Don't reveal the goods

• Too much leg and too much cleavage are two big don'ts especially if you're at a work function. Some people think because they button up all year, the holiday party is the time to show your colleagues what you're working with. You can go a little sexier, but don't be this girl at the party. 

4) Do leave room to breath

• Even though you want to look TOIT, you still need a little room to breathe and eat
• Just like showing too much cleavage, you don't want to wear a bodycon dress to a cocktail party - sure you might look hot, but let's be honest, you're not 21 and you're not at a nightclub 
• We've put Tamar in this beautiful fit and flare dress which still shows off her incredible figure, but is also super flattering on every body type; it nips in at the waist and flounces out on the bottom so if you had anything you wanted to hide, you can do it all under here - put some snacks in there for later, wear boxer shorts, or your granny panties - you won't see a thing
• This silhouette will never go out of style 
• Big, bold patterns and the metallic accent makes it super festive
• This adorable gold clutch brings out the gold in the dress - you look fabulous - go dance the night away like you're young and free.

Dress - Eliza J, Nordstrom
Shoes - Karl Lagerfeld 
Clutch - Nina, Nordstrom

5) Do borrow from the boys

• Look smoking hot in a smoking jacket and pants
• A pantsuit is an unexpected dose of sexy - just make sure you're not following Hillary's lead when it comes to the cut - this Ted Baker suit is a classic fit and the velvet adds that little bit of luxury you need over the holidays
• The black pantsuit is the new Little Black Dress - it's so versatile and you can always mix and match the pieces if you don't want to wear it head to toe
• Take it from day to night by switching out your office appropriate white button down with a tank or lace bralette or, if you're more adventurous, go commando and just wear a little bit of tape; throw on a pair of classic metallic pump and you're ready to go 
• Since you've got such a clean silhouette, this is the perfect occasion to show off your jewelry - A retro touch to this modern suit and instantly made Jasmin's look more expensive with a statement necklace

Pants & Jacket - Ted Baker
Heels - Aldo
Tank top - RW&Co 
Purse - The Bay

6) Don't go overboard

• Don't be like our friend Shahir unless you want to be the life of the party, which I assume you do? 
• That being said, don't be afraid of getting festive - Christmas earrings or a cute sweater with Santa on it is a-okay