The moment we’ve all been waiting for has arrived. Holiday party season is in full swing, and I’m loving every second of it. Watching the glitz and glam from both my phone screen and IRL has been so fun, and I’ve had so many good ideas for outfits—I wish I could wear them all. Luckily, given the amount of versatility in taste that exists among my team of stylish fashion editors, I was able to live vicariously through each and every one of them at our Who What Wear holiday party.
When we heard the words “black-tie,” we immediately began filling up our shopping carts with endless options. Slack messages were passed back and forth about how we were each planning to combine our favorite designers and upcoming trends into just one look. And we made it happen. With dramatic leg slits, power suiting, and sophisticated gloves paired with dangling earrings—I got to see all of my favorite trends come out to play at our holiday party.
As the new year is just around the corner and I have a few more events on my calendar, join me in taking a little shopping tour through some of the best dressed attendees of our holiday party. You’ll be equally as amazed as I was and will hopefully walk away with something good. In my case, it’s the $4 find I think every woman needs for 2022.
“After searching for a long time for a dress to wear to our holiday party, I couldn’t find anything that meshed with my personal style. I wanted something sophisticated yet fun, and when I saw this velvet blazer at my local Zara, I knew it was meant to be. Instead of regular pants, I opted for the feather-trimmed Sleeper pajamas that I already owned. To top it all off, I wore a mini silver bag from my wedding and crystal drop earrings to really add that final ‘oomph.’ I think it’s safe to say mission accomplished.”
A party look that also doubles as pajamas. I’m sold.
You’ll be able to stand in these heels all night.
Velvet is a holiday staple.
FYI, half of the fashion editors wore earrings nearly identical to these.
“Fun fact about me: I’m a collector. While some shoppers will shop for winter staples or craft the perfect capsule wardrobe, I find myself constantly sifting through sample sales and secondhand shops, searching for one-of-a-kind pieces to keep around for a special occasion. When it came to planning for our holiday party, I knew I wanted to whip out my stunning pink feather minidress I had gotten a few months back. I wanted to do a more creative take on black-tie, so I paired the look with matching mesh opera gloves, fringe-crystal earrings, a baby bag, and my favorite white ankle-chain heels. For me, dress codes are a great starting point, but life’s too short to wear something you’re not feeling yourself in, so don’t be afraid to have fun with it—I know I did.”
I don’t think I heard anyone get more compliments than Jasmine, who wowed in this feathered dress.
Gloves so good that more than one editor wore them that night.
Real standout shoes worth wearing year-round.
“When I heard that the dress code at our holiday party was going to be black-tie, I knew I wanted to do something dramatic. Enter this opera-glove moment. I might add, I was not the only editor to show up wearing a pair. (Do I sense a party trend brewing?) They were the perfect accessory against this stunning strapless dress from SIR, which I paired with pearl earrings from Cult Gaia, strappy sandals, and a classic red lip.”
Every outfit in your closet could benefit from this simple addition.
I couldn’t stop staring at these gorgeous earrings that night.
This drop-waist moment was a dream IRL.
A caged heel will do.
“This was my first holiday party at Who What Wear, so I wanted to be extra glam and as sparkly as possible. I mean, ’tis the season, right? My look is giving major ‘modern-day flapper’ energy, and I’m here for it. The corset in the base of my dress added a trendy element, but the fringe beading kept it festive and fun. I loved the fact that my dress was this olive-green color because it was a subdued color choice that still felt holiday appropriate.”
Another iteration of the statement earrings that I’m adding to my cart RN.
“Modern-day flapper” is right.
These shoes exude luxury.
“I played around with a few ideas before discovering my final holiday look, and a lot of them involved bright pink, crop tops, and miniskirts. When I saw this dress, though, nothing else could compare. After a few years off from getting dressed up, I knew I wanted to dress as ‘holiday’ as possible. Red is most definitely my color these days, and I kept the accessories simple, actually leaving my bag at home and wearing my classic diamond studs and a statement ring that matched the dress. I felt so effortlessly pulled-together.”
The “leg for days” moment of the century.
A big event is a great excuse to buy a new lipstick, and I went for this liquid one, and I didn’t have to reapply at all that night.
This is one of my go-to statement jewelry pieces since it so easily matches my always-red nails.
“I didn’t have to shop around much for my dress—the second I saw it on & Other Stories, I said yep, that’s it. It got many compliments, so I think it was a good decision. The dress is covered in sequins, so I didn’t need much in the way of accessories, and I kept my shoes pretty low-key with these simple Prada mules.”
These ultra-feminine statement earrings are just my cup of tea.
I overheard many praises sung to Allyson on those sequins.
Anything quilted will keep you on your toes all night.
“Usually for company holiday parties, I throw on little more than red lipstick and a fancy top, but when you work for Who What Wear and the dress code is black-tie, stakes are high. I sourced my outfit pretty last-minute, so I went with House of CB—a brand I feel like always has something to suit my curves. For added drama, I added opera gloves in a hot-pink shade for a color-blocking moment and some old Manolo Blahniks I bought a few years ago.”
Yes, we’re still on the topic of dangly earrings.
You can’t go wrong with red on a holiday.
Adding these to my vision board.
“Our holiday party was the perfect excuse to get dressed up, so I wore some of the trusty pieces in my closet. I started out with a strapless Brock Collection dress that I picked up a few years ago, pairing it with my favorite metal toe-cap heels from Saint Laurent and a choker from Monica Vinader.”
Kristen’s Brock Collection dress is unfortunately sold out, but I’m shopping the look for less with this find.
I think I need this, too.
These are really timeless.
“It might be boring of me, but when I think of black-tie, I think of black dresses, which is why I chose to wear this black tube dress from SIR the Label that I got last summer and haven’t worn yet. To spice up the otherwise fairly simple look, I added a pair of dangly party earrings from H&M—which, I might add, were regulars at the party—and my Cartier watch. I went with a pair of trusty black BY FAR heels because I wear them all the time and knew that I wouldn’t end the night in aching pain.”
If you have this in your closet, you’ll never have to ask yourself what to wear again.
This is the perfect update on black heels.
This also doubles as a great gift.
“I had been eyeing this dress for so long, so once I found out about our holiday party, I was thrilled to finally have an excuse to splurge on it—knowing, of course, that I’ll be able to use it so much for years to come. After I bought the dress, I decided to simply borrow accessories, so I stole a small satin evening bag from my sister and simple black slingbacks from my mom. It didn’t need much else!”
How chic is this?
This would be my evening bag to everything.
Add a little playfulness and always have your phone by your side with this charm.
