Festive Attire (Semi-formal style)Well, the festive season heralds its occasions & outings.
All of which are usually, a joy to attend.
Yet, sometimes they also bring with it a fair share of headache.
In terms of wear. Attire that is!
I recently received an invite to a party with FESTIVE ATTIRE as the dress code.
Casual, chic, black tie, formal etc. those I know.
But... what the hell is festive attire?
Alright, let's break it down and analysis this.1) Firstly, I think a key decision factor is -
WHO is the organizer? Is it a for leisure occasion? Work related? Or purely the informal fun-type? Of course, if it involves
WORK, and more so, the
BOSS, the style has to be some notches more formal, yet not the killer black tie/ cocktail dress formal.
2) Festive attire calls for semi-dressy fabrics, such as a silk, satin or velvet skirt/pants worn with a silk/satin/metallic/velvet blouse. Velvet dresses (long or short), if they are not so dressy that they fall into the formal or cocktail categories, will also be appropriate. Going a notch down from that look, also appropriate is an outfit consisting of wool or knit skirt/pants paired with a sparkly sweater or faux-fur trimmed one, jacket, or other dressy top. Festive also invites you to wear holiday colors and dressy accessories (jewelry, shoes, etc.). Be true to your own coloring. If the classic holiday colors of red, green, gold, etc. do not look great on you, do NOT wear them. Black is always classy.
3) Holiday time brings up the subject of holiday sweaters, you know the ones embroidered with images of Santa, reindeer, gifts, etc.? Yes, they can be festive; but they can also be frumpy or little girlish. So if you do, wear them with caution.
4) Lastly, while you want to dress several notches up, don't go overboard and wear a chiffon cocktail dress or a fully sequined or bejeweled outfit. Those are too dressy for the festive category. A sweater or dress can have a smattering of sequins or rhinestones and be considered festive, but a garment completely covered in sequins or jewels falls into the cocktail or black-tie range.
On another note, heres
Oprah online magazine's take on Festive attire. That is, the normal party style.
FESTIVE ATTIRE (PARTY STYLE)Translation: Be playful. Pick a hotter color than usual and take a chance on flamboyance with rows of ruffles, lots of leg, shoulder-sweeping earrings, even a tiara.
Variations: If you're happier in a low-key mode, do a single showy item (bright silk wrap, antique kimono, a little tasteful glitter) with simple black silk.
Happy party times!
Labels: style tips
