Work Holiday Party Outfit Ideas That Are Actually Cute

Work holiday parties have such an oddly specific dress code. You want to look noticeably more fun than you do on a random day at the office, but you're also going to be standing next to your boss and coworkers all night, so there's that.

And the range of what counts as a "work holiday party" is huge. It could be drinks in the conference room at 4 PM, dinner at a nice restaurant, or a full-on formal event where people are wearing gowns.

For most parties, though, I think the sweet spot is just taking a normal cute outfit and making it feel a little more festive. Think burgundy, satin, lace, bows, metallic shoes, faux fur, sequins, or basically anything with a little more personality than you'd normally wear to work.

I put together 12 outfit ideas that hit that middle ground, plus some dressier options at the end if your company is doing cocktail, semi-formal or black tie.

1. Black Feather Trim Pants + Gold Heels

If you normally gravitate toward black, you really don't have to reinvent yourself just because it's Christmas. The feather trim on these pants is enough to make the whole thing feel fun, while the fitted cardigan keeps it from going too far into party-party territory.

I love the gold heels and clutch with this because they make an otherwise all-black outfit feel way more festive. This would be so good for dinner or drinks somewhere nice where you want to dress up without wearing a dress.

2. Leather Pants + Faux Fur Jacket

Okay, this one is very much for the office that has its holiday party at a cool restaurant and not next to the copier. The chocolate leather pants with the ivory top are already cute, but the faux fur jacket is what makes the outfit.

I also love doing brown instead of black here because it feels a little less obvious. The matching slingbacks and structured bag pull everything together without adding another color or a bunch of sparkle.

3. Burgundy Satin Skirt + Bow Cardigan

If there is ever a time to wear an excessive number of bows, I feel like the holiday season is it. The burgundy cardigan and satin midi skirt are festive on their own, but the little bow details make this one extra cute.

You could obviously skip the plaid hair bow if that's too much bow for you because the shoes already carry the theme. I love the almost-monochromatic burgundy too because it feels Christmas-y without literally wearing red and green.

4. Burgundy Floral Dress + Black Trench

This is one of those outfits you could wear to almost any type of office holiday party and not have to worry about whether you're dressed correctly. The burgundy floral dress is pretty and festive, but still feels completely normal to wear around coworkers.

I like all black accessories with it because the dress already has enough going on. Add the trench on top and it's basically an entire winter party outfit without requiring much thought at all.

5. Red Top + Lace Trim Pants

I LOVE these pants. They're basically black trousers until you get to the lace hem, which is exactly the kind of tiny detail that makes a regular outfit suddenly work for a holiday party.

The red ruched top obviously brings in the holiday color, and then I went silver with the shoes and bag instead of adding even more red. Also, flats! Because cute holiday outfits do not have to require suffering in heels for four hours.

6. Oversized Blazer + Burgundy Tights

This is definitely one of the cooler options and I love it for someone who does not want to wear a typical holiday dress. The burgundy tights make a black blazer feel instantly more seasonal without making the whole outfit scream Christmas.

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Then the polka-dot slingbacks and statement earrings give it just enough extra detail. I'd obviously wear tiny tailored shorts or something similar under the blazer depending on the length because this is, after all, still an event with your coworkers.

7. Burgundy Lace Top + Matching Skirt

This one is for a dressier evening party because we're definitely leaving "drinks in the office kitchen" territory here. The matching burgundy top and midi skirt almost look like a dress together, but I think the separate pieces make it a little more interesting.

I kept everything else black because the lace and burgundy are already doing plenty. The sheer polka-dot shoes are especially cute here and add another little detail without making the outfit busy.

 8. Silver Sequin Dress + Black Blazer

If your company actually throws a legit party, this is your moment for the sequins. I love a sparkly dress with an oversized blazer because it makes the whole thing feel a little cooler and less like you're headed to a New Year's Eve club situation.

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The patterned tights also make this way more realistic for an actual December event. Finish it with black bow heels and a simple clutch and you're done.

 9. Burgundy Satin Pants + Cream Cardigan

This is such a good option if you want to be comfortable but still look like you made an effort. Satin pants automatically feel dressier than regular trousers, and burgundy is basically doing half the holiday work for you.

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The cream cardigan keeps it from feeling overly dressy, while the metallic shoes make it feel like a party outfit instead of something you'd wear to the office normally. I also really like this one for a more casual company party.

10. Ivory Sweater + Satin Midi Skirt

You truly cannot mess up a sweater and satin skirt in the winter. Keeping both pieces ivory makes this one feel especially pretty, and then you can make the accessories a little more fun.

RELATED: Satin Skirt Outfit Ideas That Will Make You Feel So Chic

I went with silver slingbacks, bow earrings and a burgundy clutch because otherwise the outfit could start feeling a little too bridal. It's simple, but it's one of those outfits that looks way more put together than the amount of effort it actually takes.

11. Burgundy Midi Dress + Embellished Boots

If your office leans more conservative, this is probably the easiest outfit here to copy. It's basically just a really good burgundy midi dress, but the color makes it feel appropriate for a holiday party without needing sequins or anything crazy.

The embellished ankle boots are what stop it from feeling like something you'd wear to work on any other day. Add the little bow earrings and black bag and that's really all it needs.

12. Plaid Pants + Layered Sweater

Not every company holiday party requires dressing up, and if yours is during the day or pretty casual, I would not show up in a sequin dress just because Pinterest told you to. Plaid trousers are an easy way to make regular work clothes feel a little more holiday-ish.

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I love the white button-down layered under the navy sweater with the green flats because it feels festive without being cheesy. The cream bag and gold jewelry dress it up just enough that it still feels like you did something different for the party.

What to Wear to a Work Holiday Party With a Fancier Dress Code

And then there are the companies that go ALL OUT for the holiday party.

If your invitation actually says cocktail, semi-formal or black tie, ignore basically everything I just said about simply making your normal work clothes more festive. You have an actual dress code now, which honestly makes getting dressed easier because at least somebody has given you directions.

Semi-formal is a step above regular office attire, while black tie is an actual formal dress code. 

Semi-Formal or Cocktail Work Holiday Party Attire

For cocktail or semi-formal, I'd go straight for a dress. It doesn't have to be floor length or super fancy, but this is where you can absolutely pull out the satin, lace, ruching, velvet, dramatic necklines and all the other things that might feel like a lot at a normal office party.

The dresses above are basically the range I'd be looking at. They're obviously party dresses, but they don't feel like you're accidentally attending a gala after this.

And because it's the holidays, I especially love the darker colors here. 

Black Tie Work Holiday Party Attire

If your work holiday party says black tie, okayyyyy your company is fancy. This is the rare office party where showing up in a full-length gown is not remotely doing too much; traditional black-tie guidance specifically includes floor-length evening gowns.

And you definitely do not have to default to a plain black gown. I love burgundy, navy and deep green for a holiday black tie event, and details like velvet, lace, bows and dramatic ruffles make sense here because the dress code can actually handle them.

Basically, if you're ever going to wear the gorgeous dramatic dress that normally has nowhere to go, your company's black tie Christmas party is probably the place.

 So, What Should You Actually Wear?

I'd start with the location and invitation before anything else. An office party happening at work is a completely different situation from a Saturday-night party at a hotel, and even traditional etiquette guidance recommends dressing differently for an after-work office gathering versus an event held outside the office

Once you know roughly how dressy everyone is going, don't overthink the "holiday" part. You don't need an entire Christmas-themed outfit. Give me burgundy pants, a satin skirt, a bow shoe, a little sparkle or some faux fur and we're there.

And if you're still unsure, ask the coworker who somehow always knows what everyone is wearing. There is one in every office.

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