The 25 Best Holiday Dresses To Prep For All Your Dazzling Parties

With the temperatures dropping and chilly nights awaiting us with glee, you’ve probably been scrambling for your fall knits. But maybe you’re feeling more electric this year? If you’re sensing the festive spirit as your social calendar fills up, we’ve got quite a selection of holiday dresses lined up for you. After another strenuous year, I think we’re all overdue to glow up at all the office soirées, family reunions, and dinner parties that await our RSVPs. 

On our list, you’ll find plenty of holiday party dresses in luxe metallics, sparkly sequins, and glamorous gem tones. Many are trimmed with top fall fashion trends — think plenty of celestial details, such as shimmering embellishments. Just be sure to add to your cart ASAP, so that your show-stopping dress arrives in time — that is, in time for your grand entrance, wink wink. Scroll ahead to see the best holiday dresses for women. It’s never too early to prepare.

The Best Comfortable Holiday Dresses

If you want to stay comfy all night long but still exude that cheerful spirit, glide into one of these cozy sweater dresses or flowy options. Can you really call it the holidays without some tartan or plaid goodness? It’s probably a rule that you ought to wear the classic prints sometime this season.

The Best Long-Sleeve Holiday Dresses

Immerse yourself in our carousel of the best long-sleeve dresses to keep you warm throughout the brisk night. You won’t find stuffy long-sleeve options here. Each number has its own stylish flair of a statement neckline, from off-the-shoulder designs to a V-neck.

The Best Classy Holiday Dresses

Keep it elegant and graceful in lush-colored frocks with delicate bows, lace, and airy puff sleeves. Trust us when we say you’ll want to wear them all to your elevated dinner and holiday parties.

The Best Work Holiday Party Dresses

Phew, how time has flown by. Do you have a list of work events or office parties to RSVP to in the upcoming months? Pick one of our more modest — but still chic — dresses for the party. You can spice up the piece with your favorite fall boots and layer comfortably with a wool coat or leather jacket. 

The Best Holiday Cocktail Dresses

Tell us you don’t wanna shimmy-shimmy in this all night long. Your only assignment when wearing these sparkling dresses is to find the nearest light source and bask in it like a Greek goddess. Make the pavement your catwalk. 

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How Fall’s White Skirt Trend Is Defying Fashion’s “No White After Labor Day” Rule

We’ve all heard the saying, “No white after Labor Day.” It’s one of fashion’s many arbitrary — and frankly, classist — rules, and one I’ve never subscribed to. Thankfully, fashion is on my side this fall, with designers pushing a particular white must-have this season: a skirt.

The trend emerged last February when Prada showed its fall/winter 2023 collection, which featured frothy, white maxi skirts with floral embellishments, paired with simple cashmere sweaters. It wasn’t just Prada, though. Designers like Markarian, Nanushka, and Adeam also included variations of white skirts in their fall/winter collections, ranging from leather wrap iterations paired with chunky sweaters, to thigh-high slit skirts worn with elegant satin crop tops. Miu Miu, Prada’s sister brand, also included white sheer skirts with black polka dots in its lineup, styled with semi-nude bodysuits. 

It quickly became clear that white skirts could be as versatile as a black turtleneck. While I’m normally a trend skeptic (shocking for a fashion writer), the fashion insiders’ chatter surrounding the proliferation of white skirts was enough to convince me that a it was worth looking into. For a tailoring fan with almost no skirts in her wardrobe, that was a big step forward: I bought a white pleated skirt. 

Over the past few months, I’ve tested my initial hypothesis and proved this trend is no fad. And I’m not the only one. Throughout fashion month, street style photos show the blossoming of the  white skirt, while celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo, Sofia Richie Grainge, and Lil Nas X have endorsed the trend, ranging from tenniscore takes to red carpet-ready asymmetrical versions. 

With fall’s top trend being “wearability,” as most of fall/winter 2023 collections focused on capsule wardrobes and perfecting classic staples, it’s no surprise that the season’s must-have is a piece that can be considered the bottoms equivalent of a white T-shirt (you could probably wear it with one, too.) It also fits into many of today’s most viral aesthetics, from balletcore-style tutu-like tulle skirts, to quiet luxury’s minimal, maxi takes, and tenniscore, which has propelled pleated mini skirts beyond the court.

And even though the white skirt trend was popularized in the fall/winter collections, it’s an easy transitional piece and just as appropriate for warmer weather. Personally, I’ve styled white skirts with everything from a vest and boots to platform sandals and a slip tank top. 

Dare to break some rules this fall. Fashion’s got your back. 

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