How to dress for Christmas Eve?
Dressing for Christmas is rather similar than dressing for a winter wedding.
You are also looking for both shine and warmth.
Nevertheless, depends on your family, but assuming that a Christmas dinner is less dressy and more cosy than a winter wedding party so I’ll advise you to wear more laid-back outfits.
The key thing is to remember that – unless the job has been assigned to you – you are neither Mother Santa, an elf or even the Christmas tree covered in garlands and baubles. Or Mark Darcy.
To shine bright like a star in the tree, have a look at my simple tips and outfitspirations:
I. Christmas dinner outfit tips
1. Dress cosy
You are gonna be sitten for hours eating foie gras, smoked salmon, turkey with chestnuts and yule log (at least if you are in a traditional french family), so you want your outfit to be both warm and expandable.
Most of the times, you are not aiming to seduce your brother in law and would rather avoid your grand uncle to make kinky jokes so you can relax on the glam factor.
2. Shoes can be as high as you want
Christmas Eve is not about dancing or standing, so you can go for those high heels that cause you pain after 1 hour using them.
3. Nail polish and eye makeup will last longer than lipstick
Because greasy food
4. Shine with parcimony
It is a Christmas dinner, and again, you are not the Christmas tree.
So do overload your outfit with jewels, shiny makeup and sparkle in the outfit.
One of those will be just enough.
5. Go for “christmas feeling” colors
I don’t mean “dress up in green, red, gold and white” don’t get me wrong.
I just wanna say it is nice to match Christmas spirit, so I would prefer black, white and navy blue to greys and beige as neutral colors.
And will rather go for deep, rich colors rather than for urban tones as highlights.
But, hey, everyone does not have to live in Christmas atmosphere, so at the end it is your own choice.
II- Christmas dinner outfitspirations
1. Jumper dresses
A good compromise between dressy and cosy when worn with sophisticated accessories.
2. Glam up your winter jumper
– With a tight skirt, jewels shine and heels
– With glam trousers
3. Go for long sleeved loose dresses
They are both comfortable and chic
4. Try the jumpsuit
Thank you for every other informative site. The
place else may just I am getting that kind of info written in such an ideal manner?
I’ve a mission that I’m simply now working on, and I
have been on the glance out for such info.
Would you ever write a blog of how to coordinate your outfit with your man’s?
For most parties or holidays or weddings, he usually asks me to pick his outfit, and I like to try to coordinate then a little so we’ll actually look like a pair in pictures. But it can be difficult to find a good balance between twins and aliens.
Why not? I’ll think about it.
Thanks
Alois, I am in complete agreement with Kimberly. Your Christmas Dinner dress advice is spot on! My family could dress up or down; jeans would be typical of them, though I like the idea of “sparkling” a bit more for the hollidays. A sweater dress is a perfect balance! A fancy statement necklace, maybe? I am envious of the sky-high heel advice, though. I love the idea but am hosting the dinner with my husband, so I suppose flats will be of the order this time . . . Thank you for the incredibly wonderful advice! You are quite an inspiration. I’m so very glad I stumbled across your site! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Merci et joyeux Noël Cindy!
Your suggestions are wonderful (and I have been looking for blue booties like the ones in your first sample outfit forever). In the US (my part of it, at least), Christmas outfits are either boring jeans or gaudy themed clothing. Your outfit ideas are much better!
Thanks Kimberly. It is of course a question of culture. In France, most families dress fancy for Christmas time.
Then I guess it would be strange to dressed over the top when everyone is wearing Christmas jumpers 🙂