Christmas outfits: what to wear for every kind of Christmas
Christmas outfit ideas for women for Christmas morning, family dinner, the office party and Christmas Eve, plus a simple formula and colors that suit you.
The short answer
A Christmas outfit needs one festive element: a color, a fabric like velvet or satin, or a detail like gold jewelry. Build the rest from simple basics such as knits, straight jeans and plain trousers. 12 ideas for Christmas morning, family dinner, office parties and Christmas Eve drinks.
- Warm skin tones suit poppy red; cool skin tones suit cherry red and emerald.
- Choose comfortable waists for long dinners.
A good Christmas outfit does two things at once: it looks festive in photos and it survives four hours at a table, on a sofa or on the floor with the kids. That rules out anything you have to hold in, and it favors velvet, knit, satin and a single strong color. Below are Christmas outfit ideas for every kind of day, from Christmas morning to the office party, built mostly from pieces you probably already own.
The Christmas outfit formula
One festive element plus everything else simple. The festive element can be a color (red, emerald, burgundy), a fabric (velvet, satin, sequin) or a detail (a bow, gold jewelry, a statement earring). Two is a lot; three is a costume. Our outfit formulas use the same idea all year.
| Occasion | Outfit | Shoes | Festive element |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christmas morning | Cream cable knit, soft wide-leg trousers or leggings | Slippers or loafers | A red or plaid knit |
| Family dinner | Knit midi dress or sweater with a satin midi skirt | Knee-high boots or loafers | Satin or velvet skirt |
| Office party | Velvet blazer over a silk camisole and tailored trousers | Pointed flats or block heels | Velvet |
| Christmas Eve drinks | Satin slip dress with a fine-knit cardigan | Strappy heels or ankle boots | Satin plus gold jewelry |
| Casual friends' party | Sequin top with straight jeans | Ankle boots | Sequins |
| Church or formal service | Wool midi dress with a tailored coat | Low heels | Rich color, such as emerald |
Choose the most festive piece first, then make everything else plain.
12 Christmas outfit ideas for women
- Red velvet midi dress with gold earrings and black tights.
- Ivory cable knit tucked into a forest green satin skirt with brown knee-high boots.
- Black velvet blazer, white silk camisole and straight jeans: the office party outfit that also works for drinks.
- Burgundy knit dress with a thin belt and tall boots.
- Plaid wool skirt with a black turtleneck and loafers, for a classic family lunch.
- Sequin top with wide-leg black trousers. Sequins on top, plain on the bottom.
- Cream knit co-ord (sweater and wide-leg knit trousers) for Christmas morning photos.
- Emerald satin slip dress under a camel coat.
- Red sweater with a bow detail and dark jeans for a casual party.
- Little black dress with a red lip and gold hoops.
- White shirt with a velvet midi skirt and pointed flats.
- Matching Christmas pajamas for the morning, if your family does that. They count.
Christmas outfits from what you already own
Most people do not need a new outfit, they need a festive layer. A velvet scrunchie, gold jewelry, a red lip, a satin skirt or a sequin top changes everyday basics into a Christmas outfit. Our outfit ideas and winter outfits guides show how to build from basics. For the party season afterwards, see our New Year's Eve outfits.
Colors that suit you
Christmas red comes in warm (tomato, poppy) and cool (cherry, crimson, berry) versions, and the wrong one can make skin look sallow. If you know your season from our color analysis, warm seasons suit poppy red and olive green; cool seasons suit cherry red and emerald.
Read next: Baggy Jeans: How to Style Them, 12 Outfits · Pelvic Floor Exercises: How to Do Them Right · What Colors Look Good on Me? Find Your Best Colors
Questions people ask about this
What should I wear for Christmas?
Choose one festive element (a color like red or emerald, a fabric like velvet or satin, or a detail like gold jewelry) and keep everything else simple. A knit with a satin skirt, a velvet dress or a velvet blazer with jeans all work.
What do you wear to a Christmas family dinner?
Something comfortable for hours of sitting: a knit midi dress, or a sweater with a satin or velvet midi skirt, and boots or loafers. Avoid anything tight at the waist.
What should I wear to an office Christmas party?
A velvet blazer over a silk camisole with tailored trousers or straight jeans is festive but still appropriate. Check whether the party is straight after work or a separate evening event.
What colors are good for Christmas outfits?
Red, emerald green, burgundy, cream, black and gold. Warm skin tones suit poppy red and olive; cool skin tones suit cherry red and emerald.
