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6 Last Minute Christmas Party Outfit Ideas | Less Formal Looks

Is your Christmas Party this week/this weekend/next week? Stuck for something to wear? If your Christmas ‘do’ calls for something less formal than the Christmas party dresses I featured last week, you might want to try some of these ideas instead. Trousers, faux fur and even jeans are all featured, so hopefully you can throw together a last minute Christmas party outfit with things you already own… that’s what I’ve got to do for my own ‘do this Friday!

If you’re stuck for something sparkly, see if you can borrow a jacket or statement necklace from your girlfriend, sister, mum or aunt – mums and aunties sometimes have a sparkly jacket at the back of their wardrobe that you can pair with skinnies and fierce heels. I’ve often let my nieces and sister take their pick from my wardrobe when they have an event coming up.

It’s mostly about accessorising and adding a touch of sparkle here and there. Have you (like me) left deciding on your party outfit till the last minute… and do you swap clothes with your friends and family? Are you usually the lender – or the borrower?!

1. Mix it up and borrow your other half’s tie (original post)
This is what I actually wore to my office’s Christmas party last year: I tried something different and wore a matching shirt and tie combo – you don’t have to wear statement jewellery every time. I felt suitably dressed up but we had a meal in a restaurant and drinks afterwards so rather than a dress for dancing, I went for a feminine take on a masculine office classic instead.

2. Dress up jeans with faux fur and jewellery (original post)
If your party has a very relaxed dress code (i.e. jeans are acceptable) and you still want to wear your blue skinnies, make sure you add a touch of glamour with luxurious fabrics otherwise you’ll end up looking like you’ve dressed to go to the supermarket. Here a silky blouse and faux fur were glammed up with a heavy layered necklace, and fierce heels are pretty much essential if you’re wearing jeans. It’ll still look dressy if you take off the fur gilet.

3. Choose glamorous jeans and add a pretty blouse (original post)
This is one of the easiest I-want-to-wear-jeans-but-still-look-dressed-up looks. My jeans are a dark brownish black with a subtle gold brocade pattern and are just as versatile as blue denim. With a patterned blouse, great heels and a statement clutch you’ll still look like you’re ready for a night on the town. Earrings were important for a bit of bling too. I wore an ear cuff – much better than having dangling earrings flapping about your head if you’re dancing the night away…!

4. Layer a plain blazer over a statement dress and add patterned tights (original post)
The idea of the blazer here is to allow you to wear a pretty dress whilst toning down its girliness. A straight skirt works better with a blazer than a full skirt, and patterned tights are so much more stylish than plain opaque ones (read my post about my experiment to find which patterned tights are the most flattering). This remains one of my favourite outfits ever… I’d wear it over and over again if I could.

5. Layer a patterned blazer over a plain jumpsuit or co-ords (original post)
This is essentially a reverse of outfit no.4 – I wore a patterned blazer instead of a plain one and a plain black top and trousers (a jumpsuit would work just as well) instead of a patterned dress. You end up with a lengthened body from the solid block of colour (very flattering) and the interest is added with a bold blazer and bold heels. Or you could go with plain heels and pick one colour from the blazer… the possibilities are endless with this one.

6. Add a sequinned top or jacket to a plain tops and trousers (original post)
Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without sequins – and anything sequinned on your top half will look suitably festive! I kept the rest of my outfit simple and let the jacket do the talking here, though I couldn’t resist where heels were concerned and went with my leopard print beauties. Hair down, long earrings (just seen)… you’re done.

P.S. If you like this, why not check out the minis, midis and maxis in my 8 Christmas Party Dresses Ideas?