Holiday Dresses - Party Season is Upon Us!

Thanksgiving has come and gone, so you know what that means. Okay, yes, I know, a few weeks of parking space wars and shove fests at the mall and cold sweats over sales and what the hell are you supposed to get for Uncle Lou this year, for Pete's sake - but that's not what I'm talking about. Yet, anyway. It's party time! Depending on the party, this is a good thing about this time of year! Champagne, mulled wine, cookies, candy canes - perhaps cheese! This means more shopping, though. I mean, the same dress isn't going to do it for the office party, the boyfriend's parents' party, your best friend's party and that holiday-themed, secret punk show after-party in a loft in Bushwick. Or is it? Here are some options that won't break the bank if you buy them all, as well as some options that just might do the trick for all your events with some different styling.

This holiday-hued dress, $50 at Asos, could actually go from your work party to your friend's party. The sleeves and not-too-plunging neckline keep it demure but the lace top is just the right amount of vampy and chic. Just change from sweet and simple flats to chunky ankle boots or towering heels.

How good is this dress?! I'm obsessed. I think I'm ordering it now. Picking this stuff for y'all is dangerous for my bank account. It's baroque yet modern - like you're Ann Boleyn on her way to a late dinner at Mission Cantina. OR a holiday party, of course. The print on the bottom is very Carven. It's all very, very good. And the best part is that it's just $64 at SheInside.

 Leave it to Need Supply for the coolest, most effortless approach to glamour. The sheerness and swing of this dress make it low-key, comfortable, flattering and decidedly downtown, but the delicate beading gives it just that right amount of sparkle for any holiday fete. It's the kind of dress that elicits envy, because you'll look radiant without looking like you tried at all - or splurged, it's just $92.

Sometimes you want the dazzle of New Year's Eve without taking the tried-and-true route of all-over sequins. This dress from Pixie Market is edgy and fashion-forward, an unexpectedly cool way to nail that dazzle factor. Metallic lace is spliced with leopard motifs, and the look is kind of Versace-opulent, but for just $49.


Handbags and Hugs,

Astor