Believe it or not the holidays are just around the corner. This means gift giving, seasonal treats and figuring out what the heck you are going to wear to the office holiday party. That last one, though it should be fun, is actually a bit stressful. You are supposed to be more relaxed and laid back at your company party but at the same time you need to remain composed and stylish.
A great brand that can help you do that is Pepperberry. Pepperberry is the sister to the British lingerie brand Bravissimo. It provides stylish and sophisticated choices for professional women. They have some great choices for the holiday office party like the Tutu Skirt Dress, the Hepburn Dress (when in doubt, dress like Audrey), the Taffeta Full Skirt Dress and the Embellished Maxi Dress.
But if you still have questions about what is and isn’t appropriate for the office holiday party, here is a guide.
1. Never go for too sexy
Amanda Sanders of NewYorkImageConsultant says the main mistake women make at company holiday parties is dressing too sexy. “People really lose sight of the fact … that this is still a business event,” she says. This means that you need to put the girls away. Save that for New Year’s Eve with your friends. Also avoid super short hemlines, ‘killer heels’ and too much sparkles.
2. Avoid sheer
Sheer is in an in look right now, but be very careful for rocking this at the holiday office party.
3. Don’t wear outfits that promote a particular holiday
You may celebrate Christmas, but not everyone else does. “Merry Christmas might seem innocent enough on a sweater, but it’s Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, post-Diwali, or potentially no holiday at all for other people in the office,” Aravinda Rao Souza, senior marketing manager at recruitment software company Bullhorn, told Fox News. “Going too crazy with the holiday theme is also just a little tacky. Dress like you are attending a charity event where there would be both children and adults present.”
4. Embrace the accessories
The best place to experiment with fashion in the workplace is with your accessories. The office holiday party is probably not the place for a sequined mini-skirt, but a sequined handbag like this beaded clutch from Pepperberry is perfect.
5. Stay away from crazy prints
Don’t go too crazy with the prints. Not everyone is as trendy as you and a student of fashion blogs so they may not get your plaid on plaid ensemble.
6. Don’t be too fancy or casual
A major mistake newbies often make is either over or under dressing. You do not want to show up in a ball gown or jeans. But do ask around to see what the dress code is.
7. Network
Use this holiday party opportunity to network (especially if you have on a fabulous outfit!) Mingle! Don’t just park yourself next to the food table or spend the whole night drinking in a corner and looking at your phone. Career expert Nicole Williams has a great list of networking ice breakers to get the conversation started. If you know who is going to be at the party, do some research so you can ask questions that relate to them like about what school they went to or their latest project.
8. Keep it simple
If you are going straight from the office to the party try a simple black dress for the work day or maybe a shift and then put on some sparkly shoes or a really bold necklace like this one from Pepperberry.
