Affordable Holiday Party Dresses

Who has a holiday party coming up? I know, Christmas is still 40 days away, but the holiday parties always start weeks before Santa comes to town. I actually had my first holiday party last Thursday, so I know I’m not the only one who is getting ready to celebrate. I’m guessing I’m also not the only one trying to figure out what to wear. My husband’s work holiday party in a couple weeks, and I already have my outfit all figured out. Yeah, I’m a planner.

I bought this dress about a week and a half ago during the Nordstrom fall clearance sale. Unfortunately, it sold out quickly (it was only $28!!), but I know why. It is the perfect holiday party look. I love the long sleeves (most of us aren’t sporting a tan in December), the crochet detail gives it something interesting, and it looks super cute with black booties. I could easily wear this with black tights, and I love it with my Kate Spade gold glitter clutch and other gold jewelry. And I know I’ll definitely wear this one again!

Since I know holiday parties go from fancy to super casual, I found a bunch of options to help everyone find the perfect holiday party dress within your budget.

Note: This blog post contains affiliate links.

Even though my exact dress isn’t available, this lace cold shoulder dress from Target is very similar. I LOVE the lace, the bell sleeves and the price. It is only $27.99 and it ships free. I’m not sure if it is available in stores, but this one is worth attempting to buy online. Super cute.

If the full lace look isn’t for you, maybe try this lace trim shift dress from Nordstrom. Shift dresses are perfect for the holidays since are forgiving on all body types (hello, holiday cookies). It is also on sale for $37.90.

I know there are plenty of companies out there who still host the uber fancy cocktail parties each year. Those are tough because I’m guessing most of us don’t have a closet full of sequin dresses lying around. And if you do, you likely wore that sequin dress last year and can’t re-wear again this year. I like this black sequin dress from Nordstrom, and it is only $40.80. The best part is you can absolutely re-wear this one for New Years Eve!

I know it’s cliche, but I do love a red dress around the holidays. There is something about red that feels fun and festive. This halter trapeze dress is only $43.20 and is also available for black. But seriously, consider the red. How cute would this one look with a plaid blanket scarf on top?!

I know this dress would not fit my body type well, but I absolute adore it for those of you with the super skinny waist. How cute is the gold metallic jacquard print? This is perfectly festive for any holiday event.

Those of you who already follow me on Instagram got a sneak peak into my first holiday party this past Thursday. I attended a blogger party at Kendra Scott where each of us got to design a free (yes, FREE!) piece of jewelry of our choosing. It was pretty much my ideal party. It wasn’t super fancy, although we did enjoy cupcakes and wine while browsing the baubles. I wore this red plaid Target dress, which has the absolute cutest gingham detail on the inside trim. Some of you may remember this dress from last week’s mad for plaid dresses post, where I let you guys know I found it on clearance for only $13! This is seriously the perfect dress for a casual party or even just a holiday event with family. I’ll be wearing this one again over the next 40 days or so.

I didn’t do a full overview of holiday party accessories, but I couldn’t resist mentioning my gold Kate Spade glitter clutch in the pictures at the top. It isn’t the most practical piece in my closet, but it is such a statement piece. I probably only get to use it a couple times each year, but I know I’ll have this bag forever. I couldn’t find my exact clutch online, but I found a couple similar options. This metallic Tory Burch clutch is absolutely a splurge, but again, you’ll use this bag for years to come. I also love the Rebecca Minkoff glitter envelope clutch option, which is available in silver and black. Any of these are such statement pieces and are the perfect way to dress up any little black dress.

Are you ready for your holiday party? Where is yours being held this year?