From London To LA: Festive-Not-Formal Holiday Celebrations

festive not fussy holiday outfit, LA style

This is the third installment in my collaboration with Josephine at Chic At Any Age, comparing styles in our respective cities. Today we’re dressing for another type of festive holiday get-together: drinks after work or dinner with friends.

Maybe it’s a pre-Christmas meet-up for drinks and a few appetizers, or a dinner out during that quieter week before New Year’s. Between work, family and other obligations, you don’t all get together that often, so it’s a special occasion. It’s a step up from casual, but a step below the formality of a cocktail party. When I start feeling flummoxed about what to wear, I’ve learned to go with my “What Would Emmanuelle Alt Do?” mantra, sticking with what feels authentic, and tweaking around the edges.

Above: lips | bag | nails | jacket |
top | jeans | necklace | ring | shoes

As many of us are looking to get the most out of our wardrobes these days, I’ve re-mixed a couple of pieces from an earlier ensemble. I’ve started with a long velvet jacket (mine’s this one) and a slouchy silk top, and added a pair of black sateen jeans, a bit dressier than denim without the just-came-from-the-office vibe. The velvet jacket, suede pumps and a red lip dress the look up a bit without skewing too stiffly formal. (If it’s too cold for shoes like this where you live, try a suede or embellished ankle boot.)

See what Josephine has selected for a similar event in London here.

Is there a favorite wardrobe item that you rely on for special occasion dressing?

The Velvet Jacket…

Elizabeth and James | Marciano Giulia | Joie | Theory | Halogen | ELVI (Plus) | Ted Baker

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9 Comments

  1. I am lusting after a velvet jacket but just cannot find “the one”. I think I want velvet, not velveteen…one that is soft and lays well. and on the longer side Am I i incorrect in thinking that many of the ones I see on line appear stiff and not laying well …. is that because they are velveteen? Also I wear an XL and find the options limited in my price range…up to $200.00. Any suggestions? Hoping the jacket I keep seeing in my mind is somewhere out there. Thank you.

    1. Sadly, the beautiful velvet halogen jacket in burgundy in large and extra large sold out right away after Susan had it on her blog recently. They do have it in black though.

  2. I chuckled when I read this because I frequently ask myself “What would Susan Une Femme do?” when I’m trying to figure out how to be effortlessly chic. 🙂

  3. It is summer here where I live, so festive dressing is extremely minimal especially as we are about to have a week of temperatures of over 100 degrees (F). However, the clothes featured are very sophisticated.

  4. This is a lovely look from the black pants to the beautifully draped blouse. And, the long duster is magnificent! I would easily feel as elegant as any lady in a dress in this outfit. You nailed it Susan!