What Is Festive Attire? The Holiday Dress Code, Decoded

Short answer: festive attire is cocktail attire with a holiday twist. Wear what you would wear to a cocktail party, such as a dress, a long dressy skirt with a nice top, or dressy separates, and add one seasonal element: a jewel tone, velvet, sequins, metallic, or tartan. The Emily Post Institute describes it as “essentially cocktail party attire with a seasonal and festive holiday touch.” It shows up on holiday and New Year’s invitations, and it is about mood, not formality. Nobody expects a gown.

The confusion comes from the modifiers. “Festive casual,” “business festive” and “festive cocktail” are three different instructions, and each one moves the base outfit. Here is the whole set.

What festive attire actually means

The Emily Post Institute’s attire guide lists festive as its own code, “usually for the holidays.” Its list for women is a cocktail dress, a long dressy skirt and top, a dressy pants outfit or separates, or a little black dress, with the instruction to “feature holiday colors.” For men, it lists a seasonal sport coat or blazer in a color of choice, slacks, an open-collar or dress shirt, and a festive or holiday-themed tie.

So the formula is:

Cocktail-level base + one seasonal note = festive.

The base sets the formality. The seasonal note sets the mood. If you get the base right, the note can be as small as a velvet headband.

The three festive variations, translated

Hosts add a second word to tell you how dressy they mean. Read that word first.

Festive casual

The relaxed end. Think a holiday open house, a neighborhood party, a family dinner at home. The base is smart casual: good jeans or tailored trousers, a nice sweater. Add the festive note on top.

• Dark jeans + a sequin or metallic-thread sweater + ankle boots.
• Cords + a fair-isle knit + loafers.
• Black trousers + a velvet top + flats.

The miss is a novelty sweater, unless the invitation says “ugly sweater.” That’s its own code, and our holiday party outfit formulas cover it.

Business festive

The office party code. The base is business casual: something with structure. Add the festive note in a way that still works at work.

• A velvet blazer over a silk blouse and dress trousers. A deep-green velvet jacket like this Weinexra velvet blazer turns ordinary work trousers into party clothes.
• A sheath or midi dress in burgundy or emerald + a finished pump.
• A crisp shirt + a satin midi skirt + a block heel.

Keep the neckline and hemline at work level. Coworkers see you on Monday.

Festive cocktail

The dressy end, and the plain word “festive” usually means this too. The base is full cocktail: a dress or dressy separates in an evening fabric. Then add the shine.

• A velvet or satin midi dress in a jewel tone + heeled sandal.
• A sequin top + wide-leg black trousers + heel.
• A metallic pleated skirt + fine black knit. A metallic pleated midi skirt is the single piece that makes an all-black outfit festive.

The full fabric and length rules for this base are in our guide to what cocktail attire means.

Where festive sits on the ladder

Festive is not a formality rung of its own. It is a seasonal layer that sits on top of whichever rung the base belongs to:

• Festive casual sits on smart casual.
• Business festive sits on business casual.
• Festive cocktail, or plain “festive,” sits on cocktail. That’s next to semi-formal attire, which is the same level with a wider daytime range.

If an invitation says “festive” with no modifier, dress at cocktail level. Being slightly overdressed at a holiday party reads as celebratory. Being underdressed reads as if you came straight from the school pickup line.

The festive notes, ranked by how much nerve they take

Pick one. Two is a lot. Three is a costume.

1. Color. Burgundy, emerald, deep navy, cranberry. The easiest, because it works at every level.
2. Velvet. Reads instantly as holiday, even in black. A velvet blazer, top, headband or flat.
3. Metallic. Gold or silver, best in one piece: a skirt, a top, a shoe, or a bag.
4. Sequins or beading. Strongest. Keep the rest of the outfit plain and matte.
5. Tartan. Classic, but loud. One tartan piece, everything else solid.

What doesn’t count: light-up accessories, Santa hats and slogan sweaters. Those are for the ugly-sweater party.

What men wear to a festive event

Emily Post’s list for men is a seasonal sport coat or blazer, slacks, a dress or open-collar shirt, and a festive tie. In practice: a velvet or tweed blazer, or a dark suit with a jewel-tone tie, pocket square or socks. At festive casual, a good sweater over a collared shirt is enough.

Dressing kids for a festive invitation

Same formula, scaled down. A velvet dress or a cable-knit sweater in a holiday color counts. If the event runs late, pack a change, because festive at 4 p.m. is a party and festive at 9 p.m. is a tired small person in velvet.

FAQ

What does festive attire mean on an invitation?

Dress as you would for a cocktail party, then add a seasonal touch: holiday colors, velvet, metallics, sequins or tartan. Emily Post describes it as cocktail attire with a festive holiday touch.

Is festive attire formal?

No. Festive is cocktail level at most, and “festive casual” is closer to smart casual. A floor-length gown or tuxedo is more than the code asks for.

Can I wear jeans to a festive party?

Only if it says “festive casual,” and then dark, clean jeans with a dressy or sparkly top are fine. Plain “festive” means cocktail level, so skip the denim.

What is the difference between festive and cocktail attire?

The formality is the same. Festive adds a seasonal element on top, such as jewel tones, velvet or a little shine. A plain black cocktail dress becomes festive with velvet, metallic or a holiday color.

What should a man wear for festive attire?

A blazer or sport coat with slacks and a shirt, plus one holiday note such as a festive tie, velvet jacket or a jewel-tone pocket square. A dark suit with a festive tie also works.