Eat, Drink and Look Great: Holiday Dress Styles That Put Comfort First

From Thanksgiving dinner to New Year’s Eve, the right dress can make all the difference. Discover the shapes, fabrics, and lengths that will make you feel good and look stylish while enjoying all the merriment.

It’s the season of holidays, what with Thanksgiving just around the corner and Christmas next month. If you’re already planning your celebrations, thinking of all the food you’re going to enjoy, here’s something that may come in handy when you’re trying to figure out what to wear.

With all the eating and the sitting around, you’ll need an outfit that won’t make you feel restricted halfway through the celebrations. With that in mind, we’ve rounded up some ideal dresses to wear, melding style and comfort while keeping it flattering.

According to Yours Clothing, finding a flattering dress “is not about hiding your body. It is about finding styles that create balance, definition, movement, and confidence.” Here are the dress styles you can count on to achieve that.

A-Line and Fit-and-Flare Dresses

These dresses are perfect at hiding that belly, especially after a full day of eating. They are fitted on top and flare out from the waist, creating a balanced shape without clinging too much where it shouldn’t. Fit-and-flare styles are characterized by a defined waist and a fuller skirt compared to A-lines. Look for festive details like, or try one in a soft ribbed knit.

Empire Waist Dresses

An empire dress creates a waistline right below the bust, making it comfortable to wear throughout the day without constricting your actual waist. A good option for the holidays is a velvet one in rich jewel tones like green, red, or blue.

Wrap Dresses

Wrap dresses are great for flexibility, allowing you to adjust how loosely or tightly you tie it around you, for maximum comfort. The dress’s V-neckline also helps draw attention upward, away from the belly. This dress is versatile. It can easily be worn casually with boots or more formally with heels and bold jewelry.

Sweater Dresses

The holidays are all about cozy gatherings, so a sweater dress is a good fit on these occasions, too. Consider a cable-knit style tied around the waist or a relaxed sweatshirt dress that you can easily slip on when you want to look good without being overdressed.

Tiered and Babydoll Dresses

These dresses have a lot of breathing room with their loose, swingy shapes. Tiered dresses provide enough shape without clinging to the body, and a velvet babydoll dress with lace accents is perfect when you want to show up in a statement piece.

Festive Fabrics

Turn to festive fabrics if you want some sparkle while staying comfortable during your holiday dining. Picture a sequined shift dress with chunky boots or a flowy satin mini dress with a knotted detail. Nothing can be more festive than some shiny, colorful touches.

A Few Styling Tips

If you’re trying to avoid emphasizing unwanted curves, choose midweight fabrics with soft structure, like jersey, crepe, or woven fabrics. Avoid very thin fabrics that tend to cling to the body.

The length of your dress matters too. Midi dresses are considered one of the most flattering options, since they create balanced proportions.

Maximize your dress’s versatility by playing around with accessories. For instance, a sweater dress can look casual when paired with socks and loafers, and dressier with tights and heeled boots.