A dressy skirt and jacket combination makes for a super holiday outfit. It’s a versatile look that’s timeless, ageless and a lot warmer than a dress or a blouse ensemble. Your choice of skirt and jacket styles may vary, but it’s important to keep the fabrications of both items lavish and swish. The key is to look a step up from business formal.

Here are some things to consider when you plan this outfit:

• Skirts can be short, long, A-line, straight, matte, shiny, stiff, soft, neutral or bold. A long skirt is very formal and will take you to a black tie event, while a knee-length skirt can comfortably take you to any party occasion. Skirts made of jacquards, lace, silk taffeta, chiffon, drapy crepes and stretch sateen are ideal options.
• Jackets are best when they are short and fitted. They’ll work over any type of skirt and over a pair of dark jeans they will double up as a casual party look. Velvet, burnout and jacquard are my favourite fancy jacket fabrications this season, but sequins and sateen are also great. Have fun with voluminous sleeve detailing or signature Ralph Lauren ruffles for a truly romantic touch.
• Tops are optional underneath the jacket. Fancy camisoles that peek out always do the trick, but satin tanks and lacy knits do just as well.

Finish off the look with the golden rule: dressy heels and a small fab bag. It might be time consuming finding all the pieces of this ensemble, but when you do, you can split them up to dress them up or down with one of fashion’s best inventions: denim.

An assortment of black velvet jackets.

An assortment of party skirts. The intention is not for the look to be entirely black or for the jackets to match the skirts that they are positioned above (it just worked out that way with the pictures that I chose to support this post).

Fancy separates are the way to go if party frocks are not for you. The fancy wrap ensemble is classic, easy and instantly slimming. Unless you’re extremely well endowed, you can probably wear this look. Pair a fancy wrap blouse with a short or long skirt (A-line or straight), fancy heels and a petite posh bag and Bob’s your uncle. Matching the look with slacks will also work, but it’s not quite as smart. This style of blouse aches to be worn with a skirt because it’s dressier and more feminine that way.

This ensemble might need a little fine tuning. Here are some tips to help you on your way:

• Luxurious fabrication is essential. Wrap blouses are available in everyday cotton, which is fine for the office but won’t do for fancy fares. You’re after silk and taffeta to be party appropriate.
• Wear a shimmery camisole if the front V-neckline is too low.
• Alter the length of the ties if you prefer the look of a reef knot instead of a bow. A bow can look fussy while the vertical appeal of knotted ties is streamlined and draws the eye up and down. Most wrap blouse ties are long enough to accommodate bows, and end up hanging too far down your thigh if you leave them knotted without tying the bow. You’ll therefore need to have the length of the ties shortened so that the look stays balanced.

This party separate combination is particularly flattering if you have a little extra around the middle. A woven top that’s layered and ruched has wonderful camouflaging capabilities.

You can achieve the same affect with different styles of blouse. The pink blouse on the right doesn’t actually “wrap” like the red and brown blouses do (it buttons done the front instead), but the overall look of the outfit is much the same.

Above-the-knee shift, sheath and tunic dresses are extremely popular this season, and if I’m not mistaken this trend will continue into Spring. Wearing the correct type of heel with a raised hemline is imperative if you’re to keep your look hip and chic. It’s best to wear chunkier heels or a shoe with a little more foot coverage when sporting a mini dress or skirt. A skimpy dress paired with a skinny heeled shoe gives the illusion that you’re going to topple over, but a chunky heel somehow balances out the look.

The exception: skinny-heeled, knee-length boots with raised hemlines somehow works. The extra coverage that you get from the boots achieves a striking balance.

The haute couture illustrations are a little over the top, but they do perfectly illustrate the mini dress with chunky shoe look.

The short sequined dress is a strong new party look. “New” is relative because I remember a similar disco look in the 70’s and the use of all-over stretch sequin fabrication in the ‘80’s. It was then that I owned a garish shocking pink stretch sequin boob-tube (or tube top as they are called in America) and skin tight stretch sequin miniskirts and dresses were all the rage. Bring back any memories of your own?

Thankfully, 70’s and 80’s fashion that repeats itself is normally better the second time around, and this season is no different. Sequined frocks are now A-line and roomy, but still as sparkly as ever. Styles are either sequined from side seam to side seam, or partially sequin-embellished. I personally prefer the latter because a spot of sparkle goes a long way. Sequins from head to knee remind me of fish scales and can look a little cheap if the quality is not up to scratch. On the other hand, I have seen expensive, fully sequin-embellished dresses look magnificent. The sequins are normally a little smaller, a little closer together and not quite as plastic looking.

The right sequin dress paired with the correct accessories can look fab. Wear one of these to any bash and you’re sure to be noticed.

Short fully sequined dresses can be matched with opaque tights, sheer hose or no hose at all. You’ll find that most of the necklines of these dresses are quite high in order to compensate for their shorter length.

Short dresses with partial sequin-embellishment. Jewelry and handbags worn with sequined dresses should be kept plain because a shiny frock is a huge statement all on its own.