9 Easy Holiday Dresses That Look Gorgeous On Every Single Person
Might we interest you in being spared your annual 17 hours of miserably searching for an event dress?
by The Candidly Team
We admit, the idea of a holiday party gets us pretty excited. There’s just something about the swirly combination of candlelit tables, sparkly champagne glasses, tooth-picked olives, and syrupy vocals of any Rat Pack caroler.
And then…there’s the dress.
We’ve seen enough romantic holiday movies to believe that somewhere out there is a festive dress made just for us. But shopping for one in real life? In November? In the glaring lights of our computer screen or the stark dressing rooms of the mall? It’s hellish. No, it’s actual hell.
Because dresses are hard. Most of them are bulgy. Clingy. Bad on curves. They make us feel the precise opposite of how we picture ourselves feeling as we descend down the imaginary staircase of some twinkle-lit soirée.
And so, we wind up disappointed, suctioned into shapewear and hiding ourselves in a dumb pashmina all night because we just don’t feel good in our dress.
But we’re done with all that.
And here’s why.
This year, we started our search early. We took time. Did research. Compared notes. And carefully catalogued not 1, but 9 perfect dresses that look undeniably stunning on every shape of human.
Honestly, we think we cracked some sort of code here, because each of these dresses is uniquely special in how they fit, feel, and flatter our unfiltered bodies.
Enough preamble. There’s cheese platters to prepare. Here are the 9 best holiday dresses. Hands down. Bottoms up. Off we go.
1. The one you don’t have to suck in your stomach to wear
By Anthropologie One-Shoulder Slim Midi Dress
The term “magic fabric” sounds verrrry gimmicky up to the moment you try on this dress which is made from Anthropologie’s sculpting, stretchy, and self-proclaimed “magic” material. They’ve used it to make some of our most flattering pants and slimming skirts and now some truly stunning dresses that gently mold us into our utmost attractive shape. But this dress doesn’t do all that in a suctioning girdle(ish) way, more like a smooth, buttery legging sort of way that we could happily move and breath in all night without the faintest urge to shapeshift into our pajama’d selves. There are certainly other thoughtful details like the smocked back for extra hold/ comfort, the chic, flattering neckline, and the just right height of the slit, but it’s the fabric that makes our dream of wearing a sleek little holiday dress a triumphant reality.
Price: $170
2. The one You put On When You want to feel vaguely French
Is there anything more Roman Holiday or chicly Parisian than those two perfectly placed bows on this princess-cut dress? Yes, the whole look is captivating and festively glam but what makes it even more appealing is that it feels like your favorite light, airy, waist-nipping summer dress and not some heavy gown. If you’re over us wordily waltzing into some deeply romantic territory over a dress, you may want to skip ahead. But if you’re as swept up as we are, you’ll appreciate that this brand’s mission is to reinvent the gorgeous designs from old Italian and French films. And we are so very here for it, every cobblestoned step of the way.
Price: $380
3. The plus-size one that’s actually a design You want to wear
Reformation Le Marais Velvet Dress Es
Way too often, plus-size dresses are just hideous sacks that lack imagination. But this dress is chic chic chic. The cut is divine on curves, melting over our midsections and making us feel held in every inch of the way. It also comes in non-plus sizing (from 0-12) HERE. And a major perk is that Reformation offers free alterations both in-store and online. Not that you’ll need it with this dress, which somehow fits every human like a glorious glove.
Price: $328
4. The “Legs-Forward” one
A major dilemma where dresses are concerned is that we don’t always feel like wearing something fitted round our waists or exposing of our arms, but we also don’t want to look like frumpy tents in strappy heels. This dress offers an amazing solution for apples or for anyone who enjoys feeling unrestricted during parties while still looking striking and styled. Its spaciousness is immediately balanced by the length, which makes our legs look 8 miles long, especially when paired with THESE unbelievable holiday heels. It comes off all minimalist and mod in the front, but you MUST see the bow in the back. We recommend wearing your hair up to create a big wow moment every time you walk away. Oh, and it sizes up to XXXXL and also comes in white, red, and navy.
Price: $198
5. The less fancy one you can style up or down
If your dream is to feel like you’re in your softest, schlubbiest oversized t-shirt whilst looking 100% lusty and alluring, this dress could be your answer. Yes, it’s silky and slouchy for max comfort but it also hugs in just the right places and can be worn asymmetrically off-shoulder or as a drapey boatneck to show slivers of skin where you so desire. Pair it with a comfy block-heel or tights and tall boots to be fully in command of what it means to be winter-chic. Plus, it’s machine washable and sizes up to XXXL.
Price: $49
6. The “don’t make me show my arms” one that might be our favorite on the list
Once again, a gem for those who despise going sleeveless and once again, you have the option to wear it off-shoulder or as a boatneck so you can still show a little skin. Hill House is famous for their airy fit and flare nap dresses, but they’ve taken that same supremely flattering silhouette and spun it into what’s probably our favorite sweater dress of all time. Dress it up with some statement jewelry and your boldest party shoe, and you’ll have what equates to the holiday party version of a superhero suit.
Price: $228
7. The one that does incredible things for curves
We love a good wrap dress. Actually, we’ll rephrase. We ONLY love an EXCELLENT wrap dress. Cut correctly, nothing does as much to complement our ample busts and curvy hips while skimming our stomach pooches. The fabric on this one is soft but has some hold to it, so we feel nice and smoothed. It’s classic in a way where we can style it up or down for any occasion. Slip on a ballet flat for comfort or snatch up a pearled clutch for drama. The size range is the best we’ve seen, which is ideal, because this dress truly looks good on everyone.
Price: $120
8. The classic one that looks gorgeous on everyone
Maeve The Cecily Fit & Flare Sweetheart Dress by Maeve
We had to include one more “magic fabric” dress from Anthro. Honestly, it just gives every one of us (apples, pears, and string beans alike) our finest silhouette, while making us feel as good as we look. The size range is amazing. The neckline, stunning. It’s all just so good.
Price: $170
BONUS: The Finally-Not-Another-Black Dress
Is now about the time you scream at us for showing you 8 black dresses in a row? What can we say? We’re classic lasses at our core. But here is one that has all the classic elements of a very flattering full-length party dress, but in pink! The prettiest poppiest pink that made us gasp...almost as loud as we gasped at the price. It sizes up to XXXL and is made from machine washable European poplin, so it’s light and breathable. Oh, and fear not. It also comes in black.
Price: $74
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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