Beyond schmoozing and sipping, cocktail parties are perfect opportunities to celebrate your inner glamour girl—especially if you wear dresses that make you feel svelte, fabulous, and confident. The following 10 options help accentuate your best features, downplay those you’d rather leave at home, and ensure you’ll stand out for all the right reasons in the holiday party crowd.
With a chic elastic belt that cinches your waist and a skirt that makes legs look extra long, you can’t go wrong with this style. Another upside to pencil skirt shapes: They conveniently smooth a lower-stomach pooch, no matter how many patés you sample throughout the night! $105 at Bloomingdale’s
You can never go wrong with a Grecian-inspired sexy silhouette! With its deep V-neck, gathered fabric that hides stomach bulges, and modest length, this versatile and sleek cocktail dress is a surefire winner! $240 at Stylebop
This stunning Rachel Roy dress features X-shaped geometric draping, which is a very effective slimming technique. Why? Because angles are our friends, ladies. The sharp lines create a barely-there waistline, and the asymmetrical back casts a flattering light on sculpted shoulders. $119 at Rachel Roy
The plunging V-neck on this designer dress draws the eye down and in, creating the illusion of a slim waist, and the pattern framing the neckline helps you appear narrower. Genius! $188 at Dillard’s
How Joan Holloway is this lace dress?! Retro glamorous with shutter pleating for figure-flattering texture and sheer, it’s also office-party appropriate thanks to the classy, ornate lace at the neckline and sleeves. $158 at Nordstrom
It’s a trench! It’s a dress! It’s a trench dress! Its broad shoulders make your waist look smaller, while its flared skirt helps camouflage extra junk in the trunk. Wear it with show-stopping heels and your legs will be the stars of the evening! $149 at Rachel Roy
This comfy shirtdress is slimming because it gives you kickin’ curves that are practically painted on! Thanks to its sleek lines, from the front you appear half the size you actually are, and from the back you’ve got the perfect, coveted hourglass shape—without even trying! We recommend strutting your stuff in sleek, black pumps to continue this dress’s inky graphic motif. $205 at Stylebop
Get ready to catch people staring (and maybe even drooling) when you show up at your next cocktail party. This number features a soft, stretchy sateen fabric that’ll keep you looking perfectly packaged all night long and a skinny belted pencil skirt that gives you a high, and consequently smaller-looking, waist. Accessorize this wild print with a solid color like red, purple, or green for a fashion-forward effect. $190 at Urban Minx
With a built-in fitted slip that flattens your tummy and holds in hips and thighs, a shelf bra that supports and enhances your bust, and a high-waisted belt to draw attention to your tiniest area, this dress does it all! $50 at Spiegel
As seen in Oprah’s magazine, O, this pencil dress has shape-slimming side panels and a covered belt that lends a lean, sculpted look! $69 at Shape FX
Check out Kaboodle for more fun posts!
Check out Kaboodle for more fun posts!
