The Wallpaper* guide to party dressing with abandon

If ever there was a season for letting your sartorial hair down, it is now. The arrival of December heralds the beginning of a month-long marathon of lunches, cocktail parties and dinners, a time to embrace hedonism and indulgence before the clock strikes midnight on 31 December (and the unavoidable New Year detox looms). As such, clothing should be chosen to match these epicurean pleasures: this is a time for the louche and seductive, and for all the trimmings – from animal prints and sequins to bold flourishes of faux fur (for men and women).

Here, as seen in the December 2024 issue of Wallpaper* – a comprehensive guide to entertaining in style – photographer Theresa Marx and Wallpaper* fashion and creative director Jason Hughes provide a guide to party dressing for social butterflies. Whether you are host or guest, it is an ode to decadence and dressing with abandon this festive season.

The Wallpaper* guide to party dressing

Animal instinct

If your home is one of minimal rigour, use your outfit to embrace a more maximalist demeanour. Animal print – from leopard spots to black-and-white zebra stripes – is one such way to do so, like this Balenciaga gown, which is also entirely sequin adorned. You’ll be the ultimate hostess – or most glamourous guest.

Drama queen

A sizeable faux-fur coat – like this by Dolce & Gabbana – will make for a particular dramatic entrance to any evening-time soiree, recalling 1980s glamazons spritzed with lashings of heady eau de parfum. For even more drama, refuse to take it off once inside.

White out

While the all-white ensemble might usually be reserved for the heat of summer (so the American diktat goes, white should not be worn after Labour Day), December might be an exception. Signalling a bygone glamour, this all-white double-breasted Gucci suit captures the insouciant spirit of Sabato De Sarno’s tenure at the Italian house so far.

Dot to dot

The polka-dot, beloved by the fashion greats – from Christian Lacroix to Yves Saint Laurent – captures the exuberance of the season. Like this bold, pussybow blouse by Massimo Giorgetti of MSGM, a Milan-based label known for its vibrant riffs on Italian street style.

Call to arms

Recent red-carpet outings have seen young male starlets – from Timothée Chalamet to Barry Keoghan – embrace arms-out dressing. Look to Hermès for an elegant play on the trend to replicate at home with this sleeveless riff on eveningwear (thrown-off shearling coat and worn-indoors sunglasses optional).

Sit tight

We are strong proponents for the use of hosiery to enliven any outfit. All the more so in the boldest of hues: like this pair from undergarment expert Wolford, teamed with a vertiginous Versace heel sandal in the same tonal shade of cherry red.

Not-so-black tie

While the tuxedo remains the standard-bearer of formal style, holiday parties require a more undone approach. This leather trench coat by British heritage house Dunhill, worn over a white shirt and bow tie, is a louche play on black-tie dressing.

Go for gold

December is a month for the fashion magpie: whether the glimmer of sequins or the gilded sheen of silver or gold, it is a time when sparkle is all but encouraged. This brocade suit from Chanel is the sartorial equivalent of a toffee penny or shiny chocolate coin: sure to elicit a moment of pure pleasure.

Slip on

We have already declared the slipper as the definitive men’s shoe of A/W 2024, one which comes into its own when it comes to hosting duties. Simply slip on these sleek Prada mules and you’ll be ready to welcome guests – whatever the hour.

Say it with sunglasses

Some accessories speak for themselves. Take Gucci’s cat’s eye sunglasses, for example: entirely crystal adorned in the house’s double-G motif, they are impression-making enough to make almost any outfit festivity-ready (so much so, we’ll let you keep them on indoors).

Sheer delight

Anthony Vaccarello drew inspiration from perhaps the most famous (or infamous) party dress of all time – Marilyn Monroe’s so-called ‘Naked Dress’ – for a collection of sheer, hosiery-inspired layers whereby ‘fabric evaporated like mist’. While this was a collection for the bold, employ more subtle layers of transparency to replicate the seductive spirit of the look – like a diaphanous sheer blouse or low-denier tight.

Strike a pose

When dressing for a party, one should consider one’s ability to move: after all, December is a month for pure, bacchanalian abandon (and the inevitable impromptu dance party). Here, dancer Ami Benton demonstrates the satisfying stretch of a Wolford body suit – a bold but surprisingly practical get-up for the season’s festivities (a Cruella de Vil shearling from 16 Arlington makes for the perfect cover-up).

Seeing double

While we are not usually a proponent of dressing the same as one’s partner, a double all-black look might just be the exception – particularly if it’s Celine by Hedi Slimane, a designer whose love of the hue is well-documented.

Make it up

The season’s mood of abandon and excess should extend to your beauty routine, too. Channel a New Romantic spirit with bold swathes of colour – and ignore the old adage that when it comes to make-up one must choose between lip and eye. Here, the look was created by London-based make-up artist Marie Bruce – follow her Instagram for equally impactful beauty looks.

There’s always the LBD

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The little black dress is the perennial party stalwart: little effort, maximum effect. We’ve accessorised this gently ruched Ferragamo mini with glimmering waterfall earrings (courtesy Alexis Bittar) and a pair of gravity-defying, slanted-heel pumps (also by Ferragamo).