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Outfit Guide for Fancy Dinners & Formal Events 

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Colgate chapter.

As the holiday season approaches, many of us are starting to receive invites for all the festivities the next few months bring. The last thing you want to worry about when attending fun events with your loved ones is what you’re going to wear. We’ve all been in that situation where we frantically text our friends what are you wearing?!! as you rip apart your entire closet and still somehow have “nothing to wear”. I am all too familiar with this panicked state, and that is why I want to share my outfit ideas for 4 potential fancy occasions. 

Friendsgiving

Having a Friendsgiving dinner with your friends is the best excuse to get cute and dress up! If you are planning on attending a formal Friendsgiving dinner, you can’t go wrong with a cute sweater dress and knee-high brown boots. If you’re not a dress girl, a nice pair of brown or black leather pants paired with a white chunky knit sweater and gold jewelry is a more comfortable yet elegant option. 

Family Dinner 

Whether you’re celebrating Hannukah, Christmas, or Thanksgiving, dinner with your loved ones to celebrate these holidays is probably on your agenda. This season I have been loving satin maxi skirts in any neutral color. These are a comfy yet fashionable bottom option that goes with any cardigan, sweater vest, or turtle neck top. To accessorize, a statement necklace is an easy way to elevate this look. 

Formals 

Picking out a dress for any fraternity or sorority formal is a dilemma my friends and I always seem to run into. In the past, I have been a huge fan of leather mini-dresses paired with black Doc-Martins. If you’re not into leather, simple silk dresses with lace accents have been another trend I’ve been loving for fancy date parties. A simple way to accessorize these looks is a thin gold necklace, chunky hoops, and a little silk bow in the hair to tie the look together!

New Year’s Eve Parties 

Dressing up for New Year’s Eve is one of my favorite times for making outfits. I love a good sparkle statement piece on NYE, whether it is a glittery mini skirt or sparkly sheer top with a bralette underneath, a little shine always adds a little spice to your outfit. If you want something a little more low-key, adding shimmer accents in your accessories is the way to go, a pair of sparkly heels or a mini purse are great options for more simple looks. 

Of course, any of these outfits can be worn on any fancy occasion, but I hope this list helps spark your fashion creativity for any event that comes your way!

Kaitlyn Machado is an Event Planner and Writer for the Her Campus Chapter at Colgate University. As a member of the executive board, she helps plan fun bonding events for chapter members to get to know each other. She also pitches and writes articles in categories such as health and wellness, fashion, and mental health. She is currently a senior at Colgate University, double majoring in Economics and Spanish. Beyond Her Campus, Kaitlyn is a Fashion Public Relations Intern for a NYC PR Agency where she creates social media pitchdecks for clients, facilitates influencer gifting, and designs advertising graphics for the agency and their clients. In her free time, Kaitlyn enjoys spending time with her friends and family, baking fun treats, and re-watching the hit TV show Friends every chance she gets. She loves to babysit for local families in Hamilton NY and share her love for arts and crafts with them.