Party Dress Styling Rules Fashion Girls Always Follow

You’re at home staring at your closet, about to get ready for a cocktail party or an elegant soirée. Thoughts of your fashionable friend who always looks better than everyone else at these types of things dance through your head, and you instantly feel defeated. Does this situation sound at all familiar?

Whether you resonate with the girl at home thinking these unfortunate thoughts, or maybe you're even the more well-dressed woman, the party dressing style tips you’re about to read are crucial to looking great at every event. Some of these tips might seem obvious to you, whereas others fall more on the obscure side, but a combination of unique and classic style is what fashion girls aim to achieve on the daily, and if you follow the rules ahead, you'll be sure to make a dazzling statement no matter where you go. 

Keep reading to discover the party dressing style tips every fashion girl follows. 

choose statement-making outerwear

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(Image credit: Le21eme)

Don't bring down your overall party ensemble with a coat or outerwear piece that is not up to par. In fact, we recommend making your top layer just as fantastic as the dress underneath. 

add an unexpected layer

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(Image credit: Vanessa Jackman )

Olivia Palermo's look proves that white button-downs really do go with everything. If you want to really stand out from the crowd and prove your fashion knowledge, and layer one underneath a more traditional frock to spice it up. 

go all out

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(Image credit: Style du Monde)

There's no time like a fabulous gala or event to wear your most extreme dress. Whether it's feathered, sequined, or bejeweled, don't hesitate to pull that baby out for your next party. Fashion girls would rather be overdressed than underdressed any day. 

show off one current trend

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(Image credit: Style du Monde)

Just because you're going to a fancy party doesn't mean you have to skimp out on the latest trends, but we advise you limit it to one in effort to not overwhelm the look. Here, platform suede booties (a major trend right now) perfectly off-set this sequin-dripping look. 

balance timeless and modern

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(Image credit: Le21eme)

The perfect party dress is one that somehow manages to capture traditional formalities while looking to the future. Think dresses with timeless fabrics—lace or satin—with a structure and shape that is a little more forward. 

wear an unconventional piece

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(Image credit: Collage Vintage)

Mixing and matching elevated apparel and street-wear is something fashion girls have down to a science. Take it from Chiara Ferragni, who fully committed to layering this bomber jacket over a strapless appliqué party dress. The look reads formal but intriguingly careless all at once. 

keep accessories minimal 

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(Image credit: Le21eme)

Take this tip with a grain of salt, as it really does depend on what your dress looks like, but when you have a gorgeous party piece that you want to show off, don't distract your viewers from the main attraction by overly sparkly deterrents. 

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Speaking of party dressing, be sure to check out our official list of the dos and don'ts of cocktail attire for women.

Lauren Eggertsen
Editorial Director

"Copy (200 words): Lauren Eggertsen is currently the editorial director of Who What Where and has worked at the company for nearly seven years, where she started as an associate editor and has since worked her way up. Lauren has over 10 years of experience in the fashion editorial space, starting her career with internships at Marc Jacobs, Marie Claire, and The Zoe Report, where she was later hired as their editorial assistant. Lauren has worked in the Los Angeles and New York Who What Wear offices but currently calls L.A. home. It is here where she leads and manages Who What Wear's fashion team and oversees all day-to-day editorial content and large tentpole moments. This includes all of the runway, trend, and shopping-driven content that ultimately helps to build a strong brand reputation within the industry. Lauren's role also includes helping to set the fashion direction for all original photo shoots and often styles many of the celebrity cover shoots, including big names like Sydney Sweeney, Lindsay Lohan, and Megan Fox. 


She has also attended multiple fashion weeks, including New York, London, and Milan, where her personal style has been featured on sites such as Elle.com, HarpersBazaar.com, and Vogue.co.uk. She prides herself on discovering and supporting small brands and on her knack for a good vintage shopping find. When she isn't working, she enjoys researching and dining at reputable restaurants around both her neighborhood and the globe.