How to dress for a decadent party season

And so arrives the fabled ‘party season’, which begins partway through November and culminates on New Year’s Eve (afterwards, a January of absitence and piety beckons). The time in between calls for decadence and abandon in all things: from bacchanalian feasts and lavish gifting to sartorial indulgence – now is the time to embrace the dressed-up and dramatic, from feathers and lace to attention-demanding silhouettes. Case in point: a billowing drop-waist Saint Laurent dress by Anthony Vaccarrello, which the designer said was inspired by Proust’s Duchess of Guermantes and John Singer Sargent’s mysterious ‘Madame X’.

The Wallpaper* guide to party dressing

The dress appears as part of our ode to dressing up in the December 2025 issue of Wallpaper* – a guide to entertaining in style this festive season – envisaged by photographer Dham Srifuengfung and Wallpaper* fashion and creative director Jason Hughes. This year, they embraced the dignified and debonair, selecting looks which saw designers twist aristocratic codes in contemporary fashion – from Jonathan Anderson’s first menswear collection for Dior, which featured oversized bowties and riffs on the morning suit, to classic Chanel tweeds, fronds of Gucci feathers and louche pyjamas courtesy of Burberry.

Largely in monochrome black, with flashes of white and gold – a surefire palette for eveningtime soirées – this is the Wallpaper* guide to how to dress for a decadent party season ahead.

Hunt out texture

The festive season is a time for embellishment and decoration, from tassels and sequins to fronds of feathers (to avoid erring towards the gaudy, we recommend that adornment is monochrome, and preferably black or white). This Dries Van Noten coat, decorated with delicate fringing evocative of ostrich feathers, is the perfect example – enough of a sartorial statement that you can keep it on once indoors.

Volumes should be dramatic

Like embellishment, this is the season when silhouettes can be exaggerated and dramatic. Make an entrance in this Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarrello gown – its dropped waistline and crinoline-effect skirt inspired by John Singer Sargent’s seductive and mysterious ‘Madame X’ – or select equally oversized silhouettes by way of faux fur or shearling, billowing feathers, or millefeuille layers of tulle.

Embrace the bow tie

A subversion of formalwear was at the heart of Jonathan Anderson’s debut menswear collection for Dior, from ceremonial military jackets to the bow tie, which appeared oversized and purposely skewiff. The latter also featured in his first womenswear collection for the house, cementing it as an accessory of the S/S 2026 season – expect it to be everywhere come next summer. Get ahead with a bow tie of your own: all the better when worn without the typical tuxedo.

Stick to black and white

In a season of sensory stimulation, a sartorial rule or two can help simplify the process of getting ready (particularly when playing host). We suggest restraining yourself to black and white when dressing for a soirée: there are few more elegant combinations, particularly when embraced in a multitude of textures and finishes – leave the typical festive hues of red and green to your guests.

Wear your pyjamas

The louche elegance of the pyjama has seduced designers in recent seasons, with iterations of sleepwear staple appearing on runways from Prada to Dolce & Gabbana. A set in silk makes for an intriguing alternative to more stuffy formalwear – case in point, this pair in piped-edge silk by Burberry. The best part? You can go straight from party to bed.

Lace is for celebration

Dolce & Gabbana has long reigned supreme when it comes to the little black party dress – this version (on left) comes in a glamorous melange of feathers and lace. The latter is a perennial material of the season, one long synonymous with celebration – from Christening to wedding gowns, or the intimacy of lingerie. As such, it strikes between the sweet and the sensual: the perfect balance when it comes to festive eveningwear.

Trust in tweed

Tweed might be synonymous with the great outdoors – the fabric was originally prized for its hardy, weather-resistant quality – though the house of Chanel has transformed it into a symbol of elegance with its seminal tweed two-set (Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel first introduced the style in 1924). This season, iterations came in black tweed – whether elongated into an overcoat or transformed into a gown.

Say it with feathers

Embrace the outré and say it with feathers this party season: after all, there are few more dramatic sartorial statements. This all-over feather coat by Gucci makes for a theatrical entrance, though more subtle fronds of feathers on cuffs and hems can be equally arresting.

Cocoon yourself in shearling

Faux fur and shearling – the latter cleverly manipulated to look like fur – were all over the men’s and womenswear runways for A/W 2025, speaking to an elemental desire for protection against the elements. But fur also comes with connotations of glamour: case in point, this shearling overcoat by Rabanne, complete with fluffy hanging ‘tails’ and gobstopper buttons.

A version of this article appears in the December 2025 Entertaining Issue of Wallpaper* , available in print on newsstands, on the Wallpaper* app on Apple iOS, and to subscribers of Apple News + from 6 November. Subscribe to Wallpaper* today

Models: Precious at Story, Rohan and Harvey at Premier, Clara Wakonigg at Present, Lily Nova at Milk, Felix Cheong Macleod, Theodor Pal and Scarlett at Supa, Mani Adjaye at Next, Summer and Juju at Storm. Casting: Hien Le. Hair: Masa Fujita at Of Substance Agency using R + Co. Make-up: Faye Bluff at Of Substance Agency using Clé de Peau. Manicure: Abena Robinson at Agency 41 using Essie. Photography assistants: Pablo Gallegos, Sam Girdler, Oran Eggerton. Fashion assistants: Charlotte Ghesquiere, Meg Bundy, Claire McKinstry. Hair assistants: Chikako, Miyuji Sato, Kei Koshigoe. Make-up assistants: Natasha Tereshko, Francesca Quagliatti. Production assistants: Archie Thomson, Ady Huq, Indy Davy. Manicure assistant: Hayley Evans-Smith. Photographed on location at the ICA, London.