The Best Plus-Size Holiday Outfits For Every Festive Occasion

The arrival of the holiday season means it’s time for the fun of all the festivities, and also for the less-fun accompanying question: What am I going to wear to all these festivities? 

Sometimes, figuring out outfits for everything on your calendar can feel insurmountable, and doubly so if you’re a plus-size shopper. Even when it seems like all the stores are stocked with holiday-perfect pieces, they often stop at XL, leaving the majority of shoppers out in the cold. Fortunately, there are some great brands stepping up with cute options for occasions from cozy to formal. Ahead, outfit ideas from plus and inclusive brands you might not know about.

As lovely as it would be to wear soft sweats to every holiday dinner, sometimes the occasion calls for something a little more put-together. Whether you’re dressing to impress your possible future in-laws or just want to be the most stylish person at your family’s annual restaurant outing, this metallic maxi dress from New York designer Wray Serna hits the mark. Her label Wray NYC has a wonderfully inclusive size range (XXS-6XL), and its new party collection has some serious gems. 

I paired it with blue-accented boots to highlight the pretty iridescent tones and to bring a little extra warmth for a cold December evening. This particular pair is a prior season from Eloquii, but the brand has some cool wide-calf options in stock now, too.

Navigating a formal dress code can be stressful, especially when many of the plus size “black tie” options on the market can skew a little sexier than you might want for a fancy wedding or a conservative office holiday party. Fortunately, storied bridal label Amsale now has a “Dresses” collection full of sophisticated eveningwear. 

Despite its name, the Slouch Dress style lives up to Amsale’s reputation for elegant simplicity, striking a perfect balance for those hard-to-navigate functions with a draped high neckline highlighting a peek of shoulder. (As someone with a very full bust, a full-coverage neckline that doesn’t feel frumpy is basically a unicorn, so I’m impressed.) The bias-cut column skirt laid nicely and made me look taller, too. Indeed, I felt downright statuesque in this dress —- truly a feat, considering I’m 5’4”. My only quibble is that, in some poses, I noticed a bit of bunching at the hip, but nothing that would prevent me from wearing this style happily. (If you love this neckline as much as I do but are looking for something a little less formal, Amsale also offers it in a midi dress and a jumpsuit.) 

For sizing, it’s smart to remember that Amsale is a bridal label first and foremost. (The brand’s late founder Amsale Amberra is widely credited with creating the modern wedding dress, and that’s reflected in its eveningwear size chart.) I was happy to see that eveningwear runs in sizes 00-28, but a look at its measurements shows that, by and large, they fall into standard bridal sizing conventions (i.e. your bridal size is usually 2 sizes up from your “street size”). With that in mind, I tried on two samples: my usual size 20, and my bridal equivalent, a size 24. This navy dress is the 24, and it fits almost perfectly right off the rack. (The 20 was too small on my bust, and a bit too snug throughout the waist and hips as well, so I recommend sizing up at least one size, or two if you have a fuller bust.) This style is offered in a broad range of colors, but some are made-to-order only or have limited sizing in stock, so, if you’re looking for a gown ASAP, check out every color you’d consider for the best chance of getting one sooner than later. 

I accessorized with a pair of sleek champagne pumps by Joan Oloff, a podiatrist turned shoe designer. I'm constantly on the lookout for comfort shoes that don’t look like comfort shoes, so I appreciate that Oloff uses her specialized knowledge and incorporates orthopedic features into her designs. The angled heel on this pump is visually interesting, and the built-in padding and arch support make them much more comfortable than your average heel.

I always look forward to sweater dress season — what’s better than being both cute and warm? So when I saw Rachel Antonoff’s wonderfully weird swan Fair Isle version for Nuuly, I rented it immediately. It’s just the thing for a holiday date night or a friend group party where you want to look good. The red keeps it festive without being too on the nose (which also means you can wear it past the holidays), and the unexpected intarsia swan design makes it a great conversation piece. The soft turtleneck and thick knit make it cozy enough for cold winter nights, and the curve-hugging silhouette keeps it hot. 

I styled it with sheer black tights, but if that is too much leg out for you, I’ve heard great things about Noosh’s fleece-lined tights, which mimic the look of bare legs and sheer black tights, but feel like a full legging. I added my go-to everyday black leather boots from Naturalizer’s newly extended wide-calf collection and one of my favorite vintage finds: this oversized leather jacket. I was warm even when the temperatures dropped after the sun set at 4:30 pm. (The joys of living on the eastern edge of the time zone!)

There’s something so chic about a fully sequined mini dress with a high neckline and sleeves. It’s a perfect mix of form and function: The covered-up top half puts the focus on your legs, and the short hemline makes them look impossibly long. The long sleeves also make it possible to wear a full-sparkle number without the risk of a thousand tiny abrasions on the inside of my arms after having them rub against sharp sequins all night. Festive, but without the pain.

This excellent version is from Abercrombie, and is available in its broadest size range to date (XXS-3XL). As someone who grew up when Abercrombie was not inclusive, I was as surprised as anyone that its modern era is so good: It has become one of my go-to brands for plus-size denim, and I’ve noticed that it has been both gradually adding more sizes in the rest of its clothing and including curve model representation in product images and campaigns. I’m wearing the XXL in this style, which is solidly my size per its sizing chart. The fit feels just right to me, as I like the true mini length. If you prefer the hemline to be a bit longer or are more of an exaggerated pear shape, I’d recommend sizing up one to have a little more wiggle room (literally and figuratively). 

I personally love how short it is (it’s a personal pet peeve of mine when brands make mini dresses knee-length for plus sizes), so I just made sure to include an opaque pair of slip shorts underneath, ruling out any risk of wardrobe malfunctions. (I recommend Lane Bryant’s slip short if you want simple coverage without any shapewear squishing.) 

Because more is more when it comes to New Year’s Eve and similar parties, I paired this with rhinestone Mary Janes and a crystal mesh handbag. This styling is a tried and true combination for me: I wore a shorter sleeve version of this look to the Ariana Madix x DSW holiday party recently (the Mary Janes are from her collection), and got so many compliments. I’ve since worn these shockingly affordable heels a few different times, and always end up admiring how pretty they are. (They’re wonderfully sparkly in person!) They’re also wide-width-friendly — the rounded toe bed means no toe pinching.

If you’re deep in corporate land, you know that the permissible range for festive fun is limited, to say the least. This feather-trimmed dress from Laws of Motion is exactly the thing: The high-necked sheath silhouette is unimpeachably professional, and the tonal feather trim brings just the right amount of zhuzh. 

This is the type of dress that you’ll want to keep in your wardrobe for decades — I’ve had mine for years now, and it has saved the day many times when I needed something sharp but not boring. Most importantly, the brand definitely has your size: Laws of Motion uses an innovative data-driven fit system that offers thousands of “micro sizes” for different body shapes, resulting in a near custom fit for anyone in the standard size 000-40 range. Combined with the work the brand puts in upfront to get fit right in extended sizes (even its samples fit wonderfully), Laws of Motion is a great option if you’re looking for something boardroom-ready that’s going to fit like a dream.