paris hilton 2011: Party All The Time!

PARTY ATTIRE, DECONSTRUCTED
White Tie – Men must wear white jacket, shirt & tie. No exceptions. Not much room for creativity. Ladies, see Black Tie.
Black Tie – Formal. Gentleman: Tux & Tails. Ladies, floor-length gown. See Bill Blass Lurex silk crepe gown at left, available at net-a-porter.com.
Black Tie Optional. Men in suits, ladies in dresses, ranging from knee-length to floor-grazing.
Cocktail. Men can go without a jacket, but should wear a tie. Ladies in shorter dresses, like this Clever dress, at frenchconnection.com.
Semi Formal – Think Day Wedding. Casual frocks for the gals, button down shirts, tie optional, for guys.
Festive – This term usually pops up around the Holiday Season. It does not mean wear an ugly jumper with a sequined Santa. In my opinion, it is a suggestion by the hostess to dress up a bit, perhaps in lovely red cashmere sweaterdress or something of that ilk. Jingle Bell earrings optional. CC likes this Yaya Aflalo Stella dress, at shopbop.com.
Casual – The dreaded catch-all. Appropriate only for backyard barbecues, this term encompasses anything from cut-offs to culottes, neither of which CC would be caught dead wearing. Get ready to avert your eyes, because guests are free to wear their pajamas if they like.

CC's focus today: Get outfitted for your holiday galas!
Today, gentlemen first:
At right: Club Monaco dinner jacket; Brooks Brothers Black Fleece cashmere pants and matching tie, courtesy nytimes.com.

Classic elegance: a Hickey Freeman suit, at Barneys (above) or an Isaia chalk stripe suit, featured in Details (left)

Ladies? Wear red or green if it strikes your holiday fancy, but not together! Or don a fabulous sparkling gown or embellished LBD!
Versace silk crepe cocktail dress, at eLuxury.com

Jay Godfrey Zaha layered strapless frock, at intermixonline.com.

Jean Paul Gaultier red velvet dress, at eLuxury.com

Karen Zambos green silk dress and Rachel Lee ring. Go to chickdowntown.com.

Be different! Wear another bright, like this gorgeous periwinkle Pencey Social dress, at shopbop.com.

Deal of the Day 1: Silence & Noise strapless sateen dress, $58 at urbanoutfitters.com; picture via cosmopolitan.com.

Rachel Roy silk belted dress, at Saks Fifth Avenue.

3.1 Phillip Lim purple ruffle-neck frock, half price at aloharag.com.

Patternalia:
Yves Saint Laurent Arabesque print dress, at Neiman Marcus.

Bejewel and bedazzle with this Rachel Gilbert Sienna fringed and mirrored dress, at net-a-porter.com.

OR go full-on fab: a flirty tulle skirt paired with a sweet cardigan or a brazen bustier may be just what Santa had in mind for you!Karen Zambos black taffeta skirt at chickdowntown.com.