It’s kind of a girl thing but for us, the holiday season is incomplete without the perfect party dress!

What IS the perfect party dress??  Well the perfect party dress has a beautiful colour. It highlights all your best features and camouflages where necessary.  It’s versatile yet structured and luxurious yet comfortable. It has an impeccable cut and makes you feel like a million bucks!

So by now you’re probably scratching your head wondering - where is this mythical unicorn of a dress anyway?!

Well, I'm gonna tell you. 

The truth is, the perfect dress is different for everyone. As ladies we have a whole list of things we love and love just a little bit less about our bodies.

For me I like my eyes and collarbone. I’m also a fan of "the girls" (wink wink) and lately I’ve learned to love my legs. However I’m constantly trying to camouflage my tummy and my butt. So when I'm dress hunting, I like to pick a dress that compliments my assets and conceals some of the other stuff.

Though this is an important first component, there are a few other pieces to think about when puzzling together the perfect dress. 

Here is a few tips to help you find yours!

Think About Your Shape & Height

Consider the shape you want to achieve. What is your figure? Are you athletic? Maybe you’re curvier or naturally petite. Either way, this plays a very big roll in finding the right dress. You don’t want to be drowning in a big puffy number because it’s trendy.

If you’re curvy, look for a dresses with skirts that drape away from the body but remain more structured on top. This will help you achieve the ever classic and beautiful hourglass silhouette.

If your build is athletic or petite you can play with flowy, sliky fabrics and designs. Play up features like your back and collarbone.

Women should always take their height into consideration. We find having your dress hit just above the knee is the most elegant and classic length of dress. Alternatively, a full-length gown is always a nice idea if you have any formal events to attend. 

Let the Dress be Comfortable

Oh…I remember the days of tight dresses and spanks. I gotta be honest, I don’t miss them. I don’t miss feeling like I’ve been poured into a sausage casing and I defiantly don’t miss having waistlines dig into my stomach when I sit down to eat!

This is honestly a self-care and self love tip. Just-like- don’t do that to yourself! Please! Dresses that are beautiful and comfortable DO exist. This is why the cut and the way the dress drapes on you is so important. If you’re wearing a dress that’s beautiful and doesn’t hurt to breath in – you’ll feel more confident and confidence is what turns heads when you walk into your holiday party!

Consider the Destination or Location

Hey! We are a travel brand and we know a lot of our ladies love to travel over the holidays. Knowing where you’ll be celebrating is an important part of picking a party dress. Though we would advise deeper bold tones in a winter setting, we would say the exact opposite if you’re headed somewhere warm!

We’ve seen it too many times. Before you leave, you’re in winter mode so you think hey- I’ll buy a black dress. Then you get down south and you are the ONLY one in black! Haha this is an especially common Canadian mishap! We’ve all done it! Even though it’s not in your immediate sphere if you’re heading to warmer climates for the holidays keep it bright and fun. Trust us!

Think About Accessories

Layers can be incredibly helpful during any event! There’s always that moment where you feel chilly all of a sudden. Add something like a beautiful shawl or even something like one of our secret sleeves that doubles as a sash belt and sleeves for when you get cold.

 Colour is Key

When shopping for a holiday dress, you should consider the colour and how it works on you. Try to find colours that compliment your skin tone. A colour that is bold but also makes you glow. We find that the best way to achieve this is to look towards jewel tones. Amethyst purples, emerald greens, ruby reds and sapphire blues are perfect for winter parties. Where as brighter colours like pinks, oranges and fun prints work wonderfully if you one you’re one of the lucky ones enjoying your holidays in the tropics!

Pick a Dress that is Versatile

Ladies!! This is our number one rule!! Let’s be frank. Dresses can be pretty expensive and it’s because they are sooooo beautiful. A lot of work and fabric goes into making a dress. However, if you are going to spend that kind of money on a dress, why not get a bit extra out of it? Try to find a dress that you could use again in a different setting. Maybe you can wear it to a wedding or a special dinner. Don’t have a one-night stand with your dress. Find a dress you can build a lasting relationship with ;)!

Our Recommendations

Of course we weren’t going to leave you without sharing our favourite Diane Kroe Holiday dresses. Now, as you can imagine, Diane takes her customers into deep consideration with every piece she designs. So naturally our dresses hit all these points and that is something we are very proud of! Our top picks are.

The Ultimate Holiday Dress| The Name Says it All

A floor length gown with convertible sleeves, you can make it a cap sleeve, off the shoulder, or a one sleeve dress. Also play with the hem and make it short in the front-long in the back or a knee length tulip skirt dress. The empire waist drapes away just at the right spot and beautifully camouflages a little tummy. We love it because it easily transitions from a formal event to casual vacation as it also converts into a maxi skirt or a tunic top perfect for warmer weather. Honestly that’s not even all it does!

The Destination Dress| A Curvy Classic

Yes, this is by far my favourite dress. So much so I have it in two colours. It has a beautiful wrap style top that cinches the smallest part of my waist. Then it drapes away to an elegant full skirt. Our fabric allows it to flow and twirl beautifully (it’s great for dancing) and helps it transform easily into a crew neck or halter style dress. 4 classic silhouettes in one dress is more than enough to you through all your holiday events.

The Bubble Maxi Dress| The Perfect Dress for Tropical Holiday Parties

This is the dress you want if you’re headed down south. An extra long skirt with snaps running through the hemlines allows you to create a long, medium or short skirt. The neckline also changes so you can find the perfect neckline to accentuate your figure. We love it because it works for all types of events and looks truly awesome in tropical setting!

 Exclusive Members Receive a Special Dress Promotion this month!

We are offering all of our Exclusive members a special promotion on our favourite Diane Kroe party dresses for 48hrs in December! Pick from a selection of limited edition prints, classic solids and even one of our new colours!

Not an Exclusive Member? Sign up here and get on the mailing list for our upcoming promotions in January

Wishing you all lots of fun, music and dancing over this holiday season!!!

We will see you in the New Year!

What’s Next:

Wrapping up Show Season

It’s going to be a long two months for Diane and I. Between November and December we will travel to 4 major Canadian cities for our Artisan gift shows. After December 18^th we will be venturing back to Ontario to spend time with our families. I head home to see my mamma before jumping on another long flight on the 21st to make it back to France on time for my first French Christmas in the Alps! There is also talk of a potential New Years in Paris! Very exciting!

After all this I suspect Diane and I will be pretty well spent. The possibility of taking January to plan some new exciting things for DianeKroe.com is defiantly in talks right now – but we will let you know more about that when the time comes!