Holiday Party Dress Guide 2026: 10 Markarian Picks by Party

The right holiday party dress depends on the invitation: a brocade midi for the office, a sequin mini for cocktails, a beaded gown for black tie. Markarian, the New York eveningwear label founded in 2017 by Alexandra O’Neill, built its Fall 2026 collection around exactly this season, and Coveti now carries it beside our wider edit of cocktail dresses.

What do you wear to a holiday party?

Read the invitation first, then think about the venue and the hour. An office party at six in a restaurant calls for some coverage, a midi length and a dress you can sit in for three hours. A cocktail party at a friend’s apartment allows a shorter hem and more shine. Black tie means floor length. New Year’s Eve gives you licence for all of it at once.

Markarian is a useful starting point because nearly every piece in the Markarian Fall 2026 collection was designed with evening in mind: silver and gold brocade, gold sequins on black dupioni, sapphire and onyx beading, a scarlet guipure halter. If you want to compare it against other labels, our full designer dresses edit sits one click away.

The office holiday party: midi length, a little metal

The office party is the hardest brief of the season. You want to look like you made an effort, but you also have to talk to your manager at the bar. A midi length with a defined waist handles both.

The Ginevra Silver Midi Dress is the piece I would reach for first. It is the Markarian corset midi in silver brocade, with a rounded neckline, a low scooped back and a flounced ruffle at the hem. The metallic thread is woven into the cloth, so under office lighting it reads as texture rather than disco. Our guide to brocade dresses explains why the fabric holds its shape so well through a long evening.

For something with more graphic punch, the Amina Zebra-Striped Midi Dress comes in a black and gold zebra stripe with an off-the-shoulder corset bodice and a fitted skirt with a back slit. Throw a black blazer over the shoulders for the speeches and take it off for the dancing. If the corset shape is new to you, our corset midi dress guide covers fit and comfort in detail.

The cocktail party: short, sparkly and built to move

Cocktail hour is where a shorter hem earns its place. The Althea Sequin and Feather Mini Dress is covered in pale blue sequins from neck to hem, with long sleeves and feather trim at the cuffs and hemline. The bodice is fitted and the skirt falls away softly, so it moves well in a crowded room. Markarian suggests sheer black tights and a pointed pump for holiday parties, which also solves the December weather problem.

If you prefer colour to shine, the Ravenna Scarlet Halter Dress is a scarlet guipure sequin midi with a high halter neck, a fitted bodice and an A-line skirt. The surprise is at the back: a sculptural bow falls down a scooped back. Keep the front plain with gold drop earrings. From the Pre-Fall 2026 collection already on Coveti, the Dancing Queen Citrine Midi Dress is another bright option for a cocktail invitation.

Many of these same pieces cross over into wedding season. Althea is one of the dresses Markarian itself tags for the bridal after party, which we cover in our bridal after party dresses edit.

The holiday dinner: wear a matching set

A seated dinner, at home with friends and at a restaurant alike, is the moment for separates. A matching set looks considered, and you can split it later for other plans.

• Jasminium Gold Top with the Pia Gold Midi Skirt: gold floral brocade, a fitted peplum top with soft pleats at the waist and a full A-line midi skirt on a contrast black waistband.
• Lily Sequin Embellished Drape Top with the Mirage Sequin Embellished Midi Skirt: black dupioni hand-embellished with gold sequins, a draped corset top over a straight column skirt with a back slit.

Worn apart, the Pia skirt looks good with a black cashmere crew, and the Mirage skirt works with a fine black knit and slingbacks. Our guide to the sequin midi skirt has more ways to wear Mirage through the season, and the Markarian matching sets edit lays out all four Fall 2026 co-ords.

Black tie holiday events: go to the floor

A gala, a charity ball and a formal company dinner all call for a floor-length gown. Markarian has three strong answers this season.

The Neroli Black Satin and Velvet Gown is cut on the bias in fluid black satin, with fine straps and a silk velvet peplum ruffle at the waist. It needs only a velvet clutch and a strappy heel. The Aziza Beaded Slip Gown is covered from strap to hem in sapphire, onyx and ivory-toned beads and sequins, and Markarian layers it with the matching Goldie Beaded Cape Top, which has long shoulder trains and an open back. The Clover Silver Gown keeps the house’s folded off-the-shoulder neckline on a slim silver brocade column.

For more floor-length options, browse our evening gowns and the sequin evening gowns edit. New York peers such as Oscar de la Renta and Carolina Herrera also cover black tie well.

New Year’s Eve: the case for shorts

New Year’s Eve runs long, and you will probably dance. The Maisie Silver Corset Top and Mira Silver Shorts are a silver brocade set: a signature Markarian corset top with a round neckline and scooped back, and high-waisted mini shorts with a structured shape. With sheer black tights and a loafer, the set works even on a cold night. For dresses built for midnight, see our New Year’s Eve dresses and silver dresses edits.

Markarian holiday pieces: the facts

• Designer: Alexandra O’Neill, who founded Markarian in New York in 2017.
• Made in: New York City’s Garment District, where pieces are designed, produced and hand-finished. Every Coveti Markarian piece reads Made in the USA.
• Lining: the Fall 2026 pieces in this edit are fully lined in 100% silk.
• Brocade composition: 36% viscose, 33% cotton, 12% metallised polyester, 11% polyester and 8% polyamide.
• Sizing: US 0 to 14, shown on Coveti as UK 4 to 18. Take your usual size.
• Care: brocade pieces are dry clean only; the Althea mini, Lily top, Mirage skirt and Aziza gown are spot clean only.

How to finish a holiday party look

Keep accessories in proportion to the dress. A fully sequinned mini needs only a small bag and plain shoes. A brocade midi can take a statement earring. A beaded gown wants almost nothing. In December, sheer black tights make short hems practical, and a long dark coat over a metallic dress looks deliberate. If you are heading straight from work, pack the heels and wear flats on the commute.

The same wardrobe stretches past the holidays, too. A brocade corset midi is just as right for a winter wedding, and our rehearsal dinner dresses guide shows how these pieces translate to the events around a wedding.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you wear to a holiday party?

Match the dress code first. For an office party choose a midi with some coverage, such as a brocade corset dress. For a cocktail party a sequin mini works well, and for black tie wear a floor-length gown.

Is a sequin dress too much for an office holiday party?

Not if the cut is modest. A sequin midi with sleeves and a defined waist reads festive without feeling like a costume. A woven metallic such as brocade is a quieter alternative.

What colours are best for a holiday party dress?

Silver, gold, black and scarlet are the classic holiday shades. Markarian’s Fall 2026 collection covers all four, plus pale blue sequins and a black and gold zebra stripe.

Can you wear a midi dress to a black tie holiday party?

Black tie traditionally means floor length. A dressy midi can work at a cocktail-attire party, but for a true black tie event choose a gown.

Where is Markarian made?

Markarian is designed, produced and hand-finished in New York City’s Garment District, and every Coveti Markarian piece reads Made in the USA.