Holiday events can create a familiar problem: too many choices, or no clear idea what works for the setting. In this episode, stylist and entrepreneur Ella Muradyan frames holiday dressing around a few practical rules—use festive elements with restraint, dress for the room you’re walking into, and keep comfort and fit as non-negotiables.
Festive, not excessive
Ella’s baseline recommendation for holiday dressing is to use one statement element and keep the rest simple. Sequins are on the list, but not as an all-over approach.
“Sequins. So, but not again, not head to toe, right? Like cuz you don’t want to look like a lit up Christmas tree.”
Her repeated point is that the “holiday” signal can come from one item. She suggests pairing sparkle with more standard pieces—a white button-down shirt, a skirt, or even jeans—so the outfit reads intentional rather than themed.
Velvet comes up as another option that people hesitate to wear. Ella’s answer is direct:
“Don’t be. Velvet is beautiful.”
If you want one velvet piece, she recommends choosing it as the central item, such as a velvet dress, and letting the rest of the outfit support it rather than compete with it.
Dressing for the occasion
Work holiday cocktail event
For an office holiday event that is still workplace-adjacent, Ella’s suggestions stay within familiar categories: a simple red dress, a blazer that can shift the look from office to after-hours, or a suit.
“Get a nice red dress. A simple red dress that you can also wear at another date, you know, like you can put a black blazer on top of it for work. Uh take take the blazer out. Now you look festive.”
She also describes seeing a red suit at a work event and how the impact came from clarity and structure rather than novelty.
“She walked in with a beautiful red suit and I I still have that image and I’m like I need to find a perfect red suit and it looked amazing.”
Other workable options she mentions include a green skirt with a black top and black stockings, with accessories doing some of the “holiday” work.
“Pair it up with a couple nice shiny earrings. You’ll look festive without trying too hard.”
On what not to do, the boundary is simple: it’s still the office.
“Don’t show up in a mini and an office party. Like, that’s just it’s still an office party.”
She also flags “underwear” style dresses as a bad choice for this setting, and puts ugly Christmas sweaters into the “only if the theme demands it” category.
Work event where families are present
For a work event that includes partners, children, or a more formal mixed group, Ella leans toward a classic base with a single festive detail.
“I would probably wear something black because, you know, it’s classy. I would have, you know, sparkly earrings or a shiny clutch or something.”
The goal is to look put together without treating it like a costume event.
“Something that says I’m still the boss, but I’m also a little laidback. Like nothing too crazy.”
Family dinner: host vs. guest
For family dinners, the decision point is whether you are hosting or attending. If you are hosting, she suggests a combination that allows movement and comfort.
“If I’m the host, I’m probably wearing like one of those silk uh slip-on skirts with a sweater or something.”
If you’re attending, she describes a similar formula: a cashmere sweater, a belt, earrings—items that read intentional but don’t restrict you while eating, sitting, and helping.
She states the underlying rule plainly:
“At the end of the day, you have to be comfortable. If you’re uncomfortable, then you’re not going to have fun.”
New Year’s party
For New Year’s Eve, Ella loosens the restraint and leans into shine.
“Shiny. Shiny disco. Shiny.”
Feathers and more dramatic elements are positioned as appropriate for the event. The conversation also touches on a family tradition of dressing in the horoscope “color of the year,” using the color choice as a theme for what people wear.
What to stop wearing
Ella’s “don’t” list focuses on items that read too casual or too gym-coded for parties.
Athleisure onesies are at the top:
“We don’t wear onesies.”
She clarifies she means the tight athleisure versions styled with blazers, and she treats them as a hard no for holiday parties.
Ripped jeans also get a narrow use case:
“Ripped jeans shouldn’t be worn unless you’re going apple picking or something cute like in the ranch you’re doing something right.”
And she summarizes the broader category rule:
“I think anything athleisure should be at the gym.”
Closet reset before the holidays
A major part of the discussion is not shopping—it’s editing. Ella describes fit as the fastest way to improve how clothing looks, and sees holding onto clothing that doesn’t fit as wasted closet space.
“Anything that doesn’t fit you should probably get rid of.”
If the problem is fit, she offers two options: tailor it or let it go.
“Or go to the tailor, have it tailored, because if it doesn’t fit you now, it’s probably not going to fit you.”
She also gives a simple time rule for decision-making:
“A year. You got to shed.”
Her approach is not “get rid of everything.” She separates classics from clutter. Items like Chanel suits and staple outerwear are positioned as keepers, while outdated pieces and long-term “maybe someday” items should leave the main closet rotation.
Updating your look without buying new clothes
When budget is limited, Ella returns to accessories and recombination. She suggests starting with what’s already in the closet: a sequin skirt, a white shirt, even a plain t-shirt.
“Accessorize again. I’m sure you have something shiny. I’m sure there is a sequin skirt somewhere.”
She also mentions small swaps that change the feel of a basic shirt—replacing buttons, adding a brooch—and points to headbands as a quick update.
“Headbands are great accessories.”
Statement vs. costume
One of the clearer distinctions Ella makes is between making a statement and looking like you’re wearing an outfit as a concept. Her warning is consistent with her earlier point about sequins:
“Don’t go head to toe sparkly gear…”
Her solution is to keep expression controlled and grounded in fit and comfort.
“Make sure it fits you well make sure you feel comfortable because no matter what you wear if those two are together you’re going to walk in looking great I guarantee.”
Practical details that change the outcome
Bags
For party bags, her guidance is minimalism: bring what you need, and leave the rest.
“You don’t need a huge bag to the party unless What are you shipping? Are you the caterer?”
She names the basics—phone, card, lip product—and suggests planning ahead if you’re coming from work by keeping a small bag inside a larger one.
Winter whites
She rejects the rule about not wearing white after Labor Day.
“Wear white. If you want to wear white, wear white.”
She frames winter white as a standard combination—white jeans, black boots, a cashmere sweater—and mentions Ralph Lauren as a reference point for this look.
Kids
For kids, the brand list is secondary to the same principle that shows up throughout the episode: comfort affects confidence.
“It’s all about how they make you feel, right?”
A simple holiday checklist from the episode
- Use one festive element (sequins, velvet, shine) and keep the rest straightforward.
- Match the outfit to the setting, especially for work events.
- Remove or tailor anything that doesn’t fit.
- If you’re not buying new clothes, change the look with accessories and small swaps.
- Choose comfort as a requirement, not a bonus.
Ella’s closing idea is consistent across all the segments: the outfit should support you, not distract from the event.
“It only works when you feel like you’re wearing the clothes, not the other way around.”
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