by Kimberley Heit

Created on: December 19, 2011   Last Updated: December 22, 2011

When it comes to wearing a party dress during winter, one of the greatest challenges is finding something attractive to wear over it. You want to keep warm, but you don’t want to spoil your look. With a little ingenuity you can achieve both. This article looks at several options that may work.

Five party dress cover ups:

1. A Shrug

Shrugs are the perfect cover up to pop over a party dress during winter, because they keep your arms warm but do not conceal the rest of your outfit. They curve over the shoulders and then cut away from the body in the front.

2. A Wrap

The classic way to keep warm at a winter event is to use a wrap. Women have been using a wrap in this way since pre civil war times. They aren’t bulky to carry around and you can position them as desired around your body. If you have trouble finding a color that matches your dress, colors like; Black, nude, gold, or silver tend to work back with most dress colors.

3. A trench or wool coat

If you are going to be in a well heated venue you could always cover up with a trench coat, or wool coat until you get inside. By using a conceal and reveal technique you won’t spoil your look, but will keep warm when needed. Many celebrities use this technique before they hit the red carpet. This works well in venues that offer a coat check, but might prove cumbersome if you have to carry the coat around with you.

4. A nice cardigan

There are many nice cardigans that work well with party dresses. If you want the focus to be on your dress, tie back styles are ideal because they reveal the majority of your dress. Or try a style that will accentuate a simple party dress, such as a style with crystals, sequins or beads.

5. A fitted blazer

A fitted blazer will work over many dress types. You will even find styles in after five fabrics like silk, or styles with decorative collars.

Besides these cover ups, another option is to look for party dresses that feature long sleeves. If you find that your legs get cold also, you could wear nude hosiery with a closed in toe shoe. This will be virtually undetectable, but will make a big difference to how warm you stay. Alternatively try knee or thigh high boots that look good with party dresses. For example, suede stiletto heeled boots look good with a lot of dresses.

Learn more about this author, Kimberley Heit.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.