Holiday Party Dress: The 1931 Santa and the Winter Velvet Story

In 1931, Chicago artist Haddon Sundblom began painting the Coca-Cola Santa that appeared in magazine ads, including The Saturday Evening Post. The familiar red coat was not a Coca-Cola invention, but that campaign helped shape the version many of us picture at Christmas. For me, a holiday party dress is more interesting when it borrows one note, not the whole table setting.

 

University of Cambridge researcher Spike Bucklow points to medieval church rood screens where red and green worked as a symbolic visual language, then argues that Victorians revived the pairing for Christmas. There is a useful fashion lesson in that history: I do not need every holiday color at once. Elizabeth Keckley’s purple velvet dress for Mary Todd Lincoln, with separate day and evening bodices, also shows how a serious winter fabric can shift with a change of neckline.

 

The Sea NY Leda gives black floral velvet elbow-length puff sleeves and a contoured waist, while Chelsea28’s Lace & Velvet Midi makes its point at the lace V-neck yoke. Elliatt’s sleeveless Eris puts velvet lace under a funnel neck; Betsy & Adam’s hunter-green column trades pattern for ruching and a crossover neckline. For a little more sleeve drama, I would consider the Adrianna Papell bell-sleeve sheath or Tadashi Shoji’s pleated, lace-trimmed cocktail dress.

 

My practical check is the lining and sleeve length: see whether the lining gives the coverage I want, then decide if the sleeves suit the room and the coat I plan to wear.

University of Cambridge researcher Spike Bucklow traces red and green to medieval rood-screen panels, where the colors operated as a shared symbolic language. I would let a sequin make its own statement instead of stacking on more holiday signals.

 

Donna Karan’s black sequin-mesh midi is A-line, with sheer flower details, so the silhouette stays easy to read; Maggy London’s tonal-swirled midi is more about pattern than contrast. For a shorter look, Eliza J’s silver fringe mini goes in a different direction, while its black crystal-trim mini keeps shine close to the neckline and pockets.

 

NADINE MERABI’s Edie long-sleeve mini is cinched by a removable sculptural bow belt, a good option if I want a waist cue without a separate jewelry statement. Pisarro Nights’ beaded cocktail dress with bolero gives a coverable shoulder; Mac Duggal’s periwinkle cape-sleeve gown is the one I would keep for a more formal room. SIMKHAI’s Suki is sleeveless, with rhinestone and sequin trim at the V-neck and hem.

 

Fitting-room test: check the closure and turn once under soft light, then see whether the embellishment catches in the sleeves or pulls at the waist. What I would skip: another sparkling accessory when the dress already has fringe, beads or a bow.

Red was part of Santa’s wardrobe before Coca-Cola’s 1931 Sundblom campaign, but the ads helped the familiar red figure travel widely. Bucklow’s medieval rood-screen research gives red and green a much older visual history, while these dresses let the two colors separate into their own moods.

 

Ramy Brook’s Tatiana halter in deep emerald has an uninterrupted column and ties at the neck, while Chelsea28’s Red Pepper maxi gathers the bust over fine straps. Maeve’s Jamie uses an evergreen bias cut and open back; the Princess Polly Jenevieve goes short with a strapless jacquard corset and draped skirt. Petal & Pup’s Cyprus is an emerald cowl slip with adjustable straps, and Eliza J’s pine one-shoulder dress brings a ruched knee-length line.

 

To keep the colors from going costume, I would choose one saturated shade and let the other arrive in a small accessory, or pair evergreen with a black shoe. The test here is the fabric’s movement and its lining: the Cyprus is unlined, so check how it reads in the actual room light; with the bias-cut Jamie, I would check how the back drapes when seated.

 

What I would skip: head-to-toe red with sequins if the dress is already doing all the work.

Long sleeves only help if the cuff and shoulder let you move without thinking about them. Elizabeth Keckley’s purple velvet dress for Mary Todd Lincoln was suited to winter evening wear, a useful reminder that velvet can be more than a short-sleeve party option.

 

I would use that logic for the SIMKHAI Ferrrera draped velvet midi, whose gathered front and long sleeves keep the line quiet. Eliza J’s navy side-ruched gown gives a boat neck and ankle length; the Donna Karan black-gold sheath brings embroidered cuffs and a front slit.

 

For something shorter, Johnny Was’s Loryie sequinned shift has button cuffs and a Henley neck; the wine-red sequin mini adds a removable sash, while Coast’s blush sequin mini keeps the sleeve and waist clean. Eliza J’s black ruffle-hem cocktail dress mixes a velvet bodice, opalescent beads and a satin hem.

 

Fit check: raise both arms, then sit, and note whether shoulder seams or cuffs shift. I would save a long-sleeve gown for a room with a coat check, then keep the sleeve line visible under a simple outer layer. What I would skip: an extra necklace under a high neckline when beads or embroidery already sit at the cuff.

Accessories are where I decide whether the dress should read as ceremonial or simply ready to leave the house. Nina’s black velvet Jolanda slingback repeats the textile and gets a rhinestone bow; the blush Betsey Johnson Prim pump adds beadwork and a pointed toe.

 

Loeffler Randall’s Mikel sandal moves the story to cappuccino suede and a crystal knot, with an adjustable ankle strap. I would decide between heel and sandal only after checking whether the hem clears the shoe, then test the strap with a few steps.

 

On the bag side, Olga Berg’s white satin Stella rosette clutch makes a sharp contrast; the Serena gathered clutch is shadow-gold metal mesh with an optional chain. STAUD’s Karla is an open-work black crystal lattice with tubular shoulder straps, while Maeve’s black faux-fur clutch softens a sharper satin or sequin dress. Kate Spade’s silver crinkle-metallic Duo crossbody converts to hand-held carry, so it is the one I would consider when I want my hands free.

 

Fitting-room check: try the bag with your outer layer, not just the dress, and see where the chain falls. What I would skip: a beaded shoe, crystal bag and sequin dress all competing for the same small patch of light.

I would make this in order: pick the neckline, choose the fabric, then decide how much sparkle the room needs. With velvet, I would let texture carry the story and keep the bag compact; with satin, I would echo one color in a shoe or clutch.

 

That 1931 Santa campaign may explain why some shades arrive with holiday associations, but I still want room for a dark-forest neckline, a silver slingback or a purple note that belongs to no seasonal costume. Choose the dress first, then give it one small accomplice.

 

For more outfit ideas: Work Christmas Party Outfits, Party Dress, Winter Formal Dresses, Semi Formal Dress.