HOLIDAY WRAPPING

Tis the season to sparkle. Whether one is headed for an office Christmas bash, New Port Beach boat party or formal soiree at the Ritz--Carlton, it’s time to get decked out in holiday finery. Among the fashions sure to get one in the holiday spirit: beaded cocktail dresses and elegant pantsuits, tuxedos with cummerbunds of solid red silk or rich tapestries, sweaters embellished with jewels that glitter like tinsel on a tree. If the invitation calls for formal attire, expect women in sleek gowns with black, gold and red the predominant colors. These are not the head-to-toe bugle-beaded sheaths seen in Christmases past but pared-down dresses in matte-finish fabrics such as wool crepe, with small design details or ornaments for interest. Most men will don classic black tuxedos, but jolly old souls will add bow ties with holiday prints.

For cocktail parties, the dress code is more relaxed.

Women have more choices than ever, from tuxedo-style pantsuits to taffeta tutus. Men can deck their suits with ties, suspenders and even socks printed with flying reindeer and merry elves.

Sweaters with holiday themes are perfect for cozy get-togethers. Women can find them studded with faux gems or adorned with holiday motifs, while men are more likely to choose basic crew necks and cardigans in solid red or green.

“Men don’t do cutesy,” says Tom Fuller, owner of Fuller’s Men’s and Women’s Clothing in Monarch Beach. “But they do dress with the holiday spirit. They won’t wear a sweater with Santa Claus (on it), but they will wear a red sweater.”

One example of a real man’s holiday sweater: Fuller’s cable-knit crew neck sweater from England in solid red wool and cashmere ($130).

“It has the spirit of Christmas,” Fuller says.

Men are willing to experiment with fun furnishings, he says. Some dress up tuxedos with cummerbund sets printed with wreaths or red and green tapestry patterns ($60 to $100).

Many add a dash of holiday spirit to their suits with ties printed with holiday themes such as Father Christmas ($44) or suspenders with holiday prints ($52 to $135). Fuller’s also carries a large selection of socks with wreaths, reindeer, snowmen and other seasonal patterns “for guys who don’t want to wear a funky tie.”

“Guys are always calling wondering what to wear to these parties,” Fuller says. “If a party was informal, I’d wear a red sweater with tan chino pants and a white shirt. If it’s semi-dressy, I’d wear a suit with a Christmas tie and a red pocket square. If it’s a formal dinner, I’d wear a tuxedo with a cummerbund set.”

With the lingering recession and subsequent popularity of at-home entertainment or “cocooning,” men will be especially interested in casual party clothes, says Steven Ramenofsky, manager of Garys & Company at Fashion Island Newport Beach.

“The glitz of the ‘80s is over with,” he says. “Men are more interested in sportswear than dress-up.”

He predicts a season filled with jeans and loose-fitting blazers made of lightweight cashmere ($495-$695) and dress slacks with washed silk shirts or sweaters hand-knit out of cotton and wool blends for “a real rugged look.”

Garys’ navy wool crew neck with a large white snowflake pattern across the front ($125) can make one feel like sitting before the fireplace even in sunny Orange County.

Formal affairs call for the ubiquitous black tuxedo. Garys carries tuxedos that have single-breasted and double-breasted jackets with black satin lapels and extended shoulders from Joseph Abboud ($825-$850).

Women have greater flexibility when picking out party clothes. Silk pants and tops with dressy vests are among the many holiday options, according to Diana Okada, manager of Armoire in Fashion Island.

The menswear look for women goes from day to night with pieces such as a gold lace vest ($148) or a champagne-colored tuxedo jacket with satin-trimmed collar ($245) and pleated trousers with satin stripes ($162). The tailored shirtwaist dress inspired Armoire’s black satin evening gown with rhinestone buttons down the front and a satin collar and belt ($364).

“Holiday clothes are just a little more understated. There’s not as much beading as in the past,” Okada says. Thus a gown with full button-front long skirt in black, gray and white striped raw silk and black ballerina-style Lycra bodice ($225) requires only a jeweled belt buckle for evening sparkle.

Jessica McClintock chose gold lace and black velvet as a festive combination for her holiday collection.

“We have everything from elaborate Scarlett O’Hara ball gowns to the fancy tea-length dresses women wear to see ‘The Phantom of the Opera,’ ” says Phyllis Ioffrida, manager of Jessica McClintock at Crystal Court, South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.

Ball gowns with halter tops “are going out the door,” she says. One style features an ivory brocade halter top with a narrow black velvet skirt ($200). Other dresses have full skirts, including an off-the-shoulder black velvet style with gold lace appliques around the waist and neckline ($300). One short party dress with a black velvet halter has an overskirt of red and green plaid ($271)--just the thing for Christmas Eve.