Whether you’re going to a friend’s party or your company’s annual holiday bash (and by “bash” we mean “s**t show”), a good dress is still nothing without great shoes. So do not even think about busting out those beat-up black pumps, they’re boring us already. Instead, pick up a pair of over-the-top pumps in bright silk, shiny sequins or deep patents. Just thinking about it gets us excited.

No one said you had to spend a lot of cash or anything. [$25, Wet Seal]

It’s just about holiday party time and if you haven’t yet realized that your standard, slinky party dress isn’t the right thing to wear while your boss is toasting to office professionalism, you’ve got some catching up to do. Inspired by our own Amelia’s truly work-party-appropriate dress [Well, thanks!—Editor] at The Frisky’s party last week, we present ten options to keep you looking work-hot without looking work-trampy.

Do not fear color and frills; just use them wisely. [$265, Milly, Bloomingdale’s]

The word “vest” is enough to induce traumatic stress flashbacks for me. Years of Catholic school and the sweater vests that come with it have left me a bit scarred as far as that particular item of clothing is concerned. Until a couple years ago, I lived in total ignorance of the value of a good vest, preferring instead to stave off painful memories of Sister Mary Kay yelling that my skirt was too short by ignoring uniform-like clothing entirely. But then I saw it. It was shearling and it was black and it was everything I’d ever wanted without knowing it. It was a vest. And I knew my days of vest avoidance were over. Join me on the dark side. [$39, Lin Q, Anthropologie]

Long before Beyonce told us to put a ring on it if we like it, we preferred to put a belt on it. Whether it’s a monotone dress you want to dress up a bit or a tunic top that you’ve finally realized makes you look pregnant, few and far between are the outfits that can’t be improved with a sweet belt. Whether waist or hip, skinny or fat, we here at The Frisky have love for all shapes and sizes, like this one here. [$45, Ann Taylor]

I know we’ve been singing the praises of Gap Body’s amazing T-shirts, but sometimes a plain black tee just won’t cut it. So grab some lace, scissors and thread because it’s craft time, kids. Sounds a bit dorky now, but you’ll be happy once it’s over because, much like a mullet, this tee is business in the front and party in the back. But um, in a good way.

Your mom doesn’t make you use those mitten clips anymore, so why are you still wearing the boring knit gloves they came with? You’re officially old enough for nice gloves and all the wonderful things they do to an outfit. And unlike a purse or shoes, even quite cool gloves don’t have to be a huge, bank-breaking purchase. Click through for a few ideas about how to get your glove wardrobe started, because the time to shop for them is now. [$69.50, Banana Republic]

Pajamas just give and give and yet they get no respect. Wear them out of the house and people call you “weird.” Wear them to a party and someone threatens to have you “committed.” It’s BS and we’re sick of it. Not only are pajamas far and away the most comfortable type of clothing, they can also be rather cute. So, in homage to the most underrated clothing items in the world (that we’d personally like to be wearing all the time come to think of it): a pajama slide show.

Notice that this nightie looks more or less like a dress. Throw a sweater on over that for a trip to the store and cut anyone who questions you. [$58, Anne Pinkerton, Anthropologie]

The holidays are upon us. And they’re not just great because Thanksgiving is little more than an excuse to stuff your face in the company of people you like and Christmas and Hanukkah mean gifts, but also because the parties leading up to them require pretty dresses. No other type of clothing is as fun as a party dress; we are full-on thrilled to start shopping for them.

This one is a lovely little thing that stops just short of being too cutesy. [$25, Forever21]

We’re sorry to say it, but you’re mere weeks away from temperatures that will make your trench coats and hoodies feel flimsy and weak. It will be hard, but you’ll have to put those lightweight jackets in the back of the closet and whip out the big guns. We’ve got a few suggestions. Like this adorable cape-like number. [$288, Dolce Vita, Anthropologie]

The only thing that makes this year’s seemingly endless rain vaguely tolerable is the excuse to buy new shoes. Namely, wellies. No, large plastic shoes aren’t technically the height of style. But when it’s pissing rain and puddles are looking more like pools, we’ll make allowances. Dive—actually, wade—into our roundup of wellies that make us happy. But before you do, here’s how to treat those ladies right once you’ve got them: rub down with soapy water and then dry after use, store them out of the sunlight or heavy heat, and don’t stuff those suckers into a box as they’ll just get dented. OK, let’s get going here.

First up, these are the coolest possible variety of cutesy. [$85, Chooka, Nordstrom]

We definitely love tights, but sometimes those thin little things just don’t cut it when the wind is howling and we’re wishing for death or a cozy bed, whichever comes first. But since the real world beckons and slinking home to hide in bed is more or less frowned upon, we’ve had to improvise, taking in every little bit of added warmth we can. In the leg region, the best way to one-up tights without actually wearing pants is, of course, leggings. Check out these sweet-ass options. [$40, American Apparel]

When puny bracelets just won’t do, throw a cuff on the problem and your entire outfit will automatically look more thought-out. We’ve got a few options for you.

This one reminds us of far more expensive designer pieces like these Balenciaga ones. [$48, White House Black Market]

Last week we did a roundup of corsets from plain old sexy to over-the-top hot. And while some of those corsets were dinner-appropriate under a blazer, this week’s underwear report is ready only for the bedroom. If you’re as sick of the insane padding as we are, check out these padding-free, still-sexy alternatives and stop the false advertising once and for all!

[$15, Blush, Bare Necessities]