There's no better time than holiday party season to pull out your cocktail dresses. Sequins and sparkles are optional, but definitely encouraged. And, of course, there' s no better source of inspiration than classic beauties of Hollywood.
A list of Hollywood's classic beauties may inspire you by their party fashion styles.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRLR435o2eZ1qJZXEAOtKu8_r_3rCZM7ArtWA6nzo5PUr37qPCHbt31C3LJbNLsI10xjvLSnbbTEwX7DPBx47sHioY6GbCataIv5gso48JGBg6B0zOlzWd5TcYScStRNZSzboNMrtCEJc/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%25282%2529.jpg) |
Joyce Compton wears a floral dress, circa 1930s |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglT9jE1ONmtX8iKidPeIKvpf8o87EDbt2j6zef6O-efFnOwt3ug9oSEYeodG5EFBD6TWGzXW_1ygMLcqPyDFovvr62P-YrwngfHey5n2yR8QMBKDJxiGSViKkVomIdCMIrE-oXsXxtZAA/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%25281%2529.jpeg) |
Gladys George wears a sequined frock, 1934 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY_G83Cr0acLTkh-UX3S-Q59cbeTD3ic1yLjQC0EqOu410i_lsA375QpvfwbP7imUpzx0OEV24tZPGmLxBWSrPPQUqT14sYk-fEKlDT0ACvwSW-fpa0EZ59D58HEDZArrm3Ug-33htuOY/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%25282%2529.jpeg) |
Joan Crawford poses in a sequin dress in 1935 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMyD8_0OzcBSQ5d2PKq-ajUaPLaPIZQdRadCACv-BbEU9_Kd07J003bnfFayGQjvrXFkODLCmS1-iew0wbZRuH9uXt2j9aO52MOa6SJJCL4-y51vNOroVPA3MIGVMtkgvdql2RgipMAtU/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%25283%2529.jpeg) |
Bette Davis wears a dress with sequins in 1937 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjZQH3NmTuswgDeh4ovoRH95YhmtFSpuVwangwXD7w-6VLxKUWOAyLpnOdGbzbIbXevH0ze2qD5fy2eoJkj3jAfaF_YCfetZGZ3qEUOvS_lQTjvrlQOrG1SVsJEfQB6Xt7UPXBMvbkvjA/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%25284%2529.jpeg) |
Lauren Bacall wears a bold red dress, circa 1940s |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHMxcAuaX859wte_mHyQ2p3sLVk2odLvWK6VVdUZF_IOJ6toIas-pWWR-0aywbRr8BxW0qQNlqL0XXLfsMD98zNrL3uZRDPPuGgM5MglxA7Hb_mq_wju-i3C3Ii7laQmqMqiUG-NrrPrQ/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%25285%2529.jpeg) |
Lucille Ball wears a sequined top, circa 1940s |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi54ESUeIf3gX-IxaB1G6m_LZ-XDfJhF9AONNhZfMZRfXA3_eSH1D8eiGTVnXmPSPz5hJ_o8dHeMrMLG5eVdQFsT4x8urjS3DN2apCocfrxlST77VdIMmW7TLMQu-yAGUjex42ndBnwPhU/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%25286%2529.jpeg) |
Rita Hayworth wears a lace dress, circa 1940s |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfAbN4S-bVzTzhy0cfF8fI7wqVMFXXhJklLFPu2x2xtJ64otMVW8Krul6bGPVsMMhbYG_ibrUtGJ0Z8k7CPbOlufmuVViKLroj8MkqdGd8ZztujOJvsOYXyJ7RCaJyN65L4T4b3LUL2uw/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%25287%2529.jpeg) |
Judy Garland in a sparkly silver dress, 1945 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNWRxOqny7KAaL5R1OiYfIk1vRoob7dTjvUpV7uNh98UW4EBd9Z1zR-8Q22yLe1f9oVU6f6Jhs8-0kgBFmsvm7FJkU39m_xywpjN_AUyuwvwP9PyOdttvdCvWKu3yXV32UxOdoakbEC00/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%25288%2529.jpeg) |
Esther Williams wears a plaid skirt in the 1950s |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylRkTR4Vftlv5OvanBx02MNffI2b5LO3Mb-1731nHwQ1Y5bPKpro_1SPQS1Av4shLR8kqBmdAW9Kk5fhdRcRrwjrrR6j16JuSqKFGoK5iTOWzyRnOVv07-vJSaDyRWAe5j8DYTi6P3SQ/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%25289%2529.jpeg) |
Gene Tierney wears a low-cut dress and statement necklace, circa early 1950s |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjJz7wOjcdlUrOQ-3OCgsD1zwtfTQVsqxcf5tTXM427yFzr3qRtxynIkdF3k5m3JUk2Imj6NYdBd7nEbbPm7aWSOrlakOrpAqp6F_CDoUbwLlnz5s4PJrLbFWL8nM-jzNf7Kk37u163zo/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%252810%2529.jpeg) |
Marilyn Monroe wears a black cocktail dress in a promo image for the 1950 movie "The Asphalt Jungle" |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkY2Cs8nOqtMBwDqdYvAiVK6r-1Y2KP97FKCO-XkRVMq139O-SkuL-NJ0b10wJbjUKez4Cq7tdOBGsHopJV7uRXJInSU9Eo4jUrgu4QZK8yVL-91xRkiwfEcELOhWa5G2J5K16CP6Z6eY/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%252811%2529.jpeg) |
Rita Moreno wears a wide-neck dress, circa 1950s |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcUKeP5PBmgfrnPNx-Rr7pHbcvw_G2UsJVM3Z4JUjuMBmG4Qtv31yGaEHaWtx1xcqTOGBJGAfqW8OrZ-l10E8YjxK4XLWj8nlfe3UqxzZrJsx6epuHEIVrJXijWNbk8w4gb-2x-Afb6ls/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%252812%2529.jpeg) |
Sophia Loren wears a red dress, circa late 1950s |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIqBdedUUww-azCTwi9EAtykAfhbltKNFn_xJUBXFqQlgtTpqUkgJrxD5TvezrQJrVCaGFWfbibS_kYMOye3Wx5P71cSaJLgq88kH097sM3jAO97oPzBL31Ya7QKG7Y-pRJG5pxTUsoNQ/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%252813%2529.jpeg) |
Audrey Hepburn in a black cocktail dress, 1953 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ChJpop1hxIQX_yuVRcoOyDbEt7diK-AuO-iG1RxnTqsZbLCUpgtKKgCKKH4MHoCnPXfL5cIIWJgalvMPSCiqiiFV7ZXZIwTuEVh88sTjMUNoSYft1lFBrKc0DgpVUYuYy3qCKYX0N4w/s640-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%252814%2529.jpeg) |
Elizabeth Taylor wears a black and white cocktail dress in Italy in 1953 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS8veASAj3Vum1eo-8tr7js7_KgNW38kZMxDsrtShdvpNpJAiP1cggoTs8LPFyhdrDcUX8Cs8xQCpx1PbdyzvhvS6mDfPhbkM1Zw9JWMmlRYYsAkDGdFxrLKcn2CmxWqpFld_CvvSbeM4/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%252815%2529.jpeg) |
Grace Kelly wears a strapless green dress, 1954 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzWaaOCV_0oVljkCHfheyGaxLLpvML14Tzi_VqkWLFfUzqRw7N3aUf0AfkiDAS9W1sP4tx2bbA_INAphY-hZERcb7MMSxvZQPGZ1U6EESunJKSBfJXp5xRITli64o-r2BTb54SPR_N7qk/s640-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%252816%2529.jpeg) |
Natalie Wood poses for a photo in 1955 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAz_VrMBoWZi6FEYdXaEwIFKrGxiALLnG6qsTlEXSI0XkzkJ2b-dXxgIv9hlXkPpLpxCUOkCzAcVu3bx5IiL8FT8fBGTO1sIuVmZ4xKngVsn3RddmS9Xym7QA0aBpW3Zk2Q4-SOhaSQFs/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%252817%2529.jpeg) |
Dorothy Dandridge wears a flowy jumpsuit in 1956 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYPmLjO5oubfu-k-UNieEWiRMNnmEAousHB0TXkGgWqjEI50eLjwa_gDSCYlYHmbvFCT8oMPBc3_vQAUtXR-IzeX5oKFOG8yoRemRT0zXC7-Yjo1o0tIL1_O-2Q_Qeo8Vee9hkaxUUS20/s1600-rw/hollywood-classic-beauties+%252818%2529.jpeg) |
Ava Gardner wears a holiday-themed outfit, 1960 |