Amal Clooney Set the Precedent for Holiday Dressing in Head-to-Toe Velvet

Have a holiday party or a festive fête coming up? Take a clue from Clooney.

amal clooney in velvet corset and pants
(Image credit: Getty Images)

We don’t make the rules, but Amal Clooney does. But beyond her role as an international law and human rights lawyer, her precedent-setting purview extends to fashion, too. We’ve seen the law expert wear everything from a breathtaking archival gown by John Galliano for Christian Dior to a classic everyday trench coat when stopping by the United Nations General Assembly. She just set the exemplar for winter 2024's fashion trends while walking the red carpet, too: Clooney wore a velvet corset and trousers, an opulent, dare-to-be-touched ensemble that's ideal holiday party outfit inspiration.

She wore the matching velvet set to the London premiere of The Boys in the Boat with her husband...umm….what’s his name again? Oh yeah—George Clooney! The lawyer's festive velvet corset featured a one-shoulder silhouette and scooping neckline. The hem of her corset had a modernized cropped silhouette, allowing a subtle flash of skin to be on display instead of her top being tucked into her trousers. Speaking of: her matching black velvet trousers were slim and straight, with grosgrain trim along the side panels.

She wore a pair of simple closed-toe stilettos, also in black, and kept her accessories soft-spoken and minimal to let the tailoring of her velvet set dictate the fashion conversation. All Clooney carried was a black evening box clutch with a gold clasp. Her dark hair was parted to the side with side-swept bangs and styled in loose curls. She wore bright red cherry lipstick (a beauty signature of hers), which got us further in the spirit of the winter season.

amal clooney in velvet corset and pants

(Image credit: Getty Images)

With her velvet look, Clooney illuminates a nugget of sartorial gold: when in doubt, opt for a matching set. The end result is, without fail, chic and put together. And for party dressing, a corset is a style solution to any last-minute wardrobe problem. The romantic top dresses up an evening ensemble without trying too hard (have you ever gone overboard with the glitz and glam and felt too dressed up at a festive soireé?) and still exuding glamour.

For the holidays, Clooney laid down the legislation of an easy go-to look that can be worn for any season and almost any work event, but especially for when the yuletide is gay. If you have an office cocktail party or a friend's fête coming up to help ring in the holiday season, take a cue from Clooney and consider a velvet set. Shop from a selection of options, below,

Shop Amal Clooney's Velvet Outfit

Maria Santa Poggi

Maria Santa Poggi is a freelance journalist who covers fashion, beauty, and culture. Her work has appeared in Vogue, Teen Vogue, Vogue Business, Paper, i-d, Rolling Stones, Elle, Allure, Dazed, and Highsnobiety amongst other publications. She recently received her MFA from Sarah Lawrence College.