Reach for a skirt for the holiday-party circuit

NEW YORK -- December is a busy month for holiday parties and that inevitable task of trying to make your wardrobe stretch without breaking the bank on fancy dresses you'll wear rarely the rest of the year.

Why not turn to skirt dressing instead?

Look no further than Kim Kardashian and other influencers, including Lydia Hearst and Alexa Chung, for ways to elevate a skirt.

"Skirts are great way to get the most variations out of your holiday party pieces," said Connie Wang, fashion features director at Refinery29.

Some tips on how to dress up a skirt for the holidays:

Mix and match

Wang suggests wearing a stiffer skirt on top of a flowier dress. Try a slim pencil in a below-the-knee style over a slip dress.

"It's a creative way to layer. Or cinch a longer-length skirt and a fitted top together with a wide Wonder Woman-style belt for a femme fatale silhouette," she said.

Last year's peplum-style skirts and high-low hemlines have been replaced by long, sinewy silhouettes like the below-the-knee pencil, long, fringed styles and pleated, asymmetrical crepe skirts, Wang added.

Or pair a miniskirt with a feminine blouse that has a bow at the neck and wear a killer pair of sky-high boots, suggests Meg Cuna, fashion expert at the style site Popsugar.

Go for prints, and pay attention to fabric. Choose silk, brocade, lace or cashmere touches, she said.

Simple elegance

Skirts can lend a simple elegance over the bling of a beaded or sequined cocktail dress. There's a 1970s vibe that plays on fabrics over embellishments.

For cocktails, Chung said, "I'd wear a leather pencil skirt, and I'd wear some kind of big frilly blouse and a stiletto."

Elongate the look

Ken Downing, fashion director and senior vice president of Neiman Marcus, said you can't go wrong by lowering hems.

"I really love a maxi and I love a midi this season. I think a longer hemline looks really good to the eye. Something that has a little bit more fluidity is really the news," he said.

Where your hem falls "depends on what legs you've got," Chung said. "A miniskirt's wonderful if you want to feel racy. I'm 32, and the hemlines are getting lower."

Accessories are key

Downing is a fan of chunky-heeled boots.

"I like to see the leg covered right now," he said.

If sparkle is what you're after, try a sequin knit skirt with bright crystal jewelry.

If you're looking for focus, glamorize from the waist up. Wear a gray flannel suit skirt with suede boots and a top with a touch of embellishment.

Scarves never go out of style. A skinny one with beads or fringe -- looped once around the neck -- can dress up a skirt outfit, Cuna said.