Men, here's how to dress for the festive season
Tis the season for Christmas jumpers and office parties, but how to tackle it in style? Stephen Doig looks at the rules
There are certain points in the year that prompt a man to reassess his wardrobe; weddings, always (you’d be surprised how many of you write in to me about wedding attire options), holidays and how to dress in warmer, less familiar climes.
And party season, that period between the end of November until 31st December where the social calendar goes into overdrive and you’re expected to socialise most evenings (even if you’d rather be at home watching a Scandi Noir box set). Festive style for men may be less intense than it is for women, but just as the Elnett aromas overtake in the office bathrooms during Dec, so too does the whiff of hair wax in the gents.
More and more these days, men are expected to up their game at Christmas. To crack the festive code all you need to do is break down your festive wardrobe into three main components; daytime attire that alludes to some form of Christmassy acknowledgement, night time casual and black tie.
Panelled sweater, £162, Folk Clothing: Fair Isle knit sweater, £120, Scotch & Soda
Let’s start with the former and the questionable joys of the Christmas sweater, which now has its own “day” and is cause for much office hilarity for sometimes as much as four minutes. Resign yourself that this time is a festival of bad taste and go with it, by all means, but if like me (The Grinch in grosgrain) the idea of buying more tat to turn into landfill and add to our plastic waste problem doesn’t sit well, opt for a knit that hints at winter cosiness but isn’t dotted with baubles and reindeer antlers.
After all, cheap novelty jumpers tend to be in scratchy manmade fabric, so you’re sweating in the office heating ten minutes in. Far better to opt for a discreet Fair Isle pattern or knit with a quirky details - like intricate intarsia (like knitted patchwork) - and wear it on Christmas day too.
Silk evening shirt, £330, Turnbull and Asser; Satin shirt, £29.99, Zara
Secondly, night time casual. This is your office Christmas party territory. The standard fall-back here is a shirt and smart trousers, and we’re not ones to meddle with that format, but a few adjustments will help you strike a more individual note. Smart cotton shirting is most men’s daytime attire but you could take things up a notch for evening with a silk shirt - no longer the confines of the 70s lothario - or something with a more interesting collar; a host of brands offer grandad collars or Asian inspired necklines which add a hint of ‘specialness’ beyond the everyday.
Think about your jacket too; neat black trouser and a sleek black T-shirt or knit can look great with a decorative blazer, perhaps in a discreet jacquard. It shows you’re ready for an occasion, but it’s still masculine. Grown up trainers - a smart, sophisticated take on sporty footwear in glossy patinas like patent leather will also elevate things appropriately.
Jacquard evening jacket, £350, Sandro Paris; Gold velvet double breasted suit jacket, £85, River Island
Which brings us neatly to proper black tie formalwear. These days you don’t need to opt for the whole caboodle of tuxedo, bib shirt, bow tie and cummerbund; it’s more refreshing to keep things a little dynamic. A velvet tuxedo with a lightweight, thin gauge cashmere sweater or polo neck can look debonair and low key at the same time in lieu of a standard shirt.
Alternatively, consider something more unexpected like corduroy. Rescued from geography teacher terrain and recast in beautiful fabrics and sumptuous colours, it’s textural and less predominant. And not a Christmas pudding pattern in sight.
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