Now, if the thought of holiday attire never interested you because it made you look like a crazy person with no fashion sense, you don’t have to think that way anymore. We’ll be looking into how you can combine your personal style with festive elements so that you dress the part and still look stylish.
What Is Holiday Casual Attire For Men?
A casual holiday attire is a little more relaxed than the traditional one that requires you to suit up. You have the freedom to include festive colors, patterns, and fabrics. But since it’s a holiday event, you want to ensure you don’t want to look too underdressed for the occasion.
For instance, casual holiday attire can include a wide variety of suit jackets and discreet knitwear such as cardigans and vests for outerwear. Meanwhile, the shirts can be fun-colored without heavy prints that put all eyes on you.
One item to avoid is casual walking shoes; they instantly ruin your look regardless of how much effort you’ve put into the dress.
Fine knitwear and warm colors are suitable for casual Thanksgiving events. The pants can be anything from corduroy and woolen pants to chinos and casual jeans in a discreet print and neutral color.
What you wear inside also matters, so always wear a properly fitting dress shirt (avoid whites) and polos without heavy prints.
If it’s a Christmas event, you can build your attire by including pieces representing the occasion. As such, you can be generous with colors like burgundy, brown, and navy for most of your outfits. However, you can opt for pastel versions of these colors if the event is during the day.
To complement these pieces, you can include accessories with reds, greens, and whites for a festive feel without looking too much in the mood. Definitely do away with unflattering Christmas sweaters with bold prints unless your host strictly asks for a playful dress code.
- Polos: Not sure what to wear under your sweaters and jackets? When button-up shirts feel too strict for ‘casual’ attire, you can always get away with a polo shirt. You can get them short or long-sleeved, and they pair well with just about any bottoms.
- Corduroy pants/Chinos: The heavy and textured corduroy pants are perfect to style a casual holiday attire for men. Meanwhile, you can make neutral-colored chinos work for any summer holiday.
- Peacoat: One outerwear that you should invest in for the winter months is the peacoat. They are classic styles that you can wear through the years. And if you buy one in a basic color such as black and navy, you will have countless outfits to wear.
- Panama hat: If you’re on vacation, nothing can put you in the right holiday mood than a good Panama hat. It is light, breathable, and stylish, just perfect to fit a summer mood.
- Ben Hogan hat: This hat is perfect for casual holiday attire because it is functional and has a timeless style. But if the design doesn’t align with your style, you can opt for a wool cap.
What Is Holiday Cocktail Attire For Men?
If your invite calls for holiday cocktail attire, it strictly means a fun outfit but nothing casual. You should stick to a suit, dress shoes, and a button-up shirt with a bow tie.
The trick to adding festive touches to your attire is to incorporate subtle festive elements into your dress subtly. For instance, you could pair a nice-colored suit with a festive tie.
What color to wear will depend on your host’s preferences, but you can skip the black suits because they don’t look appropriate for a festive event. But if you do prefer to wear black, you can add a pop of color using vibrant elements like festive pocket squares and ties.
Pay attention to your dress fabric, press them as required, and wipe or brush your shoes clean. Keep a decent haircut and if you wear a mustache, ensure that it is well-trimmed.
Also, you can get generous with colors and prints for holiday office attire, but don’t overdo it. If you wish to add fabrics with festive prints and textures, save them for accessories. For instance, you could keep your vests, ties, and pocket squares vibrant and lively to suit the dress code. Meanwhile, consider getting glossy shoes or suits with sheen fabric or subtle embroidery in metallics.
Outfit Essentials
- Wool suit: A wool suit has a timeless design, keeps you warm, and makes you look distinguished. Best of all, if you have one, you’re already close to completing the cocktail holiday attire. However, if you cannot find a good wool suit, you can create a fitting look with a decent suit/blazer.
- Overcoat: An overcoat is perhaps one of the most timeless pieces everyone should own in their wardrobe. They are perfect to layer over a suit when the weather gets too chilly, and you still need to look the part.
- Knitwear: Sweaters are cozy, comfortable, and warm. And if you choose the right ones, they can elevate your holiday attire without looking too festive.
- Oxford shirt/ Turtleneck: Pastel-colored oxford shirts are best to wear underneath a jacket or coat. Turtlenecks can be saved for colder days; you can make them look dressy by pairing them with fancy outerwear.
- Footwear: Dress shoes in black and brown are a classic choice for cocktail holiday attire. However, if it’s winter, you can subtly get into the festive mood with some winter boots; they look stylish and fit for the occasion.
Summing Up
The holidays should not only put you in a festive mood; it’s always better when it reflects on your clothes. And what better way to do it than to experiment with color, patterns, and textures that set the mood?
Depending on the season, you can layer up or flaunt your favorite holiday wear. And now that you know just how to dress for the holidays don’t wait any longer for a wardrobe refresh!
