The Season of Suave: Holiday Fashion Tips for Men

Published on: 19 November 2018 Last Updated on: 05 November 2024

The holiday season is upon us and with it comes maxed out credit cards, deciphering Christmas gift hints, and holiday parties. Even though one of those is actually enjoyable, you still don’t come out unscathed — unless you have a little too much eggnog.

Sure, the intention of Christmas and holiday parties are to be a fun way to get together with friends, family, and coworkers and let loose. But there’s a darker side to holiday parties — and it’s not Steve in Accounting’s drunken dance moves.

It’s the dress code.

Most hosts list what attired you’re expected to wear to their holiday shindig. As if trying to figure out what to get your special lady for Christmas isn’t enough confusion for you during the holidays.

Well, have no fear. We’re here to help.

Check out our holiday guide to men’s fashion in 2018. You’ll never worry about the differences between “black tie” and “cocktail” ever again.

Men’s Fashion in 2018: Holiday Dress Code Guide:

Decoding the holiday dress code for men isn’t always easy. You can ask your lady what all the dress codes mean and likely have in the past.

Or, you can surprise her this year by picking out your attire on your own. There are six main dress codes and you’ll soon see you’ve been overcomplicating it this whole time.

1. Festive:

Let’s start out with the easiest one: the “festive” party. This attire is going to be casual, but calling it “casual” isn’t very creative.

You don’t have to break out the ugly sweaters — unless you’re invited to an “ugly sweater party,” of course. But, sweaters can be a classic and casual look perfect for a holiday get-together.

Choose colors that are seasonal like red, green, and white, but go with deeper shades as opposed to bright ones. If you’re the life of the party, be bold and go with tartan plaid.

If you’re more of an understated guy, keep with solid colors and add a touch of the holiday spirit to your socks.

2. Office:

If your company opts to have a holiday party during your lunch break, you probably don’t have to worry about your dress code. You’ll already be in your business attire.

But, if your boss decided to go off-campus for the company Christmas party, you may not be too sure what to wear. Keep it business casual if the dress code isn’t mentioned.

This means a nice blazer with an optional tie. Wear a button-down shirt with festive colors and a pair of slacks. Finish off your look with some loafers or moc boots.

If you think your holiday office party will lean heavily to the casual side, a nice pair of dark, designer jeans (no holes!) can also work.

Pro tip: If you’re attending your holiday office party and booze will be involved, limit your alcohol intake. Every holiday party should only have one Steve and you don’t want to be him.

3. Cocktail:

Cocktail is the same as semi-formal. Think about what your wife or girlfriend will wear. She probably bought a dress or skirt either at or just above the knee. This is opposed to the floor-length gown she wore to your brother’s fancy-schmancy wedding.

See a correlation?

You’re going to want to follow suit (no pun intended) in your own way, of course. We’ll break it down into tie and no-tie.

A no-tie look works for cocktail attire if you rock a dark tailored suit with a white button-up.

If you’re a tie-guy, bypass the suit and opt for slacks and a button-up instead. Throw on a blazer and you’re ready to go.

Don’t go with a boring black tie, though. Find a darker color that works for both the holidays and the rest of the year. Learn more about different patterns and materials and what looks best on you before deciding.

Accessories will really add the finishing touches to your look. Shine up your Oxfords, wear a nice analog watch, and even get yourself a pocket square. You’ll look suave and confident as soon as you walk into the party.

4. Black Tie:

Remember when we said the festive dress code was the easiest? We lied. It’s actually “black tie” for one simple reason.

Black tie means tuxedo. Now, you may not have a Tom Ford tux hanging in your closet, and that’s fine. You can either rent a tuxedo or go with a tailored three-piece suit instead.

5. Black Tie Optional:

If “black tie” is the easiest, “black tie optional” is usually the most confusing.

No, it doesn’t mean wear what you want — we know you’d rather wear sweats and a hoodie.

It means you can wear a classic tux or something a little more creative. You can wear suspenders and a bow tie or a funky three-piece suit.

As long as you keep it formal, you should be just fine.

6. White Tie:

We’ve covered five dress codes so far and you’ve probably had no problem following along. Until now.

“White tie” may sound like nothing you’ve ever heard of, but the truth is, you have. It’s like black tie on steroids.

White tuxedo tie, jacket with tails, the whole nine. That’s what someone means when they tell you it’s a “white tie event.”

Unless you’re a celebrity or attend the Vienna Opera Ball every year, you likely don’t own this kind of tux. You, of course, can rent one. And no, it won’t be cheap.

The bright side is that the traditional foot attire for white tie is velvet slippers, which will at least have your feet feeling like they’re wearing sweats.

You’re Ready to Be the Fashionister of Every Holiday Party:

Now that you’re up to speed on the men’s fashion in 2018 holiday dress codes, you should have no problem looking like a Hollywood A-lister on your own.

But, if you still need some helpful tips, check out our 7 fashion tips exclusively for men.

Read Also:

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How to Choose the Right Shoelaces for your Shoes

The Inconvenience caused by misplacing a shoelace or having a broken one is unimaginable. It is always a distant reality that happened to most people and the burden of finding a new one is also unexplainable. A myriad of questions goes through your head that moment when it happens. I loved those, am I ever going to find the same type? What is the guarantee of quality where do I shop for them? Is it okay if I change my shoelaces? Mostly these questions go unanswered. The bottom line is that shoestrings are a very integral part of fashion and can be used to define personality. It is therefore imperative to get the right knowledge about this seemingly mundane but complex task. The dichotomy that they are ubiquitous and hard to choose is a headbanger for most people. Shoelaces come in various styles, materials, colors, and length, this makes it very tough to make the right choice on shoelaces. 1. The material used Shoelaces are made of different materials. The raw materials used in manufacturing shoelaces vary depending on the kind of lace that is under construction. Typical fibers that are used for laces in the modern market include textured polyester, cotton, nylon, polypropylene and spun polyester. The aglet which is the hard-plastic end on the shoelace that pushes via the eyelet of the shoe, is manufactured from metal or transparent plastic. The most common variations that are used in making these aglets are brass and copper. Some of them are designed with unique characters to spruce up the experience. Acetone is used in the process of securing the aglet to the braided lace. 2. Try a variety Shoelaces might seem simplistic and trivial to some people, but they are a very well differentiated product. From traditional materials to exotic and synthetic materials and spanning every color of the spectrum the choices are extensive. One can opt for luminous and funky colors for outdoor shoes to reserved and chilled colors for the office. 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Some sellers have charts upon which you can reference the lengths with different styles of lacing. 4. The no tie laces With the advancement of technology, laces have been invented to remove the hassle out of lacing shoes up. It is no longer a necessity that they have to be tied and also the tradition that the laces of a shoe cannot be replaced faded away. Nowadays lock laces have become famous for people who like the convenience of a slip-on shoe on lace-up shoes. It is a quirky solution but the trend is catching on, especially the no tie shoelaces for kids, and soon they may become the next big thing 5. Match your style Shoelaces are an excellent way of personalizing your shoes, more so if you purchase laces in varying patterns and colors. One of the easiest ways to change the look and feel of your shoes is to alter your shoelaces simply. The advantages are simple: it's quick, easy, inexpensive and reversible. Every dress shoe has a specific type of lace it was made for. 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For specific activities as the military or hiking the chose is to be made on considerations of cost, durability, and regulation. Read More: A Style Guide For Wearing Men’s Sweatshirts 5 Perfect Fashion Clothing Choices For Petite Women Before You Forget: Shoes To Wear With Your Favorite Skinny Jeans Top Celebs Who Swear By Waist Training Hair Styling Equipment – Creating Your Look Summer Shades And How To Wear Them 5 Tips For Buying The Best Men’s T-Shirt Men’s Gift Guide Cheat Sheet

Classic Dresses: The Little White Dress

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How to Collect Vintage Items

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The Season of Suave: Holiday Fashion Tips for Men