What to wear to the office Christmas party this year
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It can be tricky knowing what to wear to your work’s party, particularly if you already have a laid-back dress code in the office, but the party is the perfect opportunity for you to shine and dress up smart to make a lasting impression.
Do be sure to check if there is a dress code for the event in place before you shop for your look, some companies go all out with yuletide black tie balls that your smart casual approach isn’t going to work for. If in doubt, ask your colleagues and check out photos from previous years.
Formal Christmas Party
The critical thing to remember here is that formal doesn’t mean you have to hire an expensive tuxedo for the event (though by all means, you can if you want to). What formal dress is all about is a smart two-piece suit.
Navy works really well for this as in the right light it looks black but is a great base colour for a subtly coloured shirt. If suited and booted really isn’t your thing, you can tone things down a bit with a blazer and chinos instead.
The shirt is probably the most important part of this look and opting for a crisp white dress shirt is the best approach to take, building the rest of your ensemble from there.
Smart Casual Dress
This is the preferred dress code for most office parties because let’s face it, you just want to let your hair down and party the night away, right? The great thing about smart casual is that you can really allow your personality to shine through, and yes, maybe even get away with a novelty Christmas shirt.
Balance is what you’re looking for here, so we suggest smart trousers and shoes with the casual side of things taken care of with a fun shirt, crew neck jumper or even by layering a cardigan over a plain shirt.
When choosing a jumper for this look, it’s the layering approach you need to bear in mind. If things get too warm and you need to take it off, will your ensemble be ruined? Have a shirt underneath that can work by itself for best effect.
More smart than casual
When there’s no defined dress code, but you want to err on the side of caution and be more smart than casual, the best way to spruce up your look for Christmas is by sticking to your regular office look but brightening things up with a pop of colour.
Shirt and smart trousers are what we’re talking about here, but why not opt for a nice lilac or lemon yellow shirt that adds visual interest while still making a great impression. Try toning things down a little with boots rather than polished shoes for a slightly more laid-back edge to things.
You might be able to get away with black denim for smart casual nights out, but when you’re erring on the side of caution, it’s best to stick to dark chinos or suit trousers.
