How to dress up for the Christmas party at work

Many office Christmas parties can be described as the ‘last days in Rome’. Add in frequent lockdowns, a crazy finance assistant who’s twice missed his favorite night of the year and you have a recipe for a truly Pompeian Christmas party. However, this doesn’t mean that you have to dress up like it’s your favorite night of the year. It doesn’t matter how hard you dress, it just matters that you look good.

This is a difficult task. There is no one right answer. There are dozens upon dozens of office types, just as there are many ways to humiliate your dignity at the Christmas party. Do you wear a lanyard, say financial terms with a little menace as if you were in Industry? Are bean bags and Friday lagers a perk at your office? Are you a regular visitor to work, but only speaking two words to your coworkers? There are many workplaces, and not all parties are the same.

We’ve created some easy-to-wear outfits that will look professional and stylish enough to be worn to the office Christmas party.

1. The office party, at work

Shareholders want to have fun. However, not too much. Grunt, HR is happy to announce that this year all your hard work will be recognized with a few drinks in the office. Thank you corporate overlords!

In this situation, the key is to understand your colleagues. Your party outfit should not be too complicated if you and your coworkers make little effort to look professional every day. You should choose an upgraded version of what you normally wear every day. If you have a blue suit with a white shirt and ties, opt for tailored loafers or a sans-tie option. This is a minor change that will make a huge impact. Your suit will fit you well and there will be whispers of “shall this off and go to a pub with people we really like?”.

2. Four-course sit-down dinner

Your office will support your Christmas party if you offer a large lunch or dinner for clients. You are responsible for your job, okay?

It’s important to experiment with fabrics and to spice up the clothes you already wear every day. This doesn’t mean that you need to dress up as if you are in the Titanic’s first class smoking lounge. You can choose to wear brighter colours and a more formal lounge suit, with a long overcoat and maybe even a Wes Anderson-style hotelier dress.

3. The post-work pub party

You don’t have to worry about what you wear if you are going for a quick lunch or a few drinks after work. Thinking about festive dressing from a different perspective is the best way. Go knitwear. Streetwear is your best option. Grab a pair of sneakers that will make your coworkers realize that you are more than just four walls. Be free, friend.

4. The small start up lunch

What about a special lunch menu? There’s nothing wrong with this. You don’t have to wear a lot if you work at a small start-up. You should only wear a little. Most likely, you will spend your day in jeans, sweatshirts, and trainers. If you are looking for something more structured, consider a limited edition jacket or rollneck.

5. All-staff at the major conglomerate

In this case, it is likely that no one will see your outfit and that you’ll be required to follow a dress code. Wear a tuxedo with a black rollneck if it says “Party”. Wear ACTUAL BLACK TIE if it says “black tie”. If the label reads “black tie”, wear ACTUAL BLACK TIE. You can go through anything with a classic wool tuxedo, whether it’s up or down. You’ll look like James Bond, so don’t wear a formal tuxedo if it’s casual. Or the bouncer.

6. The “themed” party

Our sympathy goes out to Christ. If you see a theme party that is not Christmas-themed, don’t worry about it.

You can wear whatever you like. It shouldn’t be a Christmas jumper. If it is, donate money to charity to help cover the cost. Then, drink more of the red. It will be over soon.