Part 3 of 3: Dressing for Holiday Parties, the Gents’ Casual Edition

With Thanksgiving practically moments away, you might not be thinking much beyond that…you might be too busy picking up last-minute supplies or getting ready to deep fry a turkey. But let’s take a moment to think about the fun you’re going to have this holiday season once Thursday winds down. The last couple of weeks, we’ve talked about office parties and more formal affairs. And those are all great. But to us, the best part of the holiday season is spending time with friends and family. We’re going to start hiding presents and working on decorations around the house. And hopefully, we’re going to spend a lot of time with our loved ones. There are plenty of occasions for easy get-togethers –a casual meet-up with friends to relax by the tree or fire, and exchange gifts; the annual extended family get together at your favorite restaurant for holiday drinks and dinner; or, the pièce de résistance…the culminations of the holidays… the few day visit home when the whole family hunkers down for some holiday fun. These activities are more casual but no less festive than what we’ve been talking about the last couple of weeks. Gents, this doesn’t mean it’s time to bust out that ugly Christmas sweater (yea, yea, we know they’re “in” again, but you better be able to pull that off with the right amount of irony). We think – we know – you can do better than that. Tweedy, casual sport coats, soft sweaters, masculine plaids in all fabrications, soft jeans and corduroys…there are a lot of ways to look festive without going that far. Color plays an important role, too. Wearing a deep burgundy sweater or a plaid shirt with your jeans instantly creates an “of-the-season” vibe for your casual look that will un-Scrooge even the best of us.

We’re touching on a few of our favorites key pieces here. Head over to Fashion Finds, for the complete guide to look your best in “The Casual Holiday Party: Gents’ 6 Key Looks for 3 Types of Get Togethers”.