What to Wear for the Holidays

Christmas means getting to relax, having a drink, and enjoying people's company, whether it's your extended family or your just a few of your close friends.  You might be tempted to just spend the day in pajamas, but we all know that if you're reading this, you don't like being a lazy bastard. 

So don't worry, your friends at Craftsman got your back with a few ideas to keep it classy in Christmas.  That way you can flex on your friends or even on that one annoying aunt who keeps asking those pesky questions about your life! 

And hey, you could still wear this for NYE!

Turtleneck

The classic turtleneck is a great way to look stylish at holiday parties, whether it’s with your family or when you’re out with your friends. The solid color from your body and arms to your neck provides a sense of elegant minimalism that’s also incredibly versatile. And let’s not forget the fact that it will keep you warm! It’s much better than simply wearing a button-up or godforbid, a tee shirt.  

A dark grey or navy will get you through most outfits, but you could also opt for a green or red one to get into the holiday spirit.   Texture also plays a part, with fine merino being a sleek choice and a chunky weave or cable knit playing into a more rugged aesthetic.  Whatever you do, fight the urge to buy an “ugly Christmas sweater” variation, because we just know you’re going to regret it. 

 At that point, it's up to you how you want to style it, depending of course on your context. If you’re going somewhere fancy, some tailored wool trousers or even our cotton gurkhas will get you through most of it, though jeans are just fine if you’re going to keep it lowkey with family.  We love the use of a turtleneck under a sportcoat for those Christmas cocktail parties, but a casual jacket like our shearling G-1 or even a safari will be just as smart.

Plaid 

Plaid just seems right at home for Christmas. It’s not mutually exclusive, but it just feels right to wear, especially if the plaid has hues of red and green in there.  As such, it’s definitely one of our recommendations when creating an outfit for the holidays.

A plaid shirt is probably the easiest one to do and is perfect for more casual settings where chinos or denim is appropriate.  I personally like flannel or brushed cotton shirts because they feel as cozy as a Christmas Blanket, where as a regular poplin dress shirt can be a bit too dressy for a day off.  Plus it’s a great way to show off some great colors that can be muted at your leisure with a cardigan or a casual jacket. 

An even better style move is going with a plaid sportcoat. Wearing one instead of a regular plain blazer  shows that you have more confidence in your style and we like that. It doesn’t need to be bold (a glen plaid will do) but you could always go for a classic tartan or blackwatch if you’re feeling up to the challenge. This would be a great way to break out a turtleneck, as it will help not only ground the pattern but keep things sleek.

The ultimate flex would be to go with a plaid dinner jacket.  Black tie is usually so stuffy and conformative and in the modern era, it’s perfectly fine to break the rules and still look sharp.  Imagine how badass it would be to show up to drinks in a tartan dinner jacket, complete with black tux trousers and a bowtie. Or you could break out the turtleneck again if true black tie isn’t a part of your life style! 

Belted Jacket

Have you seen those old illustrations of Christmas morning?  You know the ones, where the kids are tearing open their presents and the dad is chilling in his robe! It’s a killer look that always looks so louche yet endlessly classic.  There’s just an old school, casual charm that comes with wearing something belted.

While we don’t recommend walking around town in a silk dressing gown or a heavy robe (try it at home though), you can get the same effect with a belted safari jacket.  It’s a great way to elevate a look with a unique piece of clothing; suede helps add in the texture and playfulness, especially if you’ve commissioned one in suede. We’ve designed ours to be infinitely classic that’s able to be worn with both a button-up to a simple tee shirt.  The latter is what ’ll be wearing, because I’ll be with my extended family helping with the food and playing with the little cousins!

Using Red and Green

Obviously you can tell that we simply recommend wearing red and green for a true dive into the Christmas spirit!  You can be as bold or as subdued as you like, as you know yourself better than anyone else. That way you have no excuse for your classy christmas attire.

Socks are probably one of the easiest ways to do it, with red or green providing fun contrast against nearly every trouser color.  Our friend Ethan even does the not-for-beginners move of wearing mismatched red and green socks to great effect.  Alternatively, you can find fair isle socks that have elements of red and green which help tie into an overall fall-winter palette that can be reworn without being too kitsch.

The next step up would be grabbing sweaters in those colors, as they are fun to be worn on their own or under a casual jacket or sportcoat.  I absolutely love solid color sweaters, especially when they’re in a cable knit weave; it just seems cozier and perfect for a drink by the fire.  Green is probably the safest bet since it plays better with other colors, but you can’t deny the power of a good red. With a navy blazer and chinos, you’ll have an ivy-trad inspired fit that looks sharp and elegant; pairing it with a G-1 and jeans will give yourself a badass edge.

Great shade of burgundy corduroy trousers.

Red and green trousers are probably more of an expert move, but one that is worth doing if you’re confident in your style. Plain chinos are easy to get into, but we certainly prefer it when there’s a bit more fun.  Corduroy is a perfect cloth to choose due to the texture of its wide wales, playing into that cozy vibe we prefer for the holidays. It also has the ability to make bold colors like red or green into a more dusty, subdued shade due to its dying process.

Subtle olive chinos on Simon Crompton.

If you follow our recommendations or gain inspiration from the plethora of pictures we’ve included, you’re sure to look sharp.  With your turtleneck and a pair of sharp red cords or a green suede safari, you’ll celebrate the Holidays in style, whether you’re juggling presents with your cousins or trying to get that kiss under the mistletoe at the bar.