The holidays are just around the corner and while it may seem like there is nothing much to celebrate about doom and gloom 2008, a good office holiday party may just be what we all need. Assuming that your office holiday party has not been downsized to the client meeting floor and catered by Swiss Chalet, and that there is going to be at least one sculpture made of ice, it is still very appropriate to give some thought to your office holiday party attire.
For a formal party, renting a tux is really out of the question. By now you should probably own one. For goodness’ sake, you aren’t growing anymore. And if you are still growing, it probably means it’s time to get back to the gym. For less than $1000 you can be the proud owner of a simple 2 button black tux. And what to wear on your feet? Black lace-ups; no wingtips.
If you are the “style guy” around your office or what in London may be referred to as “continental,” you may want to experiment with the comeback fabric of the year: velvet. Not an entire velvet suit, maybe just trade the tux jacket for a velvet one. Velvet is no longer only the fabric of theatre seats and annual ugly holiday dresses from Jacob, velvet is back. In fact, a lawyer friend informed me that velvet jackets were the number one top-seller at Harry Rosen this year.
For the ladies, apart from anything too risqué, the sky’s the limit. The lines are probably going to be blurred between cocktail and formal, so essentially anything tasteful goes.
Terry Chan is a Canadian lawyer practicing finance law in London. She writes every Friday on style and fashion, perfectly aware that the next big thing is not looking like a lawyer.