Help!

[wellinghall]

What should I wear to my four (!) office Christmas parties?

In particular, I am thinking of buying a new jacket and / or pair of trousers. This would preferably be by mail order (because going shopping this close to Christmas is not my idea of fun!), and somewhere that did next day delivery would be useful. I'm looking for something fairly fitted, so somewhere that did sizes like "44L" (in fact, just like "44L") would be better than sizes like "Large".

Any advice would be appreciated! In fact, if you find the right outfit for me, I'll buy you a drink next time we meet!

In other news, I've had a v stressful day at work, so I've cracked open the Dorothy Goodbody's Wholesome Stout.

ETA: Although I have got my name in print :-) (Bonus mark for anyone working out where ... )

Comments

[bookwormsarah.livejournal.com]

I'm guessing that "a Christmas elf suit" would not be a helpful answer?

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Correct ...

[bookwormsarah.livejournal.com]

But you do need a jolly tie. And possibly some musical socks.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

You're getting further away from that drink, you know! ;-)

[bookwormsarah.livejournal.com]

Bu-bu-but it is *Christmas*. You need silly clothes...Or is that just me?

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I do have a Taz waistcoat, but aren't I too old and staid for the silly clothes now?

[didiusjulianus.livejournal.com]

No, you are old enough to be back into doing so again :D
Taz is so last decade though. M&S have some tasteful red snowflake socks though and Tesco had some okay Xmas ties for £3, last time I looked.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

I knew I should have put this post on a "women-only" filter ...

[didiusjulianus.livejournal.com]

you go to your wardrobe, grab the first thing that comes to hand and say "that'll do".

But...I am a woman. Yet I do this. (Well not if the first thing is leggings, for a party, but near enough).

[piqueen.livejournal.com]

Were you in the actuary? Of course, it would help if I knew your real name then I could check but it came today so that seems like a reasonable guess.

[didiusjulianus.livejournal.com]

I would recommend M&S. They do lots of different sizes and lengths. Buy 2 or more styles in 2 or more sizes and then send/take back the ones that don't suit - I think there is an extended take-back period now because of Christmas (there is at a lot of shops).

But really, the only way of getting mail order stuff that fits well is, IMO, to find, by trying things on, what sizes fit in what shops/brands, and then sticking to them when you order online. (Some are more reliable than others in this sense).

4 Christmas parties sounds excessive!

[tovaglia.livejournal.com]

Best tip for looking good in clothes: 90% of it is down to posture and confidence anyway, so Jason Finch's advice stands: wear whatever you feel most comfortable in. Also someone will only spill their horrible sticky drink on them, anyway, so why spend £££. (thrifty Yorkshire attitude!)

But if you want to look REALLY good, order a co-ordinating suit and trousers (by mail order if you like, but make sure the fabric, hems and stitching are good quality - people notice this sort of thing much more than the colour/style) and get them taken in by a tailor.

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

If you wanted something a bit fancy and fun but still stylish, how about getting the jacket made with a brightly coloured lining?

Don't wear the silly clothes. Silly ties etc are worn by people who are so dull they need to have their personality expressed in polyester. That definitely isn't you.

Final suggestion - how about a suit with an obviously non-work shirt (something in silk perhaps) and no tie.

[tovaglia.livejournal.com]

Hear hear re silly clothes.

But don't go tie-less if you have lots of chest hair. Unless you decide to wax it, like Simon Cowell. (ewwwwwwwwwwwww)

What do people think of bow ties versus cravats?
(genuinely interested, bow ties make me think of gynaecologists, but maybe that's not what most people think?)

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

"But don't go tie-less if you have lots of chest hair."

Oops. Too late. That's me most days I'm afraid. Of course the difference between me and Simon Cowell is that (to paraphrase Will Smith in 'Men in Black') I make it look goooood. Ahem.


Bow-ties - only to be worn as part of black tie or (for exceedingly posh events and Oxford exams) white tie.

Cravats - only to be worn if you can say "Ratherrrrrr!", "I say...." or "Ding Dong" in the style of Leslie Phillips. If you can't, then sorry, but you're just not cad enough.

[muuranker.livejournal.com]

I find that few men can wear bow-ties or cravats without looking like architypal bow-tie wearers (usually architects) or architypal cravat-wearers (golf-playing, jag-drivers).

If you want to go tie-less, how about a nehru shirt (I think you have the nessessary neck). Or a very thin jersey in silk or cashmere or something like that.

[philmophlegm.livejournal.com]

Like the thin jersey idea.

[didiusjulianus.livejournal.com]

I've seen wellinghall in a bow tie several times and he appears to be able to carry it off. Cravats probably same. IMO.

[didiusjulianus.livejournal.com]

Also think no tie, one button open is fine. Generally, and on wellinghall specifically.

[the-marquis.livejournal.com]

So that is you in Ansible then!

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

Four! I am jealous - I never get office Christmas parties even though I have clothes begging to be worn. Clearly I chose the wrong career.

Good luck with the clothes shopping, though I have no advice.