What to Wear to the Company Holiday Party

Holiday office parties can feel like “mandatory fun.” Still, they’re also a rare chance to let your corporate avatar log off for the night and show your coworkers who you are outside meetings and time-sensitive deliverables. It’s also a prime opportunity to wander beyond your department and engage in some delightfully awkward small talk with folks from the planning team — or maybe even meet your new work bestie from marketing.

At the end of the day, these gatherings exist to boost company morale and (hopefully) celebrate a great year. And while the goal of every holiday party is the same — let loose and reveal the “real you” — the dress codes definitely are not. To make sure you’re dressed appropriately to celebrate in style, we’ve put together three outfits. Whether you’re headed to a casual after-hours shindig, a fancy corporate outing, or a joke-heavy mingling mixer, these three fits have you covered.

The After-Hours Office Hang

Some offices keep it pretty casual and let the workday bleed straight into an after-hours shindig — no need to burn another precious square on the calendar. “Why not party while you’re already here?” is, apparently, the holiday spirit of middle management.

Since you’re already suited up in your chalk-stripe power armor, loosen the tie, unbutton a couple of buttons, and start pouring the eggnog. Your suit still means business, but a pair of festive socks lets everyone know you’re at least 12% holiday-ready. It’s a win-win: you keep your weekday credibility, and you avoid being labeled the office Scrooge.

The Look: The Lakeshore Wool Chalk Stripe Charcoal Jacket and Pants, Pinpoint Solid Button-Down Collar White Non-Iron Dress Shirt, Pointed Tip Knit Navy Tie, Sleigh Hound Navy Dress Socks

The Off-Site Dinner Party

Those cheap pizza parties and the stale bagels they bribe you with for early-morning meetings were worth it — it turns out the entire “fun budget” was quietly funneled into an offsite holiday party where a tux is suddenly appropriate. While you’re celebrating a good year over expensive steaks and wine that might be older than your LinkedIn account, keep the look traditional. Black and white are the only colors that matter tonight.

The Look: The Tuxedo Black Jacket, Herringbone Tuxedo White Pleated Bib Dress Shirt, The Tuxedo Black Pant, Solid Satin Black Bow Tie, Reversible Onyx and Mother of Pearl Silver Cufflinks, Solid Black Dress Socks

And yes, you can skip the cummerbund. One: it’s not your wedding. Two: you’re not accepting an Academy Award (unless you’ve been holding out on us). A classic black tuxedo is made for occasions like this, so make sure it’s dry-cleaned before you start RSVPing with confidence.

The Cocktail Party and Mingling Mixer

The super-casual finger-foods-and-cocktails mixer — where everyone can wander the room at their own pace — is the ideal holiday party setup. You get to catch up with the people you actually want to see, skip the forced small talk, and glide right into an Irish exit without anyone batting an eye.

The Look: The Merino Ivy Pine Polo, The Modern-Fit Oxford White Casual Shirt, Nutcracker Parade Burgundy Tie, Peppermint Twist Navy Dress Socks

For this kind of soirée, go ahead and show some holiday spirit. A green full-placket sweater polo over an oxford shirt, topped off with a nutcracker necktie, is about as festive as it gets. And if anyone questions your commitment to cheer, double down with peppermint-striped socks. That’ll show them you’re fully prepared — and spiritually clocked out — for the holidays.

HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE