Skip the Ugly Holiday Sweater. Wear This Instead

Below, I give a few options on what you should be wearing this holiday season, but I know a few of you will have those overly eager friends who will complain you didn’t dress up enough. The best way to avoid this from happening is to accessorize with a handful of holiday accessories to point to when you walk into a party overflowing with red and green polyester.

My preference for adding a touch of something festive is in the socks. They’re fairly inconspicuous and can be worn at the office, as well as any part you may attend this year. Anything from a candy-striped pair to a solid red will add just enough personality to fool others into thinking you put a lot of effort into your outfit. (This trio from Brooks Brothers, shown above, is a solid option.)

Another option is a tie. Yes, I’ll break my own rules here and say that a novelty tie may be the perfect compromise between meeting your friends’ expectations while keeping it subtle. A repeat print of reindeer or little Christmas trees can be charming when worn with a nice Oxford shirt, all tucked under a cozy, chunky knit. 

You may be wondering if a bowtie would work in this scenario, and I’m sorry to say the answer is no. Unless you’re a children’s party magician or one of Santa’s elves, even the holidays aren’t an excuse to throw on a bowtie.