The Best Christmas Outfit Ideas for Men

Another year is about to come to a close but before then you have to get through the festive season. Christmas is one of the biggest events on the calendar and is often a long day spent traveling between relatives’ homes while overeating, giving gifts, and trying not to be a Grinch. Even if you’re spending the day at home, that means Christmas dinner is on you, which brings with it an entirely different set of challenges. Amongst all the things you will be worrying about, the last thing you want to be bothered by is what you will be wearing. It might not seem like a big deal, but what you wear on Christmas is more important than you think. That’s why we have come up with some fantastic Christmas outfit ideas for men this festive season. 

Whether you are spending lunch with estranged family members or your in-laws, having a few drinks with work colleagues, or catching up with your childhood friends to reminisce on another year, your outfit says a lot about you. While comfort is always key, Christmas is also a good time to dress up and rock something a little classier than usual. It’s also the one time of the year you can wear a loud shirt or Christmas-themed jumper, showing your personality. 

The Best Christmas Outfit Ideas for Men

Before you rush out and buy that shirt you’ve been eyeing for weeks, make sure you are aware of the dress code for Christmas. While most gatherings will be low-key and relaxed, allowing you to dress down, you might get an invite to a semi-formal Christmas lunch that requires a little more thought. This is especially true if you are eating at a restaurant or pub for Christmas, which is becoming more and more common these days as people want to leave the cooking to the experts. 

We want to make sure you are covered for all occasions, so below are all the different types of scenarios you might encounter, from a work Christmas party to an actual Christmas dinner, and what outfits work best for each occasion. 

The Office Christmas Party

Before we get to Christmas day, you are most likely going to attend one or two office Christmas parties beforehand. There’s a good chance you might go from work to the party, and if that’s the case, bring a nice shirt with you to the office to change into. Your trousers and shoes will be fine, but it’s nice to wear something different up top so it looks like you’ve made the effort. 

If you wear a suit and tie most days, ditch the tie and suit jacket and replace it with a nice shirt and a Harrington jacket. This is classy without being too casual. If you have time to change your pants, a clean pair of slacks or pleated trousers are a great option. Finish off with a pair of loafers or black dress shoes and you’ll look smart without sacrificing your style. 

The Black Tie Christmas Party

Now it’s highly unlikely you’ll be invited to a formal Christmas party, but on the off-chance, you work for a big organization that goes all out for Christmas, you want to be prepared. Most people own a black suit and tie, so this isn’t a hard outfit to prepare for, but if it’s your partner’s work function and you don’t wear suits in your everyday life, don’t fret.

Hiring is out of the question (a waste of money), so your next best bet is to mix and match the pieces in your wardrobe. A nice pair of dark pants (blue or black) paired with a white shirt and dinner jacket do the trick. You’ve probably got a black tie lying around somewhere too. Then you just need some nice dress shoes, such as a pair of Oxfords, and you’re good to go. 

If you want you can splash the cash on a nice dinner jacket or even go the whole hog and get yourself a suit, but it really isn’t necessary. You more than likely have the right ingredients in your wardrobe, it’s just a matter of bringing them all together successfully. 

The Themed Christmas Party

People love a theme and Christmas is one of the biggest. It’s also one of the easiest to dress for. Most Christmas-themed parties require you to wear festive-colored clothing, which is usually anything red, green, gold, or silver. It’s also the one time of the year you can wear that funny Christmas knit you’ve been wanting to show off all year. These days Christmas knits aren’t just colorful creations or ugly Christmas sweaters with reindeer that say “Merry Christmas,” just about every movie or TV show has a Christmas-themed jumper, while everything from alcohol brands to rude jokes can be found emblazoned on these once-a-year clothing options. 

As far as the rest of your festive outfit goes, you can go semi-formal with a pair of trousers and brown shoes, or more casual with jeans and sneakers. It all depends on the party and the theme and how casual things are. 

The Christmas Eve Catch-Up With Mates

The night before Christmas often involves more heavy drinking than the actual day itself. It’s a great time to see your friends and let off some steam before the big day, although it’s best if you limit yourself to just a few pints. There’s nothing worse than being woken up by the kids early on Christmas morning with a raging hangover. 

As this is usually a fairly casual meet-up, most likely down your local, the classic t-shirt and jeans combo works best. Pair your favorite denim with a white tee and you are good to go. Just remember that skinny jeans are out and the relaxed fit is back. You don’t want to be making any fashion mistakes around your mates who are sure to let you know about it. While a white t-shirt works best, as it goes with anything, feel free to chuck on any other type of t-shirt you might feel like rocking. Band tees and those with large graphics are also back in vogue. 

It’s most likely cold so another layer is a must, even if you just bring it with you. A sweater or hoodie works, but we recommend a jacket. This can be anything from a bomber jacket to a Harrington jacket and everything in between. Just as long as it keeps you warm. Casual shoes like Vans or white sneakers are a solid choice, but you can spruce things up with a pair of boots if you feel that way too. 

The Christmas Morning Unwrapping Presents

Now depending on how old you are and your family situation will have a big impact on what you wear first thing in the morning. If you’re an adult living out of home with friends, a partner, or solo, you are probably going to be sleeping off the hangover from the night before. This means rolling out of bed mid-morning, taking a shower, throwing on your outfit for the day, and heading out the door for the first round of Christmas catch-ups with relatives. 

If you have kids you know a sleep-in won’t be happening. You’ll most likely be woken at some ungodly hour and have to head down to the tree and unwrap the presents. If this is the case, walking out in your jocks isn’t what anybody needs to see, especially if the in-laws are staying over. A nice pair of pajamas will do the trick while you watch the kid’s eyes light up as they burn through opening their gifts. There are so many different types of PJs on the market, but a nice striped pair with neutral colors is always a good look. And if you really love Christmas, there are plenty of Xmas-themed PJs on the market you can wear for that one day of the year. 

The Lunch With Relatives

Christmas lunch is all about stuffing your face as much as possible and avoiding awkward relationship talk with your relatives who all wonder why you are still single. It gives you plenty of options when it comes to Christmas clothes, but the two main things that come to mind are comfort and style. You are going to be eating yourself silly, so you want clothes that aren’t too tight and will allow for some room around the waist. But you don’t want to look like a complete slob either in track pants and a sweater. 

The middle ground is a flexible pair of trousers, but if you really want to push the boat out when it comes to relaxation, there are now joggers and sweatpants that resemble jeans and trousers. Whack a pair of those on with a cashmere turtleneck or colorful knit number and nobody will be none the wiser. If you’re inside and it’s a little too hot for knitwear, a polo is another great option. It’s smart without being formal and goes with anything. When it comes to shoes, sneakers or loafers are best, but a solid dress shoe or boot also works. Leave the slides at home. 

If you are eating out, say at a pub or restaurant, you might want to wear a nice pair of slacks or dark denim jeans with a shirt or knit sweater to create a more sophisticated vibe that will match the place you going to eat. The pub allows you to be more casual with your attire, while lunch at a restaurant means shirt and pants. 

The Christmas Day Evening Drinks

Depending on your family situation, you most likely spend lunch at one set of relatives and dinner at the other. But Christmas day evening is also often a time when you catch up with close friends to wind down after a long day of family disputes and screaming kids. It’s something younger people organize more than those with kids, but it’s also a time when an outfit change is acceptable.

Most will come straight from a previous engagement and be wearing what they started the day with, but if you are coming from home or have time to change, you can shed your Christmas sweater or nice polo or shirt in favor of something much more casual. This is the one-time track pants and a sweatshirt are acceptable and you don’t have to be too concerned with making an impression. Obviously, you still want to look decent, but when having a few quiet ones with your mates, your outfit isn’t the priority. It’s more about comfort and hiding your belly after devouring three plates of turkey and sides. 

The Boxing Day Outfit 

Boxing Day should be a day of rest, but for many, it’s another day of family catch-ups and parties. The best part about the day is that it’s usually less chaotic than Christmas day and means you can dress down. Looking good is still a priority, but you can wear a more casual outfit. A crewneck with jeans is fine, and if you happen to live in a warmer climate, shorts are more than acceptable, just make sure they aren’t too short. 

Conclusion

Like any other day of the year, Christmas shouldn’t be any different. While it does allow you to dress in Christmas colors or wear an ugly sweater, that isn’t necessary. The main thing is you feel comfortable with what you are wearing. While we have made plenty of suggestions for smart casual looks, if you want to wear joggers and a sweatshirt to Christmas dinner with your relatives you go right ahead. It is Christmas after all.