What to Wear to an Office Holiday Party: The Men's Outfit Guide

For most office holiday parties, a man should wear a dark blazer over a fine turtleneck, tailored trousers, and leather Chelsea boots or loafers. For a cocktail-style evening, move up to a dark suit worn without a tie. Save velvet for invitations that say "festive" or "black tie optional." Below are four outfits, from in-office drinks to the hotel ballroom, each built from pieces you can order today.

The quick answer by dress code

• Drinks in the office, straight from your desk: a beige or camel blazer over a brown turtleneck, navy trousers.
• Smart casual, restaurant or bar: a navy double-breasted blazer, a burgundy turtleneck, grey trousers, brown Chelsea boots.
• Cocktail or "dress to impress": a dark suit, no tie, a black turtleneck or open-collar shirt, black suede boots.
• Festive, gala or black tie optional: a velvet tuxedo jacket with velvet loafers.

The rule behind all four: dress one step above what you wear to work on an ordinary day, never two. A party outfit should look like you made an effort for the evening, not like you came straight from a board meeting or are heading to a wedding.

Outfit 1: In the office, straight from your desk

If the party starts at 4 pm in the office, you won't have a chance to change. Wear a soft, warm-toned blazer to work that day and let the turtleneck do the festive work. Beige with brown is quieter than navy with white and reads as deliberate rather than corporate.

Finish with navy tailored trousers from the Slim Fit Trousers collection and brown leather shoes. The turtleneck is a cotton blend with elastane, so it holds its shape under a blazer from morning to the last toast.

Outfit 2: Smart casual at a restaurant or bar

This is the outfit most office parties actually call for. A navy double-breasted blazer gives you more presence than a single-breasted one without adding formality, and a burgundy turtleneck replaces the shirt and tie with the one color that says "December" without trying too hard.

Add grey tailored trousers ($175) and the look is complete. Grey under navy is the safest trouser pairing in menswear, and the brown boots warm the whole outfit up. If you are unsure whether a double-breasted cut suits your build, the 60-second Style Profile will tell you before you order.

Outfit 3: Cocktail, or "dress to impress"

When the invitation says cocktail, wear a suit, but take the office out of it. Drop the tie, swap the white shirt for a black turtleneck, and choose a color you would not wear to a Monday meeting. Chocolate brown is the color of the season and looks richer under low evening light than navy or charcoal.

The Imola has a six-button peak-lapel front and a wool-viscose blend with real stretch, so it stays sharp through dinner and dancing. Prefer navy? The rest of the Two-Piece Suits collection has it. Our guide to wearing a suit without a tie covers the collars and colors that work.

Outfit 4: Festive, gala or black tie optional

If the company has booked a hotel ballroom, velvet is the one fabric that belongs there and nowhere else in your year. A burgundy velvet jacket is the strongest choice: it photographs well, it is unmistakably for the occasion, and it still counts as black tie. Wear it with a black turtleneck for a modern take or a white dress shirt and black bow tie for a traditional one.

Want something quieter? The Modena 2 Piece Tuxedo ($490) is all black with a velvet-look peak lapel, so the velvet shows only where it counts. See every option in the Tuxedos collection.

How to read the invitation

• "Casual" or "drinks after work": what you wore to the office, plus one deliberate change. Swap the shirt for a turtleneck or add a blazer.
• "Smart casual": a blazer, tailored trousers, and leather shoes. No tie, no jeans unless they are dark and you are wearing a jacket.
• "Cocktail": a dark suit. A tie is optional; a turtleneck or open collar is more current.
• "Festive" or "festive attire": permission for color and texture. Velvet, burgundy, deep green, and chocolate brown all qualify.
• "Black tie optional": a tuxedo is welcome, a dark suit is acceptable. Velvet sits at the top of this range.

What not to wear

• Your everyday work suit and tie, unchanged. It tells everyone you did not think about the evening.
• A novelty jumper, unless the invitation says so. Even then, wear it with good trousers and leather shoes.
• Full black tie at a smart-casual party. Overdressing by two levels is as awkward as underdressing.
• Running shoes. Chelsea boots and loafers are this season's party shoes.
• Anything you cannot sit, eat, and dance in. Check the fit before the night, not on it.

Get the fit right before you order

A party outfit has no time for a return and a late-December reorder, so get the size right the first time. The Fit Guide for blazers and jackets asks four questions and gives you your size; matching guides cover suits and tuxedos, knitwear, and shirts. For shoes, our guide to which shoes go with which suit color applies to every outfit above.

Frequently asked questions

Should I wear a suit to the office Christmas party?

Only if the party is in the evening at a restaurant, bar or hotel, or the invitation says cocktail or black tie optional. For an office party or a casual venue, a blazer with a turtleneck and tailored trousers is a better choice: smarter than your work clothes, without looking like you are heading to a wedding.

Can you wear a turtleneck with a suit or blazer?

Yes. A slim fine-knit turtleneck under a blazer or suit is the modern alternative to a shirt and tie, and it is the easiest way to make work tailoring look like evening wear. Keep the knit thin and fitted so the jacket sits flat over it, and match its color to the shoes or the suit for a clean line.

Is velvet too much for a work party?

Not if the invitation says festive, gala, or black tie optional, or the party is at a hotel or formal venue. For a smart-casual dinner, velvet can tip into costume. In that case, keep it to velvet loafers and wear a dark blazer instead.

What colors should men wear to a holiday party?

Navy, chocolate brown, burgundy, deep green, and black all work. Pair one rich color with neutrals: a burgundy turtleneck under a navy blazer, or a brown suit with a black turtleneck. Avoid head-to-toe red or green, which reads as a theme rather than an outfit.

When do I need to order to have it before Christmas?

Order shoes by Tuesday 15 December, and suits, blazers, trousers and knitwear by Saturday 19 December. If your outfit includes shoes, order everything by 15 December so it arrives together. If your party falls before Christmas, order earlier still.

Start with the blazer: browse the Blazers collection, add a turtleneck from the Knitwear collection, and finish with a pair from Boots or Loafers.