Three weeks and counting. Unlike your bank balance on the 2nd of January, we’re not in the business of causing cardiac arrests, but someone ought to tell you: you’ve got about 20 shopping days before Christmas.
Panic not. Mercifully, there’s one place you can pick up both your party season finery and presents for the #squad without bankrupting yourself before Boxing Day. Call it a Christmas miracle, but Burton’s got it all under one roof. Festive black tie ball? Reunion pub crawl with your mates? Awkwardly walking the line between ‘letting your hair down’ and losing your job at the Christmas work do? Whatever you’ve got lined up for holiday season, the high street stalwart has you covered.
5 Party Season Looks That Won’t Fail
The Soirèe
They say rules are meant to be broken, but we doubt ‘they’ ever experienced the sweat-inducing humiliation that comes with rocking up to a strictly black tie party in a striped shirt and jeans. If an invite specifies ‘black tie’, it means it. And since it’s not messing around, neither should you. Fix up and look sharp with a classic black tuxedo and white dress shirt and you’ll fit right in this festive season. And don’t skimp on the details: a square fold pocket square adds that rakish finishing touch that shows you know what’s up.
The 12 Pubs Of Christmas
Ah, Christmas – the only holiday where over-indulgence is acceptable, nay, expected of you. Find yourself under the mistletoe after a few eggnogs and you’re pretty much anyone’s. But just because some of your standards are set to slip, it doesn’t mean your style should follow suit. Strike the perfect balance between smart and casual this festive season with a sleek black leather biker jacket. One last hurrah with your mates before heading home for Christmas? All you need do is throw one of these over a crisp white tee and team with some slim or skinny denim for a cracking Christmas night out ensemble.
The (Smart) Work Do
Oh, what a night. Slurring some home truths to your boss, shots with Cherie from HR, and run-ins with your office nemesis – and that’s all before the main course. Yes, the Christmas work bash is one of those rare occasions you can kick loose with your colleagues, but you’ll still need to keep your style in check if you don’t want to spend the rest of the year being the butt of water-cooler jibes. This look is smart, but not stuffily so; the striking teal blazer and white dress shirt makes it a shoo-in for dressier office parties, while switching out a tie for a scarf says you don’t take yourself too seriously. Perfect, then, for a night when no one takes anything seriously. Or even remembers anything, really…
The (Smart-Casual) Work Do
Not all Christmas parties are created equal. If yours is more fake mistletoe strung up ’round the office than slap-up Michelin-star meal, then perhaps consider forgoing your finery for something more fitting of the occasion. Few combinations trump the smart-casual perfection of a blazer, shirt and jeans on this count. This look’s finely balanced composition of business up top and party down below means you’ll navigate the no-dress-code waters with ease. Just don’t accessorise it with some pink tinsel.
The Big Day
Given that most of us spend Christmas Day almost exclusively indoors, dividing our time between consuming a year’s worth of calories and lying python-like on a couch/floor digesting said calories, dressing for the job should mean pulling on your softest loopback sweats. But, since you’ll likely have extended family or in-laws over, you’re going to want to slip on something smarter. Strike the balance between comfort and form with a simple button-down shirt, dark denim and some smart shoes. And keeping your palette strictly navy means you won’t spend the rest of your time scrubbing gravy stains from your precious whites. Final tip? Do yourself a favour and lose the belt post-lunch.
Burton’s Christmas Gift Shop
Since most of Burton’s party season looks will leave you with at least a little change, it might be an idea to, you know, buy something for someone else. That’s what this is all about, right? Giving? Luckily, Burton has the contents of your Christmas list just a few clicks away in its dedicated one-stop Christmas Gift Shop for guys. From novelty Christmas socks that’ll get even the most Grinch-like into the festive spirit to bomber jackets, bib shirts and roll necks that’ll have them looking on-trend for AW15 and beyond, there’s something to suit every taste and budget. And because there’s nothing quite like – in a moment of unforgettably painful awkwardness – realising you’ve got it so very, very wrong, why not play it safe this year with a gift card? Trust us, they’ll thank you for it.
FashionBeans Recommended Gifts
Final Word
Better start adding to basket, gentlemen, because Christmas is just around the corner. With plenty of affordably priced party season essentials and more gifts than Santa’s sack, your best bet is Burton. Shop Burton’s Party Season collection and Christmas Gift Shop online now.