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Family
& Relationships
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Dressing Your
Husband for the Holidays
By
Juliana Day
It's
Christmas season and there's no busier time
for social events, not to mention the endless
task of decorating, baking and creating Christmas
memories with our families. The festive atmosphere
of Christmas has most of us decking the halls,
and some of us also taking on the task of decking
our husbands… or should I say, "decking
out". Some men are hopeless when it comes
to appropriate holiday attire. That's why God
gave men US!
Every
guy is different and I'm not suggesting
they must all fit into the same fashion
mold. (I could never imagine my flamboyant
husband with an ultra-conservative edge).
However, the following guidelines for
casual and formal holiday wear will help
you when shopping for your own special
guy.
The
Fit
The
first consideration when choosing outfits
for your partner is the fit. When I gained
40 pounds, pregnant with my daughter,
my wonderfully sympathetic hubby gained
right along with me! How sweet… The
problem is that some guys insist that
their snug-fitting 34/ 34 is still the
right size, when a size 36 would look
much better. It's always better to be
on the looser side, no matter what his
buns look like!
Men's
Fashion Faux Pas for Holiday Social Events
-
Light pants. Store them for the summer.
Though snow-white pants may seem festive,
they are inappropriate this time of year,
especially in colder climates.
-
Anything with a reindeer on it! I hate to
sound like a snob, but the cutesy sweatshirts
with snowflakes and Santa Clause are tacky
(and that's an understatement). If you insist
on being cute, try a Santa hat!
-
Faded
pants or jeans. What you wear around your
home is your own business, but when you
are a guest in someone else's home, it's
more respectful to wear dress pants. If
you're looking for comfort, check out a
local consignment store, where you can usually
find clothing that is already broken in
but still in good condition.
-
Short
sleeved T-shirts. I practically have to
pry these away from my hot-blooded man,
but if you must turn on the air-conditioning
in the middle of winter, try a light weight
long-sleeved T-shirt. Short sleeves are
inappropriate on cold winter days. I am
including button down short sleeves in the
category… sorry, I know there are some
die-hards out there!
Casual
Get-togethers
-
Your
best choice for an evening with friends
is a pair of good quality navy or black
pants with a cable knit sweater. Also, a
long-sleeved dress shirt under a wool sweater
is a nice, classic look.
-
For
the younger man, try a festive red long-sleeved
shirt with subtle lines on the arms or across
the chest. Abercrombie and Fitch have a
great selection of fashion forward garments
this year.
-
Go
a little more hip with a long sleeved button-down
shirt in white (with an edgy pattern), in
dark grey or black, and worn un-tucked with
nice black pants. DKNY has a great selection
of shirts to match these styles.
-
Try
a turtleneck - most women will tell you
there's nothing more appealing than a fit
man in a snug-fitting turtleneck.
-
Shoes
or boots are appropriate but should be polished
and in good condition. Don't wear boots
with complicated laces as hosts usually
prefer you take your shoes off during the
mucky winter months. Classic brown or black
leather are good choices.
-
Belts
should always be worn! Make sure the belt
matches the shoes and socks match the pants.
I know I don't have to tell you that white
socks with black pants are a major no-no!
The
Formal Affair
-
Portly
or petit, most men look pretty darn good
in a black suit. Some may consider this
a cop-out, but a black suit is always a
great classic. For a more modern edge, try
shortening the tie and making a bigger knot
in the top.
-
White
Tie. The most formal dress for men is "white-tie".
For these occasions, black tails are a must
along with a white pique shirt and vest
and, of course, black pants.
-
Black
Tie: The more common attire is black tie.
Here are a few do's and don'ts:
-
-
Choose either a tie and vest or a bow
tie and cummerbund. The latter of the
two is more traditional; the former is
slightly more casual, but both are acceptable.
-
Buy
shiny tux shoes if you can. If not, plain,
black shoes are fine as long as they are
polished to a high sheen.
-
Make
sure your pants have the proper cord or
velvet stripe down the side.
-
Don
the cuff links. Formal shirts use cuff
links, preferably black and rounded.
-
Go
single breasted; it's the most traditional
and looks best.
-
-
Wear
a regular shirt instead of a tux shirt.
It just screams, "Not fully put together".
If budget is a problem, you can either rent
or buy inexpensive versions at stores like,
"International Clothiers".
Whatever
the occasion, relax, have a great time
and remember the true reason for celebrating
is not for the glitz and glamour of the
season, it is for a child who came into
this world with nothing on and was happy
to celebrate his first Christmas in swaddling
clothes.
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