2022 is officially the year of the work party revival. Social gatherings are very much back on the agenda as workplaces see the value of a team social celebration for morale and general employee happiness levels. Two years of Zoom celebrations have made us appreciate getting together with colleagues and friends, although after such a long period of social disruption it can feel daunting. What do you wear to events these days? What is “cool” and still work appropriate? What is “smart casual” anyway? Well, we can’t promise to answer that final one (it will forever remain one of life’s mysteries) but we can guide you on some party wear ideas for different work events.
The Formal Event
A formal dinner or party doesn’t have to mean stuffy, it is a great time to show off your style and stand out from the crowd. A statement jacket is both cool and contemporary, and for a work party it also has an added bonus as a conversation starter. This is always great if there is a forced mingling table plan for example. A statement jacket is also a cost effective option, it can upgrade any shirt and trousers combo already in your wardrobe, saving you some money for the overpriced cocktails at the venue bar.
Of course, if you don’t feel a statement jacket is your vibe, you can never go wrong with a crisp and classic formal black suit.
The Latest “Cool” Bar
The latest bar to feature on Tiktok or Instagram will be sure to attract plenty of work dos this festive season. For a bar event, you can be less formal, but you still want to look sharp.
The opposite to the statement jacket is the statement pair of trousers; a perfect choice for a trendy bar setting. Bars and dancefloors get hot, and sweaty is not a good look for any event let alone a work function. Choosing statement trousers means you can stick to a light shirt on top with the option to loosen buttons and roll up your sleeves as the party heats up.
Remember, though, that you do not want the statement jacket and trousers; choose one focal point for your outfit and keep the rest of the attire simple. If you have too many feature points your high end garments end up looking like a Macklemore “thrift shop” challenge, not the look you are going for…
The Christmas Lunch
Day time work parties can be a tricky one as you won’t have the option of going home to change before/after. Therefore you want a look that works at the event and still looks appropriate in the workplace. In this situation we love a modern skinny flocked shirt. Florals for Christmas I hear you say? Absolutely! Floral patterns are not just for Spring/Summer any more, we see these regularly featured on Autumn/Winter runways and we can see why, as they provide an element of detail and style without being too in your face and there is a floral style out there to suit every man. The advantage of this style of shirt is that you could add a plain jumper on top and the detail on the collar and cuffs alone would look great in the office, so you will get multi wears from this piece both at work and out with friends.
Of course, with all of these suggestions, the most important factor is that you feel comfortable and confident in your outfit, so you can relax and enjoy the event!
