Men’s Tips for Dressing for the Holidays

We are back again this week with Mila Grigg from Moda  Image  and Brand Consulting on how to help that man in your life or yourself look great for your next Holiday event.   Mila tells us “Clients begin to call us in the early fall to help prepare them to best represent themselves at holiday gatherings…work, family, neighborhood and formal holiday parties. Your image matters and should represent who you are, your unique gifts and immense value. You should always use clothing to best represent your Personal Brand, and the holiday season is really a time where you can shine or make some image and fashion blunder.”

Some basic tips to remember:

1. Shirts need to fit. No extra fabric underneath your arm pit, around your waist or on your arm. Sleeve length should be just       right and peaking when worn with a blazer or jacket.

2.  Collars and cuff should not be worn or fraying.

3. The lines on your arm should not be falling off of your shoulders…this says sloppy.

Here are some tips for multiple holiday gatherings.
The friendly gathering…
You need a dark pair of jeans. Not light or whiskered. They need to fit your legs and not have extra fabric making you look like you have only one leg. Pockets should sit up on the rear versus on the back of the upper thigh and they should not puddle at your shoes. Get them hemmed!
Brown belt. Choose one with a pattern. Why? Because you are not boring and you have a personality. Show it through a pattern.
Patterned shirt and blazer. Tweed blazer is fantastic and a sign of the season. Pattern on pattern is smart and sophisticated. Gingham or plaid shirt shows personality and this is where you can add a pop of color for a festive look that attracts the right kind of attention.
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The business casual gathering…
This might be with a group of friends from work, networking group or with your company. The idea is to be dressed well. What does it mean to be dressed well?

Clothes that fit are vital to looking professional and trustworthy. Just because it is a business casual gathering, it doesn’t mean you can slack. No visible crewneck shirts, no baggy slacks that puddle and on and on. Here is a great look with or without the sweater.

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Work, casual, neighborhood (depending on how dressy the neighborhood gets), friends etc…These outfits are always safe and look great and you can substitute jeans where necessary.

Look at the shoe color here – dark brown with charcoal slacks. YES! Innovative, forward thinking and look fantastic. Black is still ok, but this is just better. Plus, now you can invest in one pair in this color and wear it with almost all pant colors! When in doubt – HALF BREAK.

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Here is a secret…The straight leg, flat front, well fitted chino in a polished cotton is always a good bet for a casual soiree. (Bonobos are a go-to for us). That was free information – no more docker type pants that are too large and pleated…They are not pretending to be slacks. The gig is up!

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Mila Grigg is the CEO of MODA Image and Brand Consulting. They specialize in Brand, Image and Fashion Consulting, Personal Brand Coaching, Wardrobe Consulting, Corporate Brand Consulting and Seminar Training. For more information, please visit www.modaimageandbrandconsulting.com

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