Dress Code: Ridiculously Festive - YouLookFab Forum

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Dress Code: Ridiculously Festive

Minaminu

Veteran

hey all,

I'll start with an apology in advance to all Xmas lovers, I am more of a Mrs Grinch and today I am very green.

HR just emailed about the Xmas lunch for next week, advising that the dress code is "ridiculously festive". I made the error of checking with Mr Minu and few colleagues, and they all meant I should wear a Xmas Jumper. Oh dear.

I realise it's a tradition in some anglosaxons countries and personally I don't like to be covered in an acrylic jumper but there you go, there are always some traditions that one needs to accept when living abroad. In case you are wondering, I managed the last 25 years by avoiding Xmas launches or dressing up for Xmas dinners but as I work remotely, this is the only options that I have to meet my team and get to know them better. The way I see it, I have few choices:

* Disregard the Dress code and go dressed smart casual (usual office wear): I am not sure this is a good option as it was marked bold and in red by the HR team
* Go for a different route of "

"ridiculously festive" and wear my black jumpsuit with some silver shoes and some tinsels (still on the hunt for a Xmas brooch). If someone asks, I could honestly reply that I don't own a Xmas Jumper. Mr Minu told me that I will be known as Mrs Grinch forever.
* "Bend the knee" and buy a Xmas Jumper. I don't have time to go hunting in charity shops, so I will need to buy one online in the next few days as Royal Mail is planning more strikes. Any recommendations? Can the below jumper be classified as Xmas Jumpers?

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Dressing

36 replies

Latest reply was from Zaeobi

Helena

Veteran

I think your 'different route' would be perfectly acceptable, as a long as you sort of go for it ... you could do tinsel as necklaces, and maybe get some inexpensive earrings that are Christmas themed? The dollar stores often have funny items ... antler head band, necklace that's festive lights, etc. that might do the job too (and then you can take them off if you feel uncomforable). Even one good tacky statement would do it

We've been to ugly sweater parties where some people go that route and it's always fine ... I think as long as you look like you put some sort of effort you are safe from Grinch territory (plus, what would the holidays be without the Grinch?!? That's not a world I want to live in ha!)

Lesley

Veteran

I actually think option 2 is less grinchy than this very cute non-Xmas jumper(sorry)! Why not just deck yourself out ridiculously? That seems like it's in the spirit of the occasion, and these dumb dress codes, in my book, should always be open to interpretation or else they are not fun. I mean, what's the fun in a room full of green and red sweaters anyway? It's so unoriginal that it's a tradition all over the freaking globe at this point.

doggeh lover

No, don't think so. And as they 'strongly suggested' I'd bite the bullet, look for something gaudy and cheap (search 'ugly Xmas sweaters') at an inexpensive store. To do something nice and especially regular code is like a slap in the face to the bosses. Avoid mirrors, plaster a fake smile on your face and remind yourself it's only 1 day and stay in good graces with them. Good luck!

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Actually Christmas jumpers offend my attempts to be more sustainable- and especially when you don’t even like them! I find your option 2 the best- tinsel or earrings or brooch included and definitely silver shoes!
And I would ignore the husband on this occasion

Lesley

Veteran

Agree with Jenni NZ, and also, I think to avoid the whole thing going south, just own it! Don't apologize for not owning a sweater, especially if you go to the effort to make yourself super festive! Some tinsel and a smile on your face will go a long way to genuinely enjoying the holiday party and not feeling weird about it. Yes, it's okay to not own a holiday sweater and the grinch is a pretty fun protagonist anyway.

Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Another vote for a different route! And echo Helena's ideas and sentiments exactly

Minaminu

Veteran

thank you for the patience and the suggestions!

Helena and Angie, I found this antler headband - would it be sufficiently Xmassy with the jumpsuit? will try to find a Xmas tree brooch too.

Leslie, thank you for flagging that that jumper is not a Xmas Jumper! Also, I agree with your and Jenny sentiment on sustainability and that's partly why I am hesitating in purchasing the Xmas jumper but doggeh lover makes a valid point that it may upset some bosses. Thankfully I have a few European colleagues, it may be a good idea to ask them what their understanding is of that dress code. It may look a bit less strange if a good number of people is showing up with a different interpretation of the proposed dress code.

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Suz

(website)

Veteran

Route 2 with a vengeance!! Absolutely.

I used to teach in a high school where people dressed up for the. Christmas assembly in ugly sweaters. I could. not. do it. So I got a very silly Christmas lights necklace that I wore during the assembly proper and a few other silly sparkly accessories and I think wore the one piece of green(ish) clothing in my closet at the time (a waistcoat). If you look as if you tried, and you look as if you are playing along with the ridiculous theme, that is enough.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Do you have Nanu Nana stores? I like their ridiculous Christmas hats. They have one that’s a chimney with Santa’s chubby legs & boots sticking out the top.

Your jumpsuit is classy & festive. Add ornaments as earrings, perhaps a string of lights or tinsel around your neck &/or as a headband, and you’re good to go.

Personally, my take would be a green dress with ornaments clipped to it, tall brown boots, a tree topper on a bun on top of my head, and lights wrapped around me. Perfectly ridiculous, very Christmas, nothing that couldn’t be used again in a more normal fashion.

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Angie

(website)

Fashion Stylist

Yes! Great antlers with the jumpsuit

Minaminu

Veteran

Suz, I can sense we share the sentiment about Xmas jumpers! I may be wrong, but I strongly believe that they are getting worse.

SF, I am not familiar with Nanu Nana but understand the type of accessories they offer, and I think an accessory like that can be used at different parties too.

Antlers have been ordered - will try to join forces with some other colleagues

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Indigoprint

Veteran

If you feel most comfortable with option 1 go for it...who is to judge? It is a party for fun. Hopefully you would not also be forced to eat or drink something you didn't want to.
Not Grinchy at all.

Jenni NZ

Veteran

Fantastic antler headband! Love it. Yay for doing it your way.

Lesley

Veteran

I also want to back up and say if the dress code is "Ridiculously Festive," you are nailing it. If the dress code is "Ugly Sweater" it should be called that explicitly. Otherwise you're just giving your employees a great deal of stress and basically setting people up to feel like they've "done it wrong".

Take it with a grain of salt from me, I've worked from home for 14 years and maybe I'm a little too casual about thumbing my nose at things.

LaPed

Veteran

I refuse to buy anything new for this sort of event. I dislike being told what to wear, but what I really hate is the waste of being expected to wear one-off landfill-fodder. You've gotten lots of good suggestions above, and I think the antlers will be plenty cute and fun. My favorite lazy approach is just to wear a solid coloured top in red or green, tack some ribbon around it, and then stick a pompom on it somewhere... Voila, you're a present!

RobinF

Veteran

Definitely go with route 2! I don't think I have ever owned a Christmas sweater - not my thing. I will occasionally wear a fun Santa hat (I have one that has an animal print cuff) but stick mostly with some sparkle.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I'm with Lesley and LaPed. I would bristle mightily at the idea of going out and buying an ugly Xmas sweater for the occasion, especially since it has not explicitly been called an "ugly Christmas sweater party." I'd wear something fun and festive that you already own, and add ridiculous antlers, a tinsel boa, flashing lights, a santa hat...whatever floats YOUR boat!

Dee

Veteran

Yep option 2 plus the antler headband should do the job rather nicely.

Vicki

(website)

Veteran

I love Helena’s ideas and would deck the halls with something tastefully festive with one ridiculously festive piece, like a necklace of holiday lights or a black fascinator with holly, snow and polka dot netting.

I just couldn’t bring myself to buy an ugly Christmas sweater, but if there was a quirky outside-the-box one with an interesting tongue-in-cheek spin, like helping the world, the homeless orb global warming with a snow globe, then maybe that could work for a few hours.

Whatever you select, you’ll look wonderful. Enjoy.

JAileen

Veteran

I really hate being told what to wear. I was invited to a Christmas party and was told we should all wear ugly sweaters. I had the pictured sweater asked here if it was ugly. No, it wasn’t ugly, but it was silly enough for the party. I felt fine at the party. I would not buy anything special. I think your jumpsuit with silver accessories would be perfect.

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Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I wouldn't buy a sweater/jumper just for this purpose. If you have Christmas tree ornaments, you could wear a sweater you already own, with some of your ornaments pinned to it. That, to me, would be ridiculously festive!

If faced with this situation, that's what I've thought of doing, anyway. But I don't in fact even have Christmas tree ornaments. So my other thought was to use Christmas paper to wrap some tiny boxes and balls (maybe handmade, from more paper) and hang those from my garment, again using safety pins and ribbons.

Jaime

(website)

Veteran

Yes to the antlers, no, don't buy the ugly sweater!

Sal

Veteran

Perfect solution- antlers are fun!!

I hope it is a nice lunch.

Runcarla

Veteran

Agreeing with everyone else that you should do what you are comfortable with (ie: no new silly sweater) and the antler headband checks the box for festive and fun.

rachylou

Veteran

Option 2 and antlers, agree!

slim cat

Veteran

Love the antlers - so fun and silly .
I usually get one pair of festive earrings - the last one is with penguins with some sparkle ( I actually like them ).

Bijou

Veteran

Silver shoes and tinsel for the win! The antlers add the element of Christmas cheer.

unfrumped

Veteran

What LaPed said. Plus in my most charitable moments I’m thinking , that’s a great dress code because it isn’t more dressy or straight-laced impress the higher- ups or anything, and causing people to go in the other direction and try to find “nice” party clothes on short notice, spend $$ on something not quite right for their real lives ; instead it DOES allow wearing or adding bits you already have in some fun, funny or silly way due to the Ridiculous moniker. Antlers are great, tape bows to your shoes, wear something backwards ( I’m too vain to likely do that if fit is way off ).
Many people are not by nature silly or ridiculous ever, so that alone is one’s accommodation to the party atmosphere.
I say, dress code is Fabulously Freeing!

doggeh lover

I love the antlers! What store did you find them in?

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