Holidaze, celebrate!
Once again, castañas are roasting on an open fire, the scent of bibingka is nipping at people’s noses and a big, fat man in a red tracksuit and a matching hat is on his way (clearly, Santa is a fashion-forward man). We are now on the brink of ushering in the New Year (and the new wardrobe). The holidays always bring back nostalgic memories of our innocent youth when the hours until the time to open presents seemed endless. The holidays are a time to celebrate traditions with both families and friends. Each person has his own holiday traditions, be it opening presents on Christmas Eve instead of Christmas Day, or going abroad with family to celebrate Christmas in a foreign land, or jumping up and down and eating grapes when the New Year sets in. Everyone has their own ideas on how the perfect holiday celebration should be. Another tradition the holiday season brings is the countless holiday parties to attend. From company Christmas parties to drinking sessions lasting until the break of dawn (Using simbang gabi as an excuse to stay up until morning? Shame on you) and of course, the all-night party that is called New Year’s Eve. With your social calendar booked and your liver and stomach getting ready for maximum alcohol intake, the only detail left to worry about is what to wear. Believe me, to a lot of people, this is the only detail to really worry about. A lot of guys definitely do not take their holiday ensembles as seriously as their female counterparts. Many are happy with just sticking to how they traditionally dress during the holidays, meaning the same shirts and jeans they wear year round, but this time with a jacket. However, for those that want to try something new this year, please allow me to once again share my opinion on what to wear during the chilly days of December to January.
Tropical Layering
To Filipinos, the slightest downpour of rain or the faintest trace of a breeze signals everyone to dust off their wool sweaters and best jackets. Living in a tropical country, any excuse to start layering will be taken, even if the risk of suffering a heat stroke or fever from suddenly rising and changing temperatures is always present. Blazers made with heavier materials like corduroys or herringbone should be considered. But please be warned that wearing such materials will run a high risk of underarm leakage. Only underarms made of steel can resist the perspiration from wearing blazers made of these materials during the warmer holiday nights. If there’s anything I’ve learned from watching old Christmas movies and watching old movies in general, a man should always have at least one slim gray blazer. No matter what the occasion or setting, a guy can never go wrong with a gray blazer, white long sleeves, jeans/ slim black pants and chucks/black leather shoes combination. Cary Grant would definitely approve (kids, Google him). I personally believe that since it is the holiday season, brighter colors are in order. I’m not talking about a red pants and green T- shirt combo in honor of Christmas, of course, but something more subtle but just as festive. Colorful argyle socks should replace those Christmas stockings hanging on your walls. Socks with argyle patterns add a much needed subtle punch to any guy’s wardrobe. A sudden flash of color peeking from your ankles can feel like an inside joke between you and the people who notice. Slim club ties are also a good way of showing your holiday spirit since they combine the preppy diagonally striped ties (think Gossip Girl guy’s school ties) with small printed icons that can range from animals to crests. But always choose your colors carefully, don’t make them too bright. You want to stand out in a good way.
Edwardian Twilight
A dark coloured peacoat (think Edward Cullen’s gray jacket in Twilight) is also an item of clothing that should be utilized during the colder months of the year. One made of cotton would be a good one to get since a peacoat is already very heavy and getting something in an even heavier fabric would be like being inside a portable sauna. Oxford long-sleeved shirts, which are made of heavier cottons, also fall into the heat stroke-inducing clothes category. But they look great wrinkled and frayed, and provide warmth equal to a comforter during those air-con-on-high days of summer. Long-sleeved V- neck shirts look great on their own, with a button-down under it, or under a blazer. Try a slim-fitting tennis V- neck long-sleeved shirt. They have a ribbed and larger V- shape collar versus a normal V- necked shirt. You might not feel like exercising because of the chilly weather, but you’ll surely look like a tennis jock with one of these on.
Finally, being Filipino and celebrating the holiday season will not be complete without the ever present tradition of wearing polka dots during New Year’s Eve. Many believe that the polka dots will bring financial luck and prosperity and I am not one to argue. It’s the one day in the year that polka dots are back in fashion so I say take advantage! Choose something with smaller dots in black or white if you can. You want to look good while following tradition, and not look like a walking Twister mat. So as the days grow shorter and the nights grow longer while the drunken revelry continues, let’s all remember that even though the holidays are about tried and true traditions, sticking to the same clothes might be one tradition you should consider breaking. Celebrate the remaining days of the year by looking great and feeling like Santa gave you a new image. It might make you feel less guilty about breaking the New Year’s resolutions you are about to make.
