New Year’s Eve is just around the corner and just around the corner from that is a whole new decade. If you really want to get technical, the new decade is actually 2021, but either way, celebrations are in order. So before you ring in the new year with pomp and prosecco, you want to prepare with a fit of cosmic proportions befitting yet another trip around the Sun.
While the 2020 festivities are universal, the parties you attend are not. Show up tux’d to your local dive or thrashed tee, socks and ‘stocks to the black-tie benefit dinner and you’ll win bragging rights for the next decade as the worst missed memo. That’s why we’ve rounded up three different outfits for three different New Year’s Eve parties. Whether it’s a soiree with silver plates of champagne weaving through well-to-dos, a dinner shindig with close friends or a true dance-til-you-drop party with a capital ‘P’, pull up to the function in any one of these get-ups — they’re certified foolproof.
The Formal Party
You are probably not going to an actual black-tie event. But if you are, then all you need is a tux, a white dress shirt, a black tie and black dress shoes. For the rest of us going to less prestigious yet still formal New Year’s Eve celebrations, there’s more room to play. The formal flexibility is nice but can leave you prone to choice paralysis. So keep it simple and don’t think about it too much.
Black dress trousers give a solid foundation that can go any number of directions. A single pleat lends itself well to dressier occasions. You might be tempted to go with an oversimplified recipe of a white dress shirt and a tie, but remember, it’s still a party. Toss some sauce on it and have some fun. Swap the button up for a sweater like a turtleneck, the MSG of winter garments. It’s got no room for a tie but still dresses up an outfit. From there, don a patterned sportcoat for garnish and you’ve got a winning dish. Trust — the fashion landscape has shifted and the concept of “formal” has eroded. And just because you’ll hang your coat up as soon as you arrive at the scene (a fashionable 15 minutes late) doesn’t mean you should wear a Patagonia fleece with it. Couple your dressed-up duds with a classic long coat.
Roy Sunglasses by Jacques Marie Mage $895
Trench Coat by Auralee $1,200
Posillipo Unstructured Blazer by De Petrillo $1,150
Nick Mock-Neck Sweater by NN07 $250
Black Trousers by AMI $380
Merino Wool Dress Cocks by Boardroom Socks $15
Lucien Derby Shoes by Mr P. $495
Alternatives
The Dinner Party
Your friends invited you over to their place for a cute little dinner to welcome the 2020 baby. Sure, it’s casual and there will be boozy bevs, but it’s not necessarily a rager. You’re asked to bring a sacrifice (some kind of dish or a bottle of wine, just not a casserole). The TV will be playing the ball drop. The key here is comfy but still nice.
To start, a pair of khaki chinos. They aren’t quite as casual as blue jeans but they also can’t be mistaken for being too formal. Grab a comfy sweater, maybe a cable knit because you’re, like, fancy. Whatever it is, make sure it’s not a sweatshirt. Think merino wool or cashmere. Any color will do since the chinos are neutral. Toss on a chore coat over that for added texture and because it’s cold outside. Really, anything with an inside pocket for a flask in the event that the party sucks. For the feet, some classic white sneakers will do or a pair of moccasins if you’d rather avoid getting pinot on your Air Force 1’s.
Corduroy Chore Jacket by Mr P. $325
Cable-Knit Cashmere Sweater by Emma Willis $480
Classic Cotton T-shirt by Sunspel $90
Trousers by Auralee $520
Mil-Spec Sport Socks by American Trench $13
Jacques Derby Shoes by Mr P. $495
Alternatives
The Casual Party
Whether the dinner party went from mild to real spicy, or you and yours are partying from bar to club and back for seconds, your outfit should be comfortable enough for you to get your freak on but also say that you came dressed for New Year’s. You’re ready to turn up, do some dancing and possibly ride the wave until McDonald’s opens for breakfast, which you’ll need.
Mix up the patterns, play with textures. Start with some kind of fancy silk shirt with an abstract pattern (leave the regular plaids at home) as the centerpiece. Your party pants could go any way here, but we recommend a pair of good ol’ blue jeans. Things could get messy and taking your wool pants to the dry cleaners is annoying. Jeans you don’t mind soaking in brews is easier to deal with post-NYE. Once you’ve got that play memorized, next comes the dagger — Gucci loafers. They’ll get you into the club where sneakers won’t. Plus, they’re comfier and more stylish than dress shoes when cutting up a rug. Go into 2020 with a W.
Quilted Checked Overshirt by Acne Studios $650
Leopard Shirt by 99%IS- $430
Classic Cotton T-Shirt by Sunspel $90
Monkey Cisco Jeans by Kapital $405
Mil-Spec Sport Socks by American Trench $13
Larry Leather Sneakers by Mr P. $325
Alternatives
Go Behind the Scenes of the Photoshoot
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