The office Christmas party: Do's & Don'ts

If ever there was a social dilemma, it’s the office Christmas party. It's occasion for you to see your boss as a human, to feign friendship with the girl that's had it in for you from the start and to generally strike that delicate balance of knowing how to have a good time without overdoing it. Trouble is, inhibitions tend to fly out the window in direct correlation to the flow of liquor. But fear not, we've enlisted the wisdom of seasoned reveller, Grazia's Stefan Lindemann, to guide you through the quicksand.

Do’s:

1. Do show up. It’s the courteous thing to do and good manners are always in vogue.
2. Do dress to feel your best. The nature of the event/venue will dictate how far you push it – that new taffeta mini dress you so love ‘ain’t going to fit in down the dogs, but for cocktails or dinner and dancing, it’s on the money. 
3. Do talk to your colleagues about life outside of work. You’re bound to have some common interest and it’ll keep you from sinking into wine fuelled work bitchery.
4. Do compliment your boss and colleagues’ appearances. Keep to specifics though, such as how they’ve done their hair or their totally covetable new shoe-boots / tuxedo jacket. ‘You look amazing’, might trip glibly off the tongue as you sink that 2^nd glass of champagne, but it won’t necessarily sound genuine.
5. Do have a sense of humour. Themed dress codes and group activities will usually become quite enjoyable if you realise you’re all in it together and can laugh at yourself. 
   

Stefan's top party looks: Neck-tie jacket; Armoury dress; chunky shoe-boot; sequin scarf; Moir dress.

Don'ts:

1. Don’t ignore the food. Even if the majority of the budget has been spent on pre-dinner fizz, and the food is forgettable, eat up. See the warning note below*
2. Don’t reveal too much, be it flesh or feeling. Buttock grazing skirts and plunge-to-the-waist necklines scream wardrobe malfunction quicker than you can say Britney Spears. While 'fessing up to anything you'd automatically keep schtum over when sober, is a BAD, BAD move.
3. Don’t lose track of your belongings. Mislaying your new season bow-tie coat, clutch bag with keys, phone etc greatly improves your chances of waking up in the wrong place the next day. Also see warning note below*.
4. Don’t spend the whole night in girly cliques in the loo. You might be innocently reapplying your makeup, but it’ll look like you’re gossiping - or worse.
5. Don’t forget to have fun. A sequinned dress being a surefire way to get you in the mood.  

 

More party pleasers: longerline tux jacket; waistcoat tulip dress; Emerald dress; Moc croc clutch. 

Comments

[flower girl dress patterns]

It was nice reading your post. I needed to know such kind of information to update myself. I work in my friend’s boutique of flower girl dresses and also help in the online promotion.

[tasha]

This advice should be written on the office Christmas party invitations! I remember some terrible wardrobe malfunctions at the office Christmas party in London last year, with a record number of buttock grazing skirts and plunge-to-the-waist necklines. And why are Christmas parties an excuse to embarrass ourselves?

[Allen]

Excellent guidelines. This blog is really great. The content of it is so helpful. Love it. Thank you so much.