We might not be going out, but making an effort for a special evening in can help beat the gloom, says Stephen Doig
In the heaving, overspilling hell-sack of problems that 2020 has hurled at us, being unable to put on your glad rags and go out on the town is considerably low down the list. Yet, as we mark a midway point in the second national lockdown since the coronavirus changed our way of life, I can’t be the only one eager to don anything other than the familiar hoodie. In a fit of reckless spending back in January, I purchased an evening jacket and trousers, earmarked for events on the calendar. A summer cocktail here, a friend’s landmark birthday there. Little did I know. They hang unworn on my wardrobe door to this day, a taunting reminder of the black line through the year’s social plans.
But in looking for ways to alleviate the lockdown doldrums, dressing up and puttin’ on the Ritz can work wonders to alleviate the gloom. I don’t mean on a grey Tuesday morning, but a few planned special nights in can help to break up the same-sameness. And dressing up for them has a psychological impact; it’s a reminder of our lives pre-covid, and a shift in mindset from day to night.
Obviously, I don’t mean the ceremonial rigmarole of full evening dress – although if you’re that way inclined, proceed by all means. Let’s call it front-room formal; a wardrobe that’s not a full-on evening look, but a step up from your normal attire.
It’s telling that formalwear outfitter Favourbrook has seen an uplift in men asking for tactile, soft-fit velvet jackets. “They tell us there’s no other reason than to make the sundowner that little bit more glamorous,” says founder Oliver Spencer. “We’ve also seen more people choosing our Nehru jacket, which has all the theatre of a velvet jacket but with a more casual feel. Right now, people want to make an occasion out of the mundane.”
Velvet is an easy “in” in this regard; it can be as easily paired with jeans as with more formal trousers. And while I’m utterly averse to the novelty festive sweater, there is another category of “fancy” jumpers that are worth exploring. Ralph Lauren has cornered this market for its knitted numbers embroidered with stylish bears; cosy and faintly comic but with sartorial nous.
Look at the little things, too; the way a woman might put on a slick of red lipstick or pair of earrings to step into evening, there are similar adjustments for us men. You might feel more comfortable in a sweater, but slip on a collared shirt beneath it for more polish. Likewise it might be worth upgrading the old cotton button-down shirt for something with a bit more starch, with cuffs that call for cufflinks to add glint as you lift your glass in cheers.
A sharp shirt underneath a shawl-collared cardigan is also a happy medium. Investing in a sophisticated new scent – you haven’t spent money on socialising, after all – will help switch the mood to cocktail hour.
Finally, as these pages have rhapsodised about in the past, upgrading your slippers from a shearling version to something more elegant and debonair will act as a sweet spot between dressy and homely.
There’ll be ample opportunity to dress up in the future, but for now we may as well make the most of our nights in.