For the past Thanksgiving holiday, I hosted a few friends, and friends of friends, in my home. As a blatant backlash against fat pants, the invitation requested that guests dress “smart.” I don't relish being brash, but as this was my first family-free holiday and I was at the helm of the oven, I wanted my Thanksgiving to recall the gracious eras of the past when people dressed up for dinner and when Juicy Couture brand track suits would have been considered sleepwear, not acceptable clothing. As the holiday party circuit begins to gear up, I wanted to lead a revolt against bad, sloppy, uninspired holiday dressing.

Holiday parties come in many shapes and sizes, so you must prepare yourself with an arsenal of fashion. We'll start out with an easy one first: the Friends Holiday Cocktail Party.(LINK FEATURE)

This variety of holiday party is fun because it is no stress: These people already know you and think highly of you. For these fetes, it can be fun to take a risk with your wears. Surprise your friends and wear something new that isn't necessarily out of character, but is a bit edgy. If you're usually a straight, button-down-with-tie kind of guy, sport a bow tie instead. Bow ties can be a bit cheese, but for a holiday party they pass as the “I'm the guy with a sense of humor” sentiment. Ladies, you get a little more room for experimentation than the gents. Find a fabulous wool hat at an antique or thrift store, and freshen it up with a feather pinned behind a beautiful brooch. You may feel a little over-the-top but remember – it's the holidays, when grown men walk around in red and white suits with a pillow duct-taped to their bellies saying ho-ho-ho. You're fine.

Another breed of holiday party is the Office Holiday Party. Sometimes dreaded, sometimes met with great anticipation, the office party can take on many guises. If you work for a large organization with a famous name, chances are you will be attending a soiree. If, on the other hand, you freelance or work in a creative business, the gathering will probably be in the office's kitchenette or at the bar around the corner. A good rule of thumb for either type of event is not to show too much skin. Your coworkers will still be your coworkers after everyone has sobered up. Thus, the Office Holiday Party is not a good time to reinvent yourself. My former corporate workplace held its annual holiday party – which was the talk of the office for a good two months before the event – and one particular admin assistant who showed up in a backless dress was the topic of discussion for the following year. The bare-backed admin left the firm shortly thereafter, but her skin-tillating performance lived on in photographs often referenced to settle lunchroom bets. Keep it safe, wear something classy and if you must make a statement, let it be clever conversation, not questionable attire.

Rounding out the holiday hoopla is the Family Holiday Party. Rarely will you get off the hook attending just one family gathering during the holidays. With my people it is more like a series of parties strung together around the idea of Christmas, when in actuality these “parties” are merely an excuse for us to commune and eat. While I will be partaking in the many edible offerings, I will not be adhering to the casual-it's-just-family dress code which my cousins will be observing. Yes, you should be most comfortable when you are home with family; though as we get older is that notion still true? But that doesn't mean you should spend the day shuffling between sofas in your jammies waiting for the next meal. Try dressing for Christmas dinner and Christmas morning. Pull out all the stops and put your best on for all eight days of Haunnakah.

Putting together your holiday wardrobe will take a little time and a little effort, but it is a way to show that these holiday parties are actually important to you in a way. I don't expect anyone in my family will be joining me on my crusade to improve the fashion at the Christmas dinner table. Nevertheless, I plan to sit next to my unnamed relative in her XXL t-shirt-cum-muumuu and enjoy Christmas in Kansas while wearing my Prada pumps of four seasons ago and my recent Filene's find, an olive brown, asymmetrical Vivienne Westwood jersey dress. They'll probably think I am a freak. Happy holidays!