Men’s New Year’s Outfit Suggestions for Every Dress Code

Putting together a men’s New Year’s Eve outfit can be tricky. No worries. We’ll guide you through it!

I know New Year’s Eve parties can be hit or miss. When I lived in LA, pre-Uber, trying to figure out the best way to get to and from the party was a whole production. Now, I live in New York, where it’s all about strategizing. You have to figure out where the venue is, whether it is worth going there, when and where traffic will be bad, and where it will be worse.

Regardless of where you live, though, there are just many expectations. And while you can’t control how your night goes, you can control how you look. So, in the face of unpredictability, glom on to that power. Dress your best, look your best, and have a great attitude. Today, I will help you with a few men’s New Year’s Eve outfits to try. 

What to Wear for New Year’s Eve for Men: From Formal to Casual

Obviously, the biggest consideration regarding New Year’s Eve parties is the venue and dress code. Is it a formal black-tie event? A casual situation at a friend’s house? 

Even if you’re heading to a club, lounge, or restaurant that’s usually casual or smart casual, many establishments tend to level up the dress code for New Year’s Eve. Black suit jackets, as do pops of silver and gold, tend to be popular. Let’s start with New Year’s men’s outfit ideas for formal dress codes.

Formal NYE Outfits for Men

If your party is a strict black tie or at a banquet or a restaurant’s private room, then that’s easy. Just follow the rules. Wear a proper tuxedo (by the way, this is how you do that), a black bow tie, and polished black dress shoes. Usually, a crisp black suit will do if you don’t own a tuxedo. Just make sure to double-check with the hosts.

There are also slightly lenient formal gatherings, such as ones that sit in between formal and cocktail or semi-formals that lean more on the dressy side. With these, you’d still wear a proper suit or tuxedo with dress shoes. But you can have a little fun too!

Perhaps you can wear a dark burgundy suit with either oxblood or burgundy dress shoes. Pairing it with a traditional white shirt and black tie will temper the suit’s expressive color. 

Plus, there’s a style secret: Dark olive and dark burgundy are pretty neutral.

Moreover, a formal New Year’s outfit for men is a better time to pull out these fun colors. Besides, ladies will run around in sparkles, gold, and silver, so you’ll hardly stick out negatively. Speaking of sparkle, there are fun ways for you to incorporate glitziness into a suit or tuxedo, dress code willing. The key things here are balance, confidence, going for high-quality accessories that don’t look costumey, and, of course, respect towards the hosts.

Perhaps it’s a metallic silver or gold pocket square. Maybe you go for a subtly sparkly silver tie, but balance it out with a traditional wool suit. I have a Swarovski-and-pearl bowtie that I (mostly) only ever wear to New Year’s parties. I balance it out with a traditional tuxedo and whole-cut Oxfords.

Casual Men’s NYE Outfits

If a friend invites you to their house for an NYE party and tells you it’s completely casual, this doesn’t mean going in the clothes you slept in. Even if t-shirts and jeans are acceptable, you might want to level it up with an extra layer. 

What would you wear to a casual first date? Even though the vibe is relaxed, you still want to make a good visual impression on her, right? Go for a well-fitted shirt with chinos and clean white sneakers. Top it off with a chore coat, utility shacket, or even a blazer — unstructured blazers are perfect for casual parties. It adds dimensionality and makes you look clean-cut, but it isn’t stuffy or overdressed.

A handsome henley, dark wash jeans, and leather dress shoes would look great with or without a blazer. You’d be surprised how much more party-ready you’ll look when you take a regular everyday outfit and pop on some oxfords over more casual footwear.

Another thing that can level up a casual outfit? Accessories! There may not be room for a sparkly tie or a gold pocket square on a casual outfit, but a gold or silver watch is perfect. If you’re the kind of guy who loves bracelets, go for metallics over leather for a more celebratory look. A men’s outfit for New Year’s Eve is the time to experiment with a touch of glamour.

And, of course, you can never go wrong with chinos, a button-down, and a cashmere sweater. These days, that might be considered more smart casual, but it never looks out of place in relaxed events. And that’s even if the party you’re going to is akin to a Super Bowl party. It’s minimal practical, and there’s nothing on you that you don’t need.

What to Wear to a New Year’s Eve Party for Men

If you take away anything from this post, it’s that the invitation and your knowledge of the host dictate what you wear to a NYE party. Most times, if there’s a strict dress code, the event host will denote it on the invitation. For most parties that are not formal or black tie affairs, stick to a business or business casual dress code. 

That said, you can’t go wrong with a pair of slim-fit chinos and a button-down. Go elevated with a pair of chukka boots, or dress your look down with white sneakers. Especially if the party is more on the casual side. 

Looking for a New Year’s Eve outfit for men featuring jeans? Add more texture to your look by swapping out your button-down for a long-sleeve knit sweater polo. Then pair it with dark wash denim. You can layer a blazer to take your look to the next level.

Last, try a monochromatic ensemble. For colder climates, layer a lightweight turtleneck sweater under a textured blazer and pants. You can go all black or try it in shades of a neutral color, like different variations of grey or taupe. 

Men’s New Year’s Outfit: Celebrating at Home

Some years, you might want to avoid the masses and start the New Year from the comfort of your home. Celebrating NYE at home allows you to wear your most comfortable clothes. If you’re looking for relaxed New Year’s Eve men’s outfit ideas for staying in, go super casual. 

I suggest leaning into athleisure wear, especially if you invite a few of your nearest and dearest friends. The nice thing about athleisure wear is that you can always elevate your look. Many may not consider it office-friendly, but your intimate NYE at home isn’t about impressing anyone. If that’s your route this year, you can’t go wrong by reaching for your favorite pair of joggers. 

You can wear textured joggers like these Taylor Stitch Après pants or the Ash & Erie Hybrid jogger. Both of these are great, elevated options. Wear them with a heavy-weight cotton T-shirt and layer a shacket over it. Joggers also look great with a chambray button-up and a pair of sneakers. 

The goal here is not to look like you just rolled out of bed or walked through the door after a pump session at the gym. Keep that in mind, and you’ll be ringing in the new year stylishly and comfortably. 

Men’s New Year’s Eve Outfits: Grey Area Dress Codes

When in doubt, just go smart casual. Fortunately, we’ve outlined everything you need to know about dressing smart casual right here.

If it were the kind of event that calls for a more business casual situation, you’d likely know about it. It would be on the invite, or your host would tell you. Business casual has many of the same silhouettes as smart casual, but the latter utilizes more practical, comfortable pieces.

Still, you’d opt for dark jeans over light ones, minimal sneakers instead of overtly performance-forward athletic ones, and refined layers. I think the turtleneck is a cheat code for grey area dress codes. It adds structure around your neck, similar to a collar and tie, but is still relaxed-looking. It brings a dapperness to jeans and sneakers but brings a suit jacket down to earth.

FAQs 

You may have additional questions about New Year’s outfits for guys. We have you covered. Here are a few of the most asked questions about what to wear on New Year’s Eve. 

What Color Do You Wear on New Year’s Eve?

You can wear any color you want on New Year’s Eve. However, consider how you’re spending the evening. Check out the invitation for specific dress code instructions if you’re going to a party. 

Can You Wear Jeans on NYE?

Yes, you can most certainly wear jeans on New Year’s Eve. However, proceed cautiously and certainly read the invitation for dress code instructions. If there isn’t a dress code on your NYE event invite, it’s better to be safe than sorry. Feel free to reach out to the event’s host to ask what the dress code expectations are. 

What Does Black Mean on New Year’s?

Wearing black on New Year’s Eve doesn’t mean anything specifically. However, traditionally, black is the go-to color for sophisticated and elevated events—think black-tie affairs. Additionally, wearing black is classic and timeless. Plus, the colors most associated with NYE are black, gold and silver. 

What Not to Wear to a New Year’s Eve Party?

Again, it depends on the dress code. But you likely won’t wear athleisure or super casual oversized clothes (unless you’re celebrating alone or in the comfort of your own home).

Conclusion: Ring In the New Year In Style

Overall, I think New Year’s Eve parties are a time to do something a little different, even if it’s small. Prior mentioned examples include going for a more fun suit color (that’s still appropriate, of course) or incorporating some shiny accessories. At the end of the day, you really just need to follow the dress code, though. But why not have a little fun?

Do you usually attend more casual or formal New Year’s Eve parties? Do you have a go-to style for them? Let us know in the comments!