Christmas attire: Not just red and green
Which is worse: Going to a party underdressed or overdressed?
I think it must be a Malaysian thing, to walk into what one is guessing is a formal do in jeans and a jacket because you don’t want to look like you’ve been waiting all year to get all dressed up and use all that make-up you’ve been saving the last five years.
When Lokes and I got married, we’d put ‘Black Tie Only’ on our invites. About 1/3rd of the guests arrived in jeans and jackets, which was pretty good, considering that only one in five Malaysian households own a cocktail dress/fancy dress shirt.
At tonight’s Christmas party thrown by Lokes’ company sub-division, I’d thrown on around four a half different outfits, to arrive at – you guessed it – a modest jeans-and-red-jacket-tank-top combo because I had no idea what "Christmas attire" meant.
"Does it mean red and green clothes only?" I’d asked Lokes. He, of course, has less of an idea than me, and has neither green nor red whatever and thus, donned a black Italian silk shirt and jeans. We thought we’d looked a pretty pair and were off.
Suffice to say, Americans are pretty serious about their Christmas attire. I should’ve suspected from the racks and racks of fancy velvet (or velour, as the locals like to call it), satin, suede, cashmere tops, bottoms, full-body-affairs (and sometimes, not-so-full) at Target. I thought these were clothes people bought to wear at home on Christmas day or when visiting friends, like the Chinese New Year bajus we buy to wear during the New Year. Or when taking family pictures to be made into holiday letters or Christmas cards. Or when they got invited to a REAL Christmas party.
Note to self: Next year, dress to kill. Or at least, aim to maim.
ps. We have a picture. Will scan and put it up tomorrow.
Malaysian Christmas attire.
Sharon
I thought you are putting on the cocktail dress. Show pictures…
I thought so too, but changed my mind coz I didnt have the right shoes. My Target shoes did not arrive in time!!
Dec 16, 2007 @ 10:26 am
nancy
I like your idea of appropriate attire much better than a typical american’s idea. I hate hate hate to buy a fancy dress for a one time wearing. Uncomfortable shoes, uncomfortable dresses, ugh!
You guys look great to me!!
Thanks Nancy! You should’ve heard the lady prompting us to hold hands (both of them!). It was hilarious. The photographer finally went, “If it makes you feel strange, you can let go.” Definitely a new experience for us (we’re not very fond of the camera for obvious reasons).
Dec 17, 2007 @ 12:57 pm
Anchovy
Hi JT, surprise surprise surprise!!! bumped into ur blogspot by accident and voila, saw u and robot here
How’s life woman? can see you are in ‘perfect’ health
Haha if only it were REALLY healthy, man. How are you lou kung jai??
Dec 17, 2007 @ 5:09 pm
YvonneO
You both look fantastic… what sort of Christmas party is this? Is it one of the fancy cocktails kind? Then maybe you should have broken out the bling.
And also, about the last blog… you look really, really good. And healthy. Don’t listen to the idiots with their unhelpful criticisms. Some people don’t understand a healthy approach is better than just the “appearance”.
All the best to you and yours for Christmas and the New Year. Thank you for all the fun and not-so-fun stuff you’ve blogged about. (Makes quiet afternoons at work a little easier to get through!!)
Same to you, lady! Thanks for the compliments!
Dec 20, 2007 @ 7:11 pm
fashionasia
eh the lokes is kinda cute!!! saw him in In-tech pull-out some months ago….haha….oh…and your maroon jacket is nice wat….cute couple u two. Blessed Christmas!
Oh he has to see this lol. He lost 90lbs!!
Dec 21, 2007 @ 2:06 am