“Dressing well is a form of good manners,” Mr Tom Ford once said. But if ever there was an occasion for even the most suave man on the planet to make an exception, the holidays would surely be it. Party season is one thing, and we’re big believers in showing out in your fanciest, most head-turning gear in the lead up to the main event. However, when the big day finally rolls around, and you’re hunkered down at home, there’s nothing better than letting loose in your cosiest sweats and the tackiest novelty sweater you can find.

Or maybe it’s the opposite case entirely. If it really is, as they say, the most wonderful time of the year, then surely one should come wonderfully decked out accordingly? In the same way that a feast of turkey with all the trimmings feels acres more special than last night’s leftovers, so too will a glitzy get-up you wouldn’t typically wear at home only add to the sense of occasion. And given that these days there’s a good chance you’ll be livestreaming all the proceedings to your followers, there’s all the more reason to give your outfit a little oomph.

So, which seasonal style camp do you fall into? Will you be slouching about or suiting up for the holidays? To help us come to our own conclusion, we turned to two well-turned-out writers who’ll be wearing vastly different outfits as they tuck into their Christmas dinner.

There are many things that have surprised me as I’ve grown older, but the revelation that some people don’t like Christmas (at least 15 per cent of the British population, according to one poll) has been a tough pill to swallow. I appreciate that there are those who don’t celebrate for religious or cultural reasons. Personally, though, there’s little I enjoy more than getting up early, opening my stocking (yes, I’m 36), snacking on Santa’s leftover mince pie and throwing on my glad rags to see in the most opulent day of the year.

For context, I’m usually found paddling at the smarter end of the sartorial swimming pool. Where most people in my office wear tracksuit bottoms and sneakers to work, for instance, I’m more commonly draped in white flannel slacks and chi-chi loafers. Christmas Day is no different: in 2022 I wore a slim-cut cashmere suit with a crew-neck sweater and bouclé slippers. This year, I plan on taking things up a notch with a velvet suit from Favourbrook teamed with a cashmere rollneck and some furry Gucci mules.

Does it matter that only my mum, my stepdad and a few relatives will see my outfit? Not really. I’ll look good and therefore I’ll feel good – and I’ll be much better company for it. Life, in my opinion, treats you better when you dress up to meet it – and it’s a dictum the ultimate style guru Ms Coco Chanel lived by, too. “Always dress like you are going to meet your worst enemy,” she famously once said.

Although I sincerely hope that the people you plan to spend Christmas with aren’t foes, I think Chanel was onto something. In our increasingly casualised world, there’s something that feels necessary about taking the time to put on something special every so often. After all, it’s the one day of the year that’s designed specifically to spread good cheer (I’ll call you a Scrooge to your face if you’d prefer), so why not make as much effort with your dress as you will with your dinner? It’s what Jesus would have wanted.

As someone who works in menswear, I like to think I take a great deal of pride in how I look. That is, until the holidays begin. Over the festive season, I specialise in “hit the hay” dressing, a snooze-ready style that sees me almost exclusively in sweats, knitwear and joggers. Call me a grinch if you wish, but I prefer not to go all out for the holidays. The only buttons you will see near me are those made of chocolate.

For as long as I can remember, this commitment to cosy-core come Christmas has been an unsaid rule in my family. In the early 2010s, at the height of the onesie boom, my dad bought the whole family a matching set as a joke present to wear on the day, which we all did – although my grandad’s rotund belly meant he could only shimmy his zip up a quarter of the way. (Note: this was before dinner.)

The food plays a big part in it. According to one survey, the average Brit enjoys nearly 6,000 calories on Christmas Day alone. Surely you can’t tell me that I’ll feel more comfortable enjoying such a feast while wearing trousers that require a belt? Be reasonable. And by the time the food coma sets in, I want nothing more than to be horizontally hunkered down in front of the fire, watching some telly with a hot cup of tea, and wearing jogging bottoms and cashmere socks, not a tailored suit. In fact, my Christmas style inspiration is Rocky Balboa’s workout sweatsuit from Rocky II – although my only drills for the day consist of passing hefty Yorkshire puddings back and forth across the dining table.

Perhaps my usual year-round approach to getting dressed is the secret motivation behind my leisurely festive season. The holidays are about slowing down, enjoying your time and relaxing. I understand the idea of making a fuss over the holidays, but I’m personally happy to hibernate at home and swaddle myself like a pig in a blanket. Or the chicken in a three-bird roast.