Yes, Virginia, That is a Santa Claus!

We're all familiar with the sparkly sweaters of the season - how some find them adorable, others atrocious. Rather than dwell on that dark side of holiday-themed garb, I choose to discuss how it can, on occasion, be done well.

A key term in this discussion is gonna be the word subtle. Consider it your own personal mantra as you find yourself poised at the checkout counter with a hunk of calender couture in one hand and your Visa card in the other.

There is a gent I know who has definitely not been been chanting subtle, subtle, subtle to himself as he picks out his ties in the AM. His sins against haberdashery run the gamut from Eisenhower-era holly jolly atrocities to an oversized, disembodied head of the Grinch sneering out at you. I include him here as a cautionary tale. The holidays don't mean that one can just simply flout the rules of quality neckwear. Those rules are exceedingly rigid and remain in effect 365 days a year. They are, you realize, there to protect us all.

On to accentuating the positive ...

Here is a counter-example, a how-it's-done going out to those for whom questions remain. 

Note the small scale of the pattern. You need to be within at least five feet of the wearer before you even realize Santa's on that tie. If you can identify the mammal on any tie from beyond the five-foot "safe zone", that sucker's just too big. Ditch it immediately.

The colors are not obnoxious in their Christmasy-ness. Its color is more akin to strings of cranberries on the tree than to Rudolph's glowing schnoz. You could practically wear it on a televised debate, yes? 

And did you notice that it is confident enough to forgo green completely? Yes! By going with blue instead of green, it's an easy match to a blue dress shirt - something every man looks good in and already has in the bullpen. If that tie were red and green, it would wind up paired with the dreaded white dress shirt - the one that makes even the most-distinguished of men look as if they're about to ask if you'd like some freshly-ground pepper on your salad. Not a pretty picture now, is it?

The last feature I'd like to touch on here is its sheen. It's the eggshell finish, not the high-gloss. Shiny is not subtle. Shiny is cheap. Save the tinsel for the tree, gentlemen. That's where it goes.