As folklore goes, it’s traditional to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day as revelers believed it made them invisible to leprechauns, and so they couldn’t steal their gold. Fairy creatures would pinch anyone they saw, ie. anyone not wearing green, so revelers took it upon themselves to pinch people who weren’t wearing green as a reminder. While you might say, ‘What a load of old crock,’ wearing green is a fun way to pay tribute to the 1 million Irishmen and women who settled in America during the Great Potato Famine, and to show your Irish pride or heritage on this fun filled day.
If you think that wearing green means t-shirts with “kiss me I’m Irish,” or giant felt hats, think again! You can wear green and stay sharp during St. Patrick’s Day. Here’s how.
In the Office
How To Wear Green This St. Patrick’s DayIf you love the novelty of St Patrick’s Day, consider wearing a bow tie to show your support. Keeping a theme to one small accessory has a big impression, but won’t detract from your daily business. Popular holiday patterns include shamrocks, leprechauns, and pots of gold or horseshoes for luck, but you can also stick to wearing an elegant green tie, too. A simple way to make your bow tie pop is to pair it with a light green shirt, with a dark green bow tie, with a neutral suit. This will bring the right kind of attention. Socks also work well for the professional setting.
On the Parade Route
How To Wear Green This St. Patrick’s DayIf you are planning on cheering from the sidelines, a green scarf or hat is a great way to add a dash of green to your ensemble, but avoid the temptation to wear both. While it is fun to get into the spirit on the parade route, you will want to avoid going OTT if you are meeting friends for drinks after. While she might think your giant gold glasses and stick on shoe buckles are “cute,” she isn’t going to ask for your number. You can add a green t-shirt or dress shirt to your outfit if you plan on going indoors, or layer the greens you wear. It’ll add a great depth of color without looking too, I dug this out from the back of my closet.
The Party
How To Wear Green This St. Patrick’s DayIf someone invites you to their St Patrick’s Day party, do them a solid and wear something green. There’s no finite rules on what you can or can’t wear, but if they’re hosting a themed party, you will be appreciated if you abide by the expectation and match the decor they went to so much trouble to piece together. Depending on how you regularly dress, consider changing out one item for green, or go big and dress up. We’ll leave this one up to you to decide, but we do recommend asking if it is fancy dress versus just showing up dressed as a leprechaun on Spring Break.
And remember, every time someone wears a slogan shirt, a Leprechaun steals the interest from your savings account; so stop doing it and if you don’t have a savings account, it’s time to invest in your own pot of gold.
So there you have it, gents! How to wear green on St. Patrick’s Day, like a champ!
