Evidence that the holiday season has truly begun: The Bloomingdale’s soundtrack has switched from easy listening to “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Silent Night” and other perennial yuletide favorites; and the in-store offering is following suit, with stacks of Christmas sweaters as far as the eye can see. As a first-time Bloomingdale’s visitor, I must admit that the prospect of putting together a selection of seasonally appropriate outfits was daunting; back home in New Zealand, the largest department store is about a quarter of the size of the men’s-wear section alone. The hurdles are self-evident: too many options, too much running around between the designers’ in-shop shops, a plethora of mediums and larges but few smalls (petite men must buy more clothes, or something). On the flip side, the staff is attentive, the merchandising is worthy of a Milanese boutique’s window, and the brands are spectacular. You’ll find Polo Ralph Lauren sitting alongside Z Zegna, Salvatore Ferragamo and Ovadia & Sons. Just a stone’s throw away are Gant Rugger, A.P.C. and Junya Watanabe, all sharing a corner in the contemporary department.

My mission was simple: Throw together a couple of outfits that would serve a gentleman heading to a variety of holiday parties ranging from the formal to office drinks and dinner at home with the family. First port of call, those Christmas sweaters. Nothing screams holidays louder than a brightly patterned Fair Isle pullover, and I’d bet the Bloomingdale’s selection is one of the largest in the city. Ralph Lauren, Gant Rugger, A.P.C. and the Men’s Store Bloomingdale’s (the store’s in-house label) have you covered for tweedy vests, politely colored cashmere and snowflakes, but if you’re more of the statement maker, you can’t look past Junya Watanabe’s jersey cardigan blazer. At almost $2,000, it’s an investment piece — but it’s an investment that won’t go unnoticed. Pair the lot with some gray flannel pants and a white button-down oxford, I’d say.

For the office party, I headed straight for Ovadia & Sons, the young men’s wear start-up from Ariel and Shimon Ovadia, identical twin brothers. Their take on the genre is dressed up with a twist: hunting blazers with elbow patches and back belts, crisp spread-collar shirts and heavy corduroy pants in burnt orange. Finish it off with a woolen tie from the Men’s Store Bloomingdale’s and you might make the water cooler’s most talked about come Monday morning. To contrast, I vote you keep your formal attire simple: a dark, sharply tailored suit, white shirt and bow tie. Z Zegna provided the suit and shirt, and the herringbone bow tie came courtesy of Ovadia & Sons – and was expertly knotted by David in the Canali department. The man is a maestro.

With so much to choose from, picking best in store was an especially arduous task, but the Men’s Store Bloomingdale’s private label took the prize in the end. How they get that quality at those prices is beyond me, but I’m not complaining. Happy holidays, everybody!

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