Do Brits choose style over comfort on Christmas day?

November 10, 2023

The Great Christmas Day Dress Code Debate: Style vs. Comfort

Everyone's Christmas looks a little different. It's the personal touches that make the festive season so special, with every family or friendship group having a unique yearly tradition to abide by.

However, amidst all the warmth and cheer, there are some tough decisions to make – plain or stripy socks for Dad? Turkey or nut roast? Home Alone or Die Hard? These choices can make or break a successful Christmas, and with strong opinions around the dinner table, pleasing everyone can be hard.

When it comes to your Christmas day fashion, however, the ball is in your court. Whether you fancy lounging around in your PJs all day or dressing to the nines in a brand-new outfit, it's the perfect time to let you be you.

Shoezone conducted a survey involving 1000 participants to uncover the festive fashion preferences of Brits on Christmas Day and finally set the record straight.

Brits prioritise comfort over style for Christmas celebrations

When it comes to Christmas day outfits, there's a variety of looks on show around the Christmas tree.

When asked whether they ‘ dress to impress ‘ or ‘dress for comfort ‘ on Christmas Day, only 22% of Brits opted for style over comfiness. While the majority of Brits look to enjoy the day in comfort bliss, millennials tend to opt for the glamorous look more so than other generations. Just 12% of over 55-year-olds care to dress to impress, compared to 33% of over 55-year-olds – a 20% increase.

Interestingly, there's a noticeable regional divide in Christmas clothing. For example, Northern Ireland (32%) and the North East (30%) have a relatively higher percentage of respondents who prioritise style over comfort, while Wales (66%), the South West (59%)and the South East (58%) have a much higher preference for comfy Christmas clothing.

In terms of outfits, 44% of Brits opt for casual wear, while 10% go full comfort vibes with sleepwear or loungewear. At the other end of the scale, 19% of Brits shine their shoes and dress smarter than usual, while 8% pull out all the stops and showcase their best outfit of the year.

Christmas Jumper: An endangered festive tradition?

As for iconic Christmas clothing items, it turns out the Christmas jumper is less of a staple than you might think. Only 12% of Brits wear the item year in and out, with Northern Ireland being the area most likely to indulge in the tradition (21%). millennials are the most in line with tradition, with 18% dusting off their jumpers year in and out. Conversely, just 6% of over 55-year-olds choose to don Christmas jumpers annually, with nearly 20% stating they would never wear one.

In general, it's a 50/50 split as to whether Brits sport Christmas-specific clothing. 50% wear a Christmas-themed item at some point in the year, while 32% don't purchase Christmas clothing at all; 18% are nonplussed.

Nearly half of Brits choose home for Christmas celebration

For most people, Christmas is all about spending quality time with loved ones; Almost 94% of Brits choose to celebrate the holiday with family or their partner. About half of Brits opt for a cosy day at home, while 22% enjoy the day at a family member's or significant other's home.

While this might be the ideal day for many, 3% of Brits escape to the pub for a festive drink, while 2% pack their bags to enjoy the festive season abroad. Otherwise, 10% spend Christmas Day with friends, while conversely, 8% of Brits spend the day alone.

Meanwhile, 1% of Brits are clocking into work on Christmas day, while 2% spend the day helping the less fortunate.

Stepping into the holidays: Exploring Britain’s choice of festive footwear

Needless to say, the choice of footwear on the biggest day in the calendar is no easy decision. With the power to spice up a look from garish to glam and ruin a carefully curated outfit, your shoe selection is a responsibility not to be taken lightly.

That being said, nearly a third (29%) of Brits are comfort kings and queens, naming slippers as the day's prime choice of footwear. Just 9% of Brits choose heels or smart shoes, while a larger portion (11%) keep it casual by opting for trainers instead.

Meanwhile, 15% negate the choice entirely, opting for either socks or barefoot; a rogue contingent of 4% opt for flip flops, perhaps manifesting warmer weather to come.

The running theme of the festive season is comfort; almost 74% of Brits consider their cosiness as the prime factor in their footwear choice. Interestingly, millennials lean more towards style (26%), while over 55-year-olds value comfort the most (83%).

The perfect Christmas shoe

With much debate around the ideal footwear for the big day, what would the perfect Christmas shoe look like?

What if there was a shoe that could marry the components of a comfortable yet stylish Christmas shoe, providing the UK with the perfect footwear for Christmas Day?

Shoezone set out to create the perfect Christmas shoe based on Brits' Christmas needs, combining the elements that were voted most important to a Christmas shoe.

Shoezone's perfect Christmas shoe:

 

1. Comfy

• Prioritising comfort, this shoe features a luxury faux fur lining to keep your toes warm and feet toasty. For the men's edition, a vegan leather belt strap ensures a snug and comfortable fit.

2. Stylish

• Not compromising on style, the women's shoe is embellished with decorative gemstones to catch the fairy lights, with a gold lining and brooch-style embroidery as the perfect touch of glitz and glamour.

And men aren’t left out here; the addition of a golden belt buckle combined with red contrast stitching provides the perfect level of pomp for a Christmas in style.

3. Slip-on

• As slip-on shoes, these are perfect for a hectic Christmas day where nipping in and out of the house is a guarantee. Save the laces for the rest of the year, and embrace comfort and convenience for the festive season.

4. Cosy

• Super cosy, shoezone's Christmas shoes are ultra-breathable for when the fire is burning and dinner is heating up, making sure you and your feet are taken care of in all temperatures.

5. Festive

• Christmas colours are an absolute necessity, and these shoes are no exception. Marrying snow-white with pine green, and red with gold, these shoes are perfectly understated to celebrate the Christmas tradition while ensuring your style needs are satisfied.

Whether you like to lounge in your pyjamas with a cosy slipper, dress to impress with your party shoes on or brave the Christmas day walk in your winter boots, shoezone has every option for you.

Methodology

Shoezone conducted a survey involving 1000 participants to find out about Britain's festive fashion traditions. Participants selected responses in a multiple choice survey format and could provide their own answers where not mentioned. Results were calculated in percentage terms of the total participants.

Check out the shoezone blog for more style tips and footwear suggestions for every occasion.