LOOKBOOK | Summer in December: Two weeks of Luau-themed office wear

Ah, Christmas in the tropics. No matter the slight drop in temperatures, we're still far from the snowy white holidays etched into our minds. But at least we can enjoy the beach with no problem. And I get to wear shorts and a tropical print shirt any time I wish, just like in the photo above, taken in 2018.

Meanwhile, face-to-face Christmas parties are back and our department chose a luau theme. I personally would have wanted something that entailed a bit more effort (yes, it's way too easy) but there's no point in sulking. They say happiness is a choice and I chose to be happy and just enjoy the theme, so much so that I decided to wear luau-themed office wear for two weeks leading up to our party (Caveat: We're on a hybrid work arrangement, so I wasn't at the office all throughout those two weeks).

Outfit 1: Going nuts with coconuts

How much more tropical can you get with coconuts? This form-fitting shirt features both tree and fruit and nothing else. I like how the prints are in darker shades of green and brown, which is a welcome departure from the customary bright colors of most Hawaiian shirts. Paired it with dark gray pinstripe pants and brown leather.

Outfit 2: Mr Octopussy

Yup, the octopuses are quite prominent in this shirt, which is also filled with all sorts of tropical references. Technically speaking, this isn't a Hawaiian shirt because of the galleons in the design, making it more Caribbean than Polynesia. Still, it's a fun and vibrant shirt that goes well with dark blue cropped pants and loafers.

Outfit 3: An ode to the 90s

This outfit just screams 90s vibes for me. I guess it's the rather baggy cut of both shirt and pants, a trend that's quite popular among Gen Z these days. But these loose-fitting pieces are practically the wardrobe of my youth! So yeah, I'm confident enough in wearing this, hibiscus flower print and all.

Outfit 4: Fade into you

It's another baggy shirt day for me here but instead of pairing it with baggy pants, I opted for a contrasting, tapered fit. The shirt has some really large prints but it eschews loud colors for a more subdued treatment via faded duochrome print. Added some boat shoes to complete the look.

Outfit 5: Tropical bomber no bummer

The day of our party, I ditched the Hawaiian shirt for a tropical print bomber jacket. Some colleagues thought that this was already my party outfit but no, this was my work outfit. I let the jacket shine by just wearing a white tee underneath, a pair of jeans, and sneakers.

Outfit 6: The laid-back party look

Yup, I decided to be as laid-back as I could by wearing shorts. I mean, I've been wearing very relaxed, tropical print shirts to work for days, so how else could you take it further? Anyway, the maroon color complements the dominant peach hues of my shirt just fine. For whatever it's worth, I left an extra button unfastened. I guess I was feeling sexy somehow.

For footwear, I opted for something with a touch of glam; hence, the mules with an oversize gold chain design. It was the perfect excuse to wear them again. They ain't cheap, so they need more mileage. They also served as accessories already, so I no longer wore any lei. I did, however, slip a frangipani clip into my hat for that added touch of luau.

Alohahaha!