St. Patrick’s Day is only a couple of weeks away! And if you don’t know, there’s an old tradition that people who don’t wear green on the holiday can get pinched by anybody as punishment. Why? According to the Christian Science Monitor: “It’s an entirely American tradition that probably started in the early 1700s. St. Patrick’s revelers thought wearing green made one invisible to leprechauns, fairy creatures who would pinch anyone they could see (anyone not wearing green). People began pinching those who didn’t wear green as a reminder that leprechauns would sneak up and pinch green-abstainers.” So, okay, we’ve established that Americans are obnoxious and you don’t want to get pinched (without a safety word). You’re next step is to figure out how to add a pop of green into your wardrobe on March 17th without looking cheesy.
Necktie
Tried and true, neckties can get you out of almost any holiday celebration fix while on the clock. The versatility works very well. If you’re on the business end of things, wear it professionally. If you’re in a place that’s more casual about its attire, keep the knot loose and keep your collar unbuttoned. If you want to be obvious that you’re wearing it for the holiday, go for a brighter shade of green. If not, go for a darker one. Nobody will be the wiser.
Cufflinks
If you’re on the seriously professional side of things and stuck wearing suits (poor, poor man), you can go as subtle as just wearing cufflinks. If you feel the need to be playful, go for something more novelty. But also wearing sophisticated cufflinks such as green gemstones works equally well.
T-shirt
For those of us that get to be more laid-back on the holiday, a simple t-shirt can give you a laissez faire appearance about the whole ordeal while still being comfortable. But what kind of t-shirt to wear? Note that the classic “Kiss Me, I’m Irish,” stuff is often something no actual Irishman would be caught dead wearing. Rather, consider going for a forest green shirt that promotes classic beers such as Guinness.
Socks
Still not feeling it? Then make things even easier: go for green socks. Not much to say about this one. Socks are socks are socks. If you want to make them a little more obvious, go for a brighter color paired with otherwise neutral-toned clothes. But if you just want to keep people off your backs for “not” wearing green, you can just smugly lift up your pant leg and be on your way.
Underwear
This one is only for guys out for a bit of fun. See, the thing about wearing green underwear is you’ll have to prove it if you’re called out for not wearing green. Up for that challenge? If you particularly like the guy, take him back to your place, pull your underwear off, and proclaim, “I’m not wearing green! Pinch me!”
