Josh Bozin shares his holiday dressing, dining and downtime plans
Festive styling advice and food fodder from a renowned journalist.
5 Minute Read
When it comes to festive, party-ready dressing for the modern man, the tyranny of choice can be overwhelming. Outfit construction comes natural to some, and feels like a game of Tetris to others. Pending on your seasonal plans – between beach-going and fine dining – nailing an all-occasion summer wardrobe can require some serious forward-thinking.
Luckily, one of the nation’s favourite men’s luxury fashion and lifestyle journalists, Josh Bozin, is here to walk every man through outfitting, dining and unwinding essentials for a balmy break. You might recognise his name from words in GQ, Robb Report and Harper’s Bazaar. He’s a huge advocate for versatility, and lightweight, breathable fabrics that offer “flow”.
Travel, automotive, food and beverage and entertainment are some of the topics I love to cover
From his default at-home cocktail to some must-visit foodie hotspots, Josh is serving us a supremely indulgent holiday itinerary on a silver platter. We’re talking Christmas hosting and NYE outfitting to carry you through the entire break. And for any last-minute gifters reading, be sure to pay close attention – or feel free to screenshot – his impeccably curated wish list. ‘Tis the season to dress up and give with heart, after all.
For those unacquainted, can you explain to us your field of journalism and what sort of editorial writing you do?
I often tell people that I specialise in the reportage of men’s fashion and watches, but really, my role as a freelance journalist and editor allows me to take on stories that ultimately interest me. Travel, automotive, food and beverage and entertainment are some of the topics I love to cover. I work across a number of fashion and lifestyle publications both domestically and internationally, and I’d say that my interest in watches — in particular luxury watches — really was something that started off as a hobby. That has now grown into something that allows me to travel the world to cover the latest releases in the watch world, which is a lot of fun.
What are your plans for this Christmas? And the entire week of festivities that flows into New Year’s…
Eating wholesome, hearty foods until my heart’s content (laughs). This Christmas, I’m heading to lunch at Chancery Lane with my fiancée’s family, which I’m really looking forward to! For dinner, it’s a drive back home to my parents’ house where Mum will undoubtedly be preparing a three-course meal consisting of fresh seafood, an Italian-inspired entree, like pasta vongole, and a main meal to finish — usually Turkey! Naturally, we need a day or two to recover from the festivities (and all the eating!) so Cat and I will head down to our holiday house on the Mornington Peninsula where we don’t do much but laze about.
What are your non-negotiables or fool-proof advice for getting eveningwear right, especially during the holidays?
If you’re heading overseas — anywhere in the northern hemisphere, let’s say — I would always pack a trusty sports coat that you can literally dress up or down. If there’s a formal occasion on the horizon, you could pair that with an Oxford shirt, tie and woolen trousers. If you need to dumb it down a little, ditch the tie, swap the Oxford for a buttoned-down shirt (or even a turtleneck sweater) and throw on a pair of selvedge denim jeans. It’s a versatile look and one that unequivocally works for occasions that call for cocktail or smart-casual attire, but just as easily for those times you might just be heading out for a casual dinner.
Now if we’re talking about the Australian summer, you can’t go wrong with a linen or seersucker getup. Lightweight, breathable fabrics that offer “flow” look great during the warmer months. Of course, you can pair anything from a t-shirt to polo, shirt or lightweight sweater with these items and they’ll look a million dollars.
As we prepare to wind up and put tools down for the year, it’s officially time dress up. For festive celebrations ahead, what are you wearing when it comes to formal attire?
Many years ago, I spent Christmas in New York City and it was my first ‘white Christmas’. It was incredibly beautiful, and it really lived up to the expectations we have of what the ideal Christmas would look like; snow, cosy fires, hot chocolate, big knit jumpers, warm hearty foods. But being the middle of winter, the season also allowed for a wider variety of dressing options when it came to special dinners and that sort of thing. So, that Christmas really opened up my mind on how I wanted to dress for the festive season. While I’m not exactly wearing turtleneck sweaters and warm flannel suits, I’m not wearing thongs and a t-shirt either. I love a good deconstructed linen blazer for Christmas day lunch, paired over a polo and matching linen trousers or perhaps a pair of chinos. Loafers always come in handy as it’s usually quite hot here in Australia. For the evening, I might strip it back a little and opt for a nice cotton or linen shirt over loose trousers (to make up for the inevitable expansion of the waistline thanks to Christmas lunch). After Christmas day is done, it’s straight to the beach on the days leading up to NYE, and you’ll pretty much find me in anything terry-towelling, linen and resortwear.
When it comes to New Year’s outfitting, what would be your ultimate look?
I really think it depends on your plans. I mean, most people love a NYE event, so I think if you’re going to dress up, I would definitely opt for a smart-casual look that’s weather-appropriate. Perhaps a fun camp-collar short sleeve shirt with some sort of print or funky colour, paired over wide-cut jeans or trousers, and finished with a pair of golden goose sneakers.
Lastly, the ultimate silly season cocktail for the well-dressed man? How are you making it?
To be honest, I keep it pretty simple when it comes to ordering (or making) a cocktail; there’s been far too many times I’ve ordered the most adventurous cocktail on the menu only for it to be less than appealing. You can’t go past a classic Negroni, for whatever occasion is at hand. Lately, I’ve also been enjoying a glass of Drambuie over rocks. It’s a Scottish liquor made up of Scotch whisky, heather honey, herbs and spices, and it’s absolutely delicious (and not too overpowering) to be enjoyed on its own with ice and even a slice of orange.
