[ Ouch. It's a fair shot: he's been committed to this look for a long, long time now. ]

I sometimes indulge in a bit of bone white.

[ It is briefly unclear whether he's joking. Except that he tips his head and adds, more openly wry: ]

But let's try not to give our hosts any ideas. I never know what they'll do with the free outfits.

[ This is his second January, his second party invite and accompanying overwrought cloak left to decay in a closet. If he keeps passing up the offers, the snake in charge might start getting creative. ]