Portraying Santa begins and ends with the heart. Of course. We all agree. Nevertheless, a good portrayal matters. The details matter. A well-rounded appearance matters (and not only around the cookie zone).

Of course, that begs the question: how does a newbie Santa begin constructing his professional Santa Claus wardrobe? Here are some thoughts.

First of all, after you purchase your suit, try and really focus on the Three B’s: The Beard, the Boots, and the Belt.

The Beard: Get yourself a good set of whiskers. They don’t need to be the greatest, but they shouldn’t be a glorified mop on your face. One of the worst things I’ve ever seen has been Santa’s with good suits and crappy beards. Make sure the bears is as professional as you can. Even synthetic sets can be taken care of and styled.

The Boots: Get yourself a good pair of Santa boots. You don’t even have to spend a lot of money. All you have to do is take a pair of black cowboy boots (or even biker boots with steel toes), take the fur off your spats (or, better yet, go and buy a pair of Santa boot fur cuffs), and put them on the boots. Voila! Perfectly good pair of Santa boots!

The belt: Get yourself a good Santa belt. You can find custom belts. You can find off-the-rack options. Just make sure it looks good. Make sure the belt remains centered. Don’t let it sag.

These are only a few things. There’s more that could—and should—be said. This is just a very brief overview to start a newbie Santa off on the right track.

Of course, that assumes a prospective Santa has it in his heart to do this. If he doesn’t, no amount of external window dressing can fix that. That’s one thing we must all remember: being Santa begins and ends with the heart. Never forget that as you’re working on your Santa wardrobe.