Does Thanksgiving Have a Dress Code?
We left behind the bright and warm hues of the summer and transitioned into the dark tones of Fall. Halloween costumes took over in October, and are hopefully folded up again and placed in the depths of your closets, where you probably won’t see them ever again. Hope you kissed them goodbye, at least.
The holiday season is upon us, which means fashion continues to evolve. Every week, we see new trends emerge, complementing the upcoming holiday we’re celebrating. Before everyone gets ahead of themselves and picks up their reds and greens for December’s festivities, golds and silvers for the new year, we should think about November's annual celebration.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and if you don’t know what to wear yet, you’re not alone. It’s a very versatile holiday, and you can go about it in many different ways. What I like to do is call upon my style icons: fictional characters whom I associate with Autumn.
The TV show “Friends” has some great style options. Rachel Green often wears plaid or pleated skirts, brown knee-high boots, and turtleneck sweaters. Long sleeves under dresses is a perfect mix between dressy and casual that never lets you down.
If you want to step it up, Blair Waldorf, the queen of the Upper East Side in the TV show “Gossip Girl”, brings elegance to her Thanksgiving outfits. As it happens to be her favorite holiday, she knew she couldn’t let us down with her fashion choices.
Her gold Marc Jacobs dress from the 2007 fashion show is still talked about to this day. Paired with a capelet, gold jewelry, a gold clutch, black sheer tights, and black kitten heels, the outfit is the perfect Thanksgiving option. It’s dainty, contains muted hues, and screams autumn.
Most of Blair’s Thanksgiving outfits throughout the show involve a short dress with black sheer tights– add some layered jewelry and cute shoes, and this could be the perfect holiday outfit starter pack.
Sweaters form a big part of fall fashion. A chunky cable knit sweater can be integrated into your Thanksgiving outfit to give off a cozy vibe while still keeping it festive. We can look at Billy Crystal from “When Harry Met Sally,” Chris Evans from “Knives Out,” or Alexis Bledel from “Gilmore Girls.” Pairing a white sweater with some Levi’s jeans is the ideal outfit for both men and women.
If you’re looking for a pattern to wear this Thanksgiving, polka dot is a fall staple. It’s currently popular throughout the nation and is predicted to keep trending for the 2025-2026 winter season. Polka dot heels, tops, and dresses can make exquisite outfits this fall and winter.
Men’s fashion for Thanksgiving doesn't have to be complicated. Quarter zip sweaters with some dark jeans or pants are a simple yet elegant choice. The same goes for cashmere sweaters layered over collared shirts, with the collar peeking out at the top. You can also never go wrong with a long coat that complements the rest of the outfit.
Muted tones such as brown, orange, yellow, and cream will be your best friends during this holiday. Mix and match, wear a monochrome outfit, or wear distinct patterns. Thanksgiving is not just about the food, but an excuse to play dress-up with an audience, which we all know is every fashion enthusiast's dream come true.
Strike out,
Sol Moyano
Boca Raton
Sol Moyano is a content writer for Strike Magazine Boca. When she’s not busy writing, she’s ignoring all of her responsibilities in favor of reading fiction novels. She updates her Goodreads and Letterboxd way more often than her LinkedIn. You can reach her at solmoyano05@hotmail.com or her instagram: @solmoyanooo.
Cover Image Courtesy: Friends
