12 Thanksgiving Outfits to Wear This Year, No Matter What You’re Doing

At some point in the last decade, picking out a Thanksgiving outfit became quite a tricky task. What was once a holiday spent sitting at the kitchen table in Victoria’s Secret PINK yoga pants evolved into an endless social media frenzy of people posing outside their family’s home dressed to the nines. A dilemma was born: Do you prioritize comfort, or showing your family (and your Instagram feed) that you’re the best-dressed family member on Thanksgiving? The answer is both.

It’s unclear how the holiday that entails sitting in a family member’s living room crammed onto a couch with your cousins began to require such a significant outfit choice, but I’d have to guess that it has something to do with the pre-winter plethora of choices that come with being fall’s last hurrah. Just before the season turns to require wools coats and insulated parkas, you have the chance to bust out your suede jackets and tweeds on that glorious fourth Thursday of November.

Whether you’re planning to veg out on your grandma’s couch and only care about comfort or are going to a formal party where heels are a prerequisite, these 12 Thanksgiving outfits will answer the “What do I wear?” question before you ask it. The only thing you have to worry about this Thanksgiving? How you’re going to fill up your plate.

Formal

For the party that requires dressing to the nines, these dresses and skirts will deliver a look that will name you best-dressed.

Coat (Plus)| Boots (Wide Calf)| Bag | Earrings | Turtleneck (Plus) | Skirt (Plus)

Planning on spending your pre-feast hour making your little cousin take outfit pictures of you? This is the look to do it in. Every element of this outfit takes a warranted backseat to the fringe skirt, which is a piece you’ll wear on repeat long after The Big Meal.

Coat (Plus) | Boots (Wide Calf) | Dress (Plus) | Necklace | Bracelet | Bag

An all-black outfit doesn’t need to feel like you’re headed to a funeral, and this look proves it. The texture and shape of this dress make it feel event-worthy, while the accessories subtly work in the season’s trends in a refined, polished way.

Earrings | Coat | Dress | Bag (Budget Option) | Tights | Heels

You can never go wrong with a mini dress and tights on Thanksgiving, especially when they’re paired with a pair of plaid kitten heels. While the pieces individually might bring back memories of when your mom dressed you before family parties, the styling ensures you’ll feel like you’ve graduated to the adult table.

Elevated Casual

For the party that has an unspoken rule that you dress up, these festive looks feel holiday-appropriate and a little special for the year’s biggest meal.

Coat (Plus) | Sweater (Plus) | Bag | Belt | Trousers (Plus) | Earrings | Loafers

Try your hand at this season’s hottest color combo by dressing in varying shades of brown and contrasting them with burgundy accessories.

Coat (Plus) | Sweater | Belt | Skort (Plus) | Earrings | Heels

Perhaps the Thanksgiving episodes of Gossip Girl that are seared into my brain are to blame, but Thanksgiving feels like a quintessential opportunity to dress a little preppy. A pleated skort, brushed cashmere sweater, and kitten heels make for a combination you’ll actually look forward to getting memorialized in the cousin picture your aunts insist on taking.

Jacket (Plus) | Bag | Ballet Flats | Sweater (Plus) | Hoops | Skirt (Plus)

Thanksgiving is synonymous with the rich, moody hues of autumn, and this look manages to capture them all in one fell swoop. Shades of green paired with chocolatey browns and a hint of plaid will make you feel perfectly festive for the holiday, while the pop of gold the shoes provide ensures it doesn’t feel too on-the-nose.

Casual

When you’re willing to jump into the waters of jeans but still want to be comfortable, these looks will feel festive, but not overly dressed up.

Shirt (Plus) | Bangle | Flats | Jeans (Plus) | Earrings | Belt

If your Thanksgiving is a casual affair, but one you still want to show up in a look for, a baggy-jeans focused look is your best bet. Pair yours with a denim shirt, studded belt, and silver ballet flats for an effortless outfit that’s all about the accessories.

Sweater (Plus) | Jeans (Plus) | Sneakers | Bag | Earrings

A sweater and jeans can feel like you didn’t just phone it in with the addition of a few accessories. With a slouchy suede bag and colorful sneakers, the tried-and-true combo will look anything but boring.

Barn Jacket (Plus) | Sweater | Bag | Sneakers | Earrings | Jeans (Curve)

Make your barn jacket holiday-worthy by pairing it with luxe knitwear and working in the season’s leopard trend via a spotted pair of denim. The result will feel trendy and cool, but not so trendy that you’ll be fielding “What are you wearing?” comments from your grandma all night.

Comfy-Cute

For the party where jeans would make you feel overdressed, these looks are a step up from your average loungewear while remaining perfect for a post-turkey nap.

Cardigan (Plus) | Tee (Plus) | Necklace | Pants | Clogs | Socks

Give your leggings a break and opt for a pair of pull-on cotton pants instead (see how I didn’t refer to them as pajamas?). Regardless of if these pants are technically sleepwear, when paired with a chunky cardigan, this outfit manages to look more holiday-worthy than sweats without sacrificing any comfort.

Sweatshirt | Clip | Sneakers | Pants (Plus)| Bag | Sneakers

If your Thanksgiving consists of hours spent with family crowded around the TV watching football, this outfit will support the cause without needing to look up who actually will be playing on the screen.

Sweater (Plus) | Slippers | Socks | Claw Clip | Hoops | Sweats (Plus)

Let’s get one thing straight: While, yes, these pants are technically sweatpants, their wide-leg design will trick your family into thinking you might actually be wearing real pants. With an oversized sweater on top, the top priority is comfort, but it’ll look like you actually did try to look presentable.

MEET THE AUTHOR

Madeline Galassi, Senior Fashion & Beauty Editor

Madeline Galassi is the Fashion & Beauty Editor at The Everygirl, where she oversees the fashion and beauty categories of the site. She brainstorms, writes, and edits stories across a broad range of topics including trend reports, product reviews, celebrity style, and more. She’s always keeping a pulse on the latest trends to create timely, exciting content for our readers.