What to Wear to Thanksgiving Dinner in Arizona: Dress for Hour Three

Tori DressJuniper · $108

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Thanksgiving, Thursday November 26

Dress for hour three.

One good layer over something you can sit in for three hours. That is the whole answer. Pick yours below.

Thanksgiving in Arizona runs warm on the patio at 3 PM and drops into the low 50s by the time pie hits the table. The house is usually set to 74. Dress for all three temperatures at once and you are done. For the weather side of the month, see our guide to what to wear in Phoenix in November.

Dress for hour three, not hour one

Anyone looks good at the door. The outfit gets tested at the table, somewhere around the third plate, when the waistband has an opinion. Pick fabric with four way stretch and a waist that gives. A stiff trouser or a bodysuit wins at 2 PM and loses by dessert.

Color matters more than formality. Juniper, brown, navy and tan read as fall without trying, and they are the colors showing up in activewear everywhere this season. Black head to toe looks like you came from somewhere else.

Her: four pieces, two looks

The Tori Dress in Juniper is the dinner dress. It reads as a dress, moves like athletic wear, and the green is a fall color all on its own. Add the Hayden Hoodie in Beige when the sun drops. Prefer a skirt? The Lauren Skirt in Brown with the Chloe Polo in Sky Blue is the same idea in two pieces. Our guide to layering an athletic dress for fall has the rest of the layering rules.

01

Tori DressJuniperThe anchor. A real dress with four way stretch, so the third plate is no problem.

$108

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02

Hayden HoodieBeigeThe patio layer. Warm after sunset, neutral over any color.

$98

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03

Lauren SkirtBrownBrown is the fall neutral. Stretch waist, no pinch at the table.

$72

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04

Chloe PoloSky BlueA collar makes it dinner. Sky blue keeps it light against the brown.

$70

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Him: a polo, a jogger and a layer

The David Polo in Navy has a collar that sits clean under a quarter zip. The James Jogger in Tan is the trouser alternative that does not pinch at the table. The Alec Quarter Zip handles the patio after dark, and the Kevin Vest works for whoever is running the grill. Not sure which layer? Read vest versus quarter zip.

David PoloNavyThe shirt. Navy hides the gravy and a collar does the dressing up.$76

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James JoggerTanThe trouser swap. Tan reads as chino and moves like athletic wear.$89

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Alec Quarter ZipBlueThe patio layer. Slim collar, zips to the chin when the sun drops.$98

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Kevin VestBlackThe grill layer. Warm core, free arms, and it works over the polo.$78

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Hour one versus hour three

Use this as a quick check before you leave the house.

The patio shift

Sunset in Phoenix lands around 5:20 PM in late November. If dinner is outside, the temperature falls about 15 degrees while you eat. Keep the layer within reach, not in the car. If you are running the morning 5K first, the Scottsdale Turkey Trot guide has a race plan, and you should change before dinner. A race shirt at the table is a choice, not a plan.

Headed to a more formal table? The same polo and quarter zip pass in most homes, and can you wear a polo to a wedding covers the dress code question. A dressier dinner out is covered in can you wear a t-shirt to a nice dinner.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should a woman wear to Thanksgiving dinner in Arizona?

Wear a dress or skirt with stretch and a layer you can drop. Late November in Phoenix is warm in the afternoon and cool after dark, so a dress with a hoodie or jacket over it covers the whole evening.

Is it okay to wear athletic wear to Thanksgiving dinner?

Yes, if it looks tailored and not gym worn. A solid color dress, a polo with a quarter zip, or a clean jogger in tan or navy reads as dressed and still gives you room after the second plate.

What should men wear to Thanksgiving dinner in Arizona?

A polo in navy or white, a tan or navy jogger, and a quarter zip or vest for the evening. It is warm enough for short sleeves at 3 PM and cool enough for a layer by 6 PM.

What colors work for Thanksgiving outfits?

Juniper green, brown, navy, tan and cream all read as fall without trying. Skip black head to toe, which looks like you came from somewhere else.

What do you wear if Thanksgiving dinner is on the patio?

Plan for the temperature to fall about 15 degrees while you eat. Keep a hoodie, quarter zip or vest within reach and wear closed layers once the sun sets around 5:20 PM.