On the days when we look into our (admittedly over-stuffed) closets and moan that we have “nothing to wear,” our first stop—after taking a deep breath and a gulp of coffee—is to click on over to Lemon Stripes.
It’s on that bright and sunny site that personal style blogger Julia Dzafic offers an almost daily dose of outfit inspiration.
What we love about Julia’s style is that it’s simultaneously unexpected, completely approachable, and adorable, too—a brilliant fashion trifecta. . . which makes her the perfect muse for getting us going in the morning.
With Thanksgiving around the corner, we asked Julia to school us on what to wear to dinner—you know, the annual meal where you stuff yourself silly and then take a whole bunch of family photos? Check out how she brilliantly styled Draper James, along with her lesson below.
When it comes to dressing for Thanksgiving dinner, what are the considerations?
It’s all about comfort—comfort at the beginning of the meal and comfort after eating too much turkey and pie! Meaning: Avoid anything tight!
Also, think about who you will be with (perhaps Grandma doesn’t approve of low-cut tops), the formality of the meal, and what you’ll be doing after you eat.
But above all else, be you!
You put together two separate looks from Draper James. What drew you to these pieces?
I love the floral print that shows up in the Nashville Top, Knoxville Pant, and McKenzie Skirt, and I like how it comes in two different, but complementary colors. I often mix and match, so I thought they would be perfect for creating many different looks. I only showcased two outfits here, but could have done so much more.
The first look pairs a statement sweatshirt with patterned pants. Can you really do a sweatshirt on Thanksgiving?
Of course you can! I added a classic striped oxford under the Hello, Sugar Sweatshirt to bring the look together. Without that, it might look a little sloppy.
What about the head-to-toe concept of the second look?
I’m obsessed with pattern mixing and have been known to do it on a daily basis.
That is no different for holidays!
I generally mix very different patterns like stripes and plaid. I love that these two are the same print, but in complementary colors. It’s unexpected, but not so far “out there” that Grandma will look twice.
Describe the Thanksgiving dinner you would wear each of these to.
My parents are divorced, so we now have two Thanksgiving traditions. I love both of them, but they couldn’t be more different!
On my dad’s side of the family, we all dress up for a full day of eating at my aunt’s house in Rhode Island. We’re Italian, so one of the seven courses is lasagna. . . Yes, lasagna. We eat it right before the turkey course, naturally. We eat course after course, catch up on life, and watch all of the football in between. Everyone always dresses up, so the mixed pattern look would be perfect for that tradition.
We spend every other Thanksgiving with my mom and her husband’s family in Northern California. Everyone brings a dish (someone’s always responsible for the fresh oysters) to a big picnic table at Stinson Beach. After dinner, they all swim at sunset. I tend to just watch, as the water is freezing cold. It’s a super casual affair, so the sweatshirt with the Knoxville Pant is the perfect look.
So, which of your Thanksgivings is up this year?
This year we’ll be in California with my mom, which I’m so excited for. My sister, my husband, and I are heading out for four days of wine tasting, hiking, and enjoying the beauty that Northern California has to offer.
Favorite Thanksgiving family tradition?
The day after Thanksgiving, we always go back for round two. There are so many leftovers, so after a day of Black Friday shopping, everyone comes back for the same meal, but we do it in jeans and sweaters, with less of the formalities.
Friday night is when the real fun happens!
Favorite Thanksgiving dish?
Lasagna, of course! And pecan pie. My aunt makes it with dark chocolate chips and it’s pure heaven.
