Spirit day ideas for work: 80 dress up themes that need no shopping
Every theme works with clothes people already own and has a version for the camera. Plus a 5-day plan to copy and a poster to print.
The best spirit day ideas for work cost nothing to join. These 80 dress up day themes all work with clothes people already own, so nobody has to shop, and each one comes with a camera version so remote staff join in instead of watching. They're grouped into color days, decades, “dress as your” days, group themes, 12 Christmas dress up days and days that raise money for a cause. The classics (pajama day, twin day, jersey day) are in our spirit week ideas, so this list skips them.
Easy spirit day ideas: colors, patterns and eras
28 outfit themes anyone can join on short notice. Announce them the day before and they still work.
Color and pattern days
The easiest dress up days: everyone owns something that fits, and nobody needs a plan.
All Black Day. A black top, sweater or dress. Nearly everyone owns one.
On camera: Turn on a lamp so you don't disappear into the background.
One Color Head to Toe Day. Pick one color and wear it from top to bottom.
On camera: Only the top half needs to match.
Stripes Day. Any stripes: a shirt, scarf, tie or pair of socks.
On camera: Hold the striped socks up to the lens.
Polka Dot Day. Dots anywhere: a shirt, scarf, tie, mug or hair clip.
On camera: A dotted mug in the frame counts.
Plaid Day. Flannel, tartan, checks or a plaid scarf.
On camera: A plaid blanket over the chair behind you counts.
Florals Day. A floral shirt, dress or tie, or a flower from the garden.
On camera: A vase of flowers in the shot counts.
Pastel Day. Soft pink, mint, lavender, baby blue or butter yellow.
On camera: A pastel top or a pastel background.
Brightest Thing You Own Day. Dig out the boldest color in your closet.
On camera: The team votes for the brightest square in the grid.
Black and White Day. Black, white or both, like an old photograph.
On camera: Add a black and white background to finish the look.
Animal Print Day. Leopard, zebra or snakeskin, or socks with dogs on them.
On camera: Show off an animal print mug or phone case.
Every Shade of Blue Day. Navy, sky, teal or denim: any blue counts.
On camera: Line up the video grid from lightest to darkest.
Earth Tones Day. Browns, olive, rust, sand and cream.
On camera: Put a plant in the shot.
Gingham Day. Small checks in any color, like a picnic blanket.
On camera: A checked tea towel over the shoulder counts.
Sunshine Yellow Day. Anything yellow, from a shirt to a pencil behind your ear.
On camera: Hold up something yellow as the call starts.
Color Wheel Day. Each person draws a color from a hat the week before.
On camera: Arrange the gallery into a color wheel for a screenshot.
Two Colors Only Day. Pick any two colors you own and wear nothing else.
On camera: Name your two colors as you join the call.
Decades and eras
Lean on what's already in the closet. A collar, a cardigan or a hairstyle is enough.
1920s Day. A cardigan, vest, long necklace or flat cap.
On camera: A sepia background, if you have one.
1950s Day. Rolled jeans and a white tee, a full skirt or a neat cardigan.
On camera: Same top half, hair slicked back if you like.
1960s Mod Day. Bold shapes, blocks of color, or black and white.
On camera: Turtlenecks look sharp on camera.
1970s Day. Earth tones, a wide collar, flares or a patterned shirt.
On camera: Big collar and a warm lamp.
1980s Power Dressing Day. A blazer with the sleeves pushed up and the boldest color you own.
On camera: The camera only sees shoulders, so lead with the blazer.
1990s Day. Flannel over a tee, a denim jacket or a scrunchie.
On camera: Flannel and a thumbs-up.
Y2K Day. Tinted sunglasses, a tracksuit top or butterfly clips.
On camera: Sunglasses on for the first minute of the call.
2010s Day. A skinny scarf, plaid shirt or slogan tee.
On camera: Bonus points for a vintage photo-filter background.
1940s Day. A tucked-in collared shirt, high-waisted trousers or a pleated skirt.
On camera: A neat collar and combed hair read as 1940s on screen.
Future Office Day. Silver, metallic or all white: what people might wear to work in 2080.
On camera: A futuristic background and a robot-voice hello.
Oldest Thing in Your Closet Day. Wear the oldest piece you still own.
On camera: Tell its story in one sentence at the start of the call.
The Year You Joined Day. Dress like the year you started at the company.
On camera: Everyone else guesses the year.
16 "dress as your..." day ideas
Personal themes that start conversations, because everyone gets to explain their outfit. "Your Type of Day" is the work-safe take on dress as your type day.
Your Type of Day. Dress for the day you wish you were having: beach day, snow day, garden day.
On camera: The team guesses each person's type of day.
Job Title Swap Day. Dress for another department's job, never as a real person: an apron, a headset, a clipboard.
On camera: Others guess which department you swapped into.
Favorite Season Day. Sunglasses for summer, a scarf for winter, whichever season is yours.
On camera: A seasonal background behind you.
Dream Vacation Day. A sun hat, hiking layers or a city scarf for the trip you'd take.
On camera: A postcard background of the place.
Weekend Self Day. Come as you are on a Saturday: gardening, hiking, cycling or baking.
On camera: Show one prop from your weekend.
Signature Accessory Day. The one accessory people know you for, or one from the back of the drawer.
On camera: Show it to the camera in the first minute.
Hometown Day. Colors, a shirt or a hat from where you grew up.
On camera: Drop your hometown in the chat.
Book Cover Day. Wear the colors of a favorite book's cover.
On camera: Hold the book up and let the team guess the title.
Song Title Day. Dress as a song title and let people guess it.
On camera: Hum one bar if nobody gets it.
Opposite Day. The opposite of your usual work look: dressy if you're casual, casual if you're dressy.
On camera: The team guesses what you'd normally wear.
Hobby Day. Your hobby, worn: running gear, an apron, a fishing hat.
On camera: Bring the hobby into frame: a guitar, a plant, a paintbrush.
Commute Day. Dress for how you get to work: bike helmet, rain boots, headphones.
On camera: Remote people dress for the walk from the kitchen to the desk.
Music Genre Day. Country, jazz, classical or punk: dress as the genre you play most.
On camera: Play five seconds of it as you join.
Word of the Year Day. Pick one word for your year and wear something that shows it.
On camera: Put the word in your display name.
Favorite Snack Day. Dress in the colors of your go-to snack.
On camera: The team guesses the snack.
Favorite Emoji Day. Dress as the emoji you use most, by color or with one prop.
On camera: Post the emoji in the chat after people guess.
16 dress up ideas for groups
Themes that only work when a team does them together, which is the point.
Rainbow Team Day. Each person takes one color so the group photo makes a rainbow.
On camera: Sort the video grid by color.
Same Color Squad Day. The team picks one color everyone owns, like navy or white.
On camera: The same color on every screen.
Color Gradient Day. Everyone wears a different shade, then lines up light to dark for one photo.
On camera: Screenshot the grid from light to dark.
Fruit Salad Day. Each person picks a fruit and wears its color.
On camera: Say your fruit as you join.
Red vs Blue Day. Split the office into two colors and run a friendly contest.
On camera: Remote people pick a side by color.
Same White Tee Day. Everyone wears a plain white tee, styled their own way.
On camera: The team votes on the best styling.
Album Cover Day. A small group recreates the colors and pose of an album cover.
On camera: Recreate it in the video grid.
Ensemble Cast Day. Pick a film or show and dress as its cast, using colors more than costumes.
On camera: Rename yourself as your character.
Primary Colors Day. Groups of three in red, yellow and blue.
On camera: Find your other two colors in the grid.
Team Mascot Day. Wear your team's mascot colors, or invent a mascot.
On camera: Use the mascot as a background.
Field Day Uniform. Gym clothes and sneakers, in team colors if you have them.
On camera: Headbands on screen.
Collar Day. The whole team in collared shirts, any color or pattern.
On camera: Collars up for the team screenshot.
Team Photo Remake Day. Recreate an old team or office photo with the people here now, same poses and colors.
On camera: Match the old photo's layout in the video grid.
Sunrise and Sunset Day. Half the team in soft morning pastels, half in deep evening blues.
On camera: Your time zone decides your side.
Matching Socks Squad. The whole team wears the same color socks.
On camera: Socks to the camera at the end of the call.
Pick-a-Prop Day. Each team picks one prop everyone has at home, like a scarf, a cap or sunglasses.
On camera: Props on for the team screenshot.
12 Christmas dress up days for work
One for each of the last 12 workdays before the break. None is religious, so every winter tradition fits.
Snowflake Day. White, silver or pale blue.
On camera: A snowy background.
Fair Isle Day. Any patterned knit, festive or not.
On camera: Same knit on camera.
Northern Lights Day. Greens, teals and purples, like the aurora.
On camera: Dim the room and add a colored lamp if you have one.
Scarf Day. Wear your best scarf indoors all day.
On camera: Scarf on for the morning call.
Velvet and Corduroy Day. Winter textures: velvet, cord or a chunky knit.
On camera: Texture shows well up close.
Holiday Card Day. Each team coordinates colors like a family holiday card.
On camera: Screenshot the grid as the team card.
Hot Cocoa Day. Browns, creams and a marshmallow-white top.
On camera: A mug in the frame.
Winter Berry Day. Deep red, plum and burgundy, like winter berries.
On camera: Berry tones look rich under a warm lamp.
Snowman Day. A white top, a scarf and buttons down the front.
On camera: An orange mug for the carrot finishes the look.
Favorite Hoodie Day. Your coziest hoodie or sweatshirt.
On camera: The cozier the better.
Paper Crown Day. Make a paper crown at lunch and wear it all afternoon.
On camera: Make the crowns together at the start of a call.
Evergreen Day. Any shade of green, like a pine tree.
On camera: Something green in the frame, like a mug or a sprig.
Running a whole week? Our Christmas spirit week has three ready schedules, and the ugly sweater party guide covers the sweater day properly. For October, see our Halloween costume ideas for work.
8 dress up days that raise money for a cause
Joining stays free. The company gives for every person who takes part, and anyone who wants to can add a donation.
Wear Red Day. Red for heart health on National Wear Red Day, the first Friday in February.
On camera: Post a red photo to the team album.
Earth Day Green. Green on Earth Day, April 22, with a tree planted for every person who joins.
On camera: Remote people count too: green on camera.
Coat Drive Day. Wear your warmest layers and bring a clean coat you no longer wear.
On camera: Drop coats at a local drive near home.
Volunteer Shirt Day. Wear a shirt from a charity run or volunteer day and tell the team about the cause.
On camera: Share the story in the chat.
Local School Colors Day. Wear a nearby school's colors while the team collects classroom supplies.
On camera: Ship supplies straight to the school.
Sneaker Step Day. Sneakers on, and the team counts steps for a charity it picks.
On camera: Log steps from home.
Sock Drive Day. Wear fun socks, and bring a new pack for a local shelter if you want to.
On camera: Send a pack to a shelter near you.
Pet Shelter Day. Wear your pet's colors and collect supplies for a local animal shelter.
On camera: Pets welcome on camera.
Skip the old “pay to dress down” jar. Charging people to join a theme day means some people sit it out. A fixed company gift per participant raises the same money and keeps the day open to everyone.
Rules that keep a dress up day fair
Put these in the announcement for any theme days for work. They take the awkwardness out before anyone has to raise it.
- Opt in, always. Regular work clothes are a perfectly good way to take part. Never single out someone who skipped it.
- Never a culture, religion or nationality as a costume. No traditional or religious dress worn as a joke, no accents, no "tribal" anything.
- No costumes of real coworkers. Dress as a job, an era or a color, never as a colleague, a leader or a customer.
- Nothing costs money to join. Every theme here works with clothes people own. On charity days the company gives, and personal donations stay optional.
- A remote way in for every theme. Each theme above has a camera version, so people at home aren't just watching the office.
- The job comes first. Safety gear, client meetings and dress codes win. Skip themes that clash with them on that day.
- Judge ideas, not people. Score creativity and team effort. Never looks, bodies or how much someone spent.
A 5-day dress up week to copy or print
Five spirit week dress up themes, one a day, building to a team photo on Friday. Copy it into Slack, Teams or an email, or print the poster for the kitchen.
Monday
One Color Head to Toe Day
An easy start that anyone can do from the closet.
Tuesday
Your Type of Day
Gets people guessing and talking.
Wednesday
1990s Day
Flannel and denim jackets are in most closets.
Thursday
Rainbow Team Day
Hand out colors on Wednesday so every color is covered.
Friday
Brightest Thing You Own Day
Ends the week loud, with the team photo and the votes.
Add to the announcement: Optional and free: wear what you already own. Remote? Join on camera. Photos go in the team album, and votes close Friday at 3.
Judging, photos and prizes that cost little
Votes and photos turn a dress up day into a story the team tells later. Keep both light.
Simple judging categories
- Most creative with what they had. The best outfit made entirely from things already in the closet.
- Best team effort. The group that coordinated best, in the office or on camera.
- Best on camera. For the remote person who made the theme work in a small square.
- All five days. Everyone who joined every day goes into a draw.
- Best last-minute save. The most inventive outfit put together that morning.
A photo wall that works
- Make one shared album or channel for the week, and ask before posting anyone's photo outside the team.
- Take the group photo at the same time and place each day, so the week lines up as a set.
- For remote people, take a gallery screenshot at the start of the biggest call of the day.
- Print the best shots for a corkboard by the kitchen, and keep it up until the next theme week.
Prizes that cost little
- Picking the playlist for the next Friday
- A desk trophy that moves to the next winner
- Choosing the theme for the next dress up day
- First pick of the team lunch order
- A handwritten thank you from a leader
- A longer lunch break on a day of their choice
Pair a theme day with a hosted event
Want someone to run the main event of the week? On Field Day Uniform or Red vs Blue Day, Office Olympics fits: a friendly host leads the team through three Olympic-style challenges in an hour on your video call. In December, end the dress up days with Holiday Fun & Games, an hour of games, challenges and winter trivia, or plan the whole party from our virtual holiday party page. December dates fill first.
Hosted games run on Zoom by default (Teams, Google Meet or Webex on request), and a team split across time zones can book two sessions. Book about 2 weeks ahead. For a hybrid week, run an in-person game or painting workshop at the office for local staff, with a virtual session for remote people, or one virtual event for everyone. Our in-person events run games in 17 US cities and painting in 30. Planning something outdoors instead? See our company picnic ideas.
Two hosted games for a theme week, with today's prices. Or get a free quote with your date and headcount.
