What to Wear When You're Meeting Bae's Parents Over Thanksgiving Break

It happens to the best of us. You meet eyes with an attractive stranger across a crowded room. Or on tinder. You fall in love with their humor and they fall in love with your laugh. Everything’s going peachy, and after a few months, Thanksgiving rolls around. They invite you home for the holiday and all seems well… until it dawns on you.

It’s time to meet the parents. *Duh Duhn DUHN* What will you talk about? How should you address them? Was the nose ring a bad idea? A million questions race through your mind, but mostly… what will I wear?

First impressions are like garlic. You only have it once, but it lingers. Don’t leave a bad taste in their mouths. Dress to impress this Thanksgiving break by following these simple do’s and don’ts.

DO dress up, in a casually put-together way. I’m not saying a ball gown is necessary, but your yoga pants and stained sweatshirt are not going to cut it. Think of this as an audition for the greatest role you’ll ever play: a twenty-something who has their life together.

DON’T show too much cleavage. Crack kills, so cover it up. That may be the way you got your bae’s attention, but that is not the kind of attention you want from Mrs. Rosewood and Great Aunt Josephine.

DO keep the make-up clean. That doesn’t mean a cat-eye is out of the question. You should never stray from your signature look, but this is not the time to test out your new green lipstick and white mascara.

DON’T wear a super short mini skirt or dress. The only thighs that should be on display at the dinner table are those golden-brown turkey legs.

DO embrace layers. You don’t want to be stuck at the table freezing to death or sweating into the gravy boat. “Dear, could you pass my the peas?” “Oh, sure, Mrs. Bloomenbottom!” And as you lift your arms, it’s pit stain city. Avoid this pit-uation with a sweet cardigan or fitted blazer.

DON’T wear a costume. This should be relatively obvious. Sexy pilgrim, culturally appropriated Native American, or the all-American classic, a turkey suit (feathers included): it’s all bad.

DON’T dress like a Colonial woman. As much as I’m sure your future in-laws would love some freshly churned butter, looking like an Amish-groupie could come off prudish. Unless your significant other is Amish. Then by all means, Amish it up.

DON’T dress like your significant other's mother or father. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but showing up in Mrs. Bramblethumb’s signature floral tunic and rock-solid perm isn’t flattering... it’s creepy and a little sad.

DO dress for comfort and embrace your personal style. If you act like you’re someone you're not, you're not really meeting the parents… you're shim-shamming them. Do you and the rest will follow.

Come turkey-lurkey time, you’ll be the apple pie of their parents’ eye. Good luck, and don’t fuck up.