Themed Spirit Week Ideas for School and Work

Unique, wacky, and simple themes for activities and dress-up days

Last Updated: March 6, 2023 References

Spirit week is a prime opportunity for schools or businesses to celebrate their culture and community while shaking up the routine. And every spirit week needs some themed days, when students and employees can dress up, dress down, or participate in exciting games and contests. The best themes are simple and accessible, so that everyone can participate, but still exciting enough to encourage some real creativity. It’s a delicate balance to strike, which is why we’ve come through with a list of the 78 best themes and activities to schedule during your spirit week.

Things You Should Know

Put a simple spin on the dress code with themes like hat day, crazy socks day, inside out day, or pajama day.
Rep your favorite fictional works with themed dress-up days like movie day, book day, cartoon day, or Oscars day.
Get everyone involved with activities during Olympics day, Scrabble day, or tie-dye day.
Give back to your community with a community service day or a food or clothing drive day.

1

Spirit Colors Day

Wear school or company colors. It’s a great way to either kick off or round out a spirit week, and it’s so simple that everyone can participate. Dressing in the official colors is also a great way to focus everyone on the community and mission they’re all a part of.^{[1]
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- In addition, decorate the office or school in the official colors, with streamers and banners to set the mood.

2

Beach Day

Wear beach attire and accessories. Swim trunks, sunglasses, little umbrellas in water bottles. A beach day brings some sunshine inside and lifts the mood. Just be sure to include some guidelines for appropriate attire. (Summer dresses? Absolutely. Speedos? Maybe not.)^{[2]
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- Blow up some beach balls, set up prop palm trees, and play some chilled-out music over the stereo to really sell the theme.

3

Sports Day

Dress like an athlete. Even if not everyone’s a diehard football fan, everyone’s got a sport they admire. Keep it broad and encourage people to have fun with it—riding pants for polo, a leotard and shorts for gymnastics, dress pants and a vest for pool. The more niche, the better.^{[3]
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4

Decades Day

Come dressed in the style of your favorite bygone decade. Seventies shoulder pads, ‘80s hair, ‘90s track suits, whatever was happening in the mid-2000s. Younger participants will love exploring iconic fashion looks, and older employees will relish the opportunity to dig that old, plaid power suit out of the closet.
- Make a playlist of hits throughout the decades to play at lunch, or screen iconic sitcoms like The Nanny or Cheers on a TV.

5

Movie Day

Dress like your favorite movie character or setting. We all know someone who’d never pass up the opportunity to don their jedi robes or slasher mask. Whether they dress as a specific character or simply come themed according to an iconic, silver screen world, this theme has the bonus of prompting a who’s-who guessing game.^{[4]
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- Hold a competition for best or most accurate costume, with the winner taking home a prize like a gift card or even a day off.

6

Pajama Day

Get comfy and cozy in robes and PJs. What’s not to love about showing up to work or school in your softest bedtime getup? Encourage everyone to really ham it up with hair rollers, pillows, stuffed animals, or even blankets.^{[5]
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- Have a 20-minute nap time in the middle of the day, turning off all the lights and letting everyone get some much-needed rest with their heads on their desks.

7

Book Day

Dress as famous book characters. Whether you come as a hobbit, wizard, or a mysterious girl on a train, channeling the spirit of your favorite literary character is always a fun exercise in imagination and creativity. Bonus points if you bring the book itself along, as well.^{[6]
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- Host an informal reading, where characters get to read short passages from their source material. In character, of course.

8

Tie Dye Day

Get colorful with psychedelic patterns. Tie-dye is a great way to infuse any school or office with a burst of dizzying color. It’s simple, accessible, fun, and can be worked into any day of spirit week.^{[7]
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- Additionally, have a tie-dye station where students or employees can tie dye their own clothing, or dye plain white T-shirts provided for them. This gives everyone a chance to participate, and have a blast doing it.

9

Hat Day

Don your favorite hat, be it wacky or lowkey. Hats are typically a dress-code no-no, but lift the embargo for one day to let everyone rep their favorite ball cap or most elaborate costume topper. This theme is low-stakes and easy to execute, making it perfect for more reserved students or employees.^{[8]
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10

Meme Day

Dress as your favorite meme. From Doge memes to flash-in-the-pan inside jokes, everyone loves a meme. Sure, older employees might bring some, er, classics to the table, and might not understand all the memes younger students or employees rep, but it’s sure to be hoot regardless.^{[9]
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- Host a meme competition where everyone is given the same meme template and challenged to produce the funniest meme.

11

Superhero Day

Costume yourself as your most beloved superhero. Be it Marvel’s Avengers, DC’s Justice League, or something a little more off the beaten path (The Tick, anyone?) superheroes are en vogue and here to stay. What’s more, most of them have lowkey alter-egos, which lets people put as much or little effort into the costume as they like.^{[10]
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- Put together a superhero trivia game a la Jeopardy to play at lunch.

12

Villain Day

Follow-up on superhero day with something a bit more wicked. Superheroes are great, but an iconic villain is better—The Joker, Thanos, Poison Ivy, we love a wicked character. ^{[11]
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- If you don’t want to go 2 superhero days in a row, combine the days into superheroes and villains, for a fun comic book face-off.

13

Twin Day

Coordinate outfits with a pal, or imitate someone else’s look. Have everyone pair up and wear the same look for a cute twin theme, or let people imitate the look of their favorite teacher or coworker. Pairing up can be tricky, since some people might feel left out, but this way everyone has an opportunity to get in on the theme.^{[12]
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14

Community Service Day

Pick a local cause and get everyone to help out. Partner with your local food bank and ask everyone to pitch in a few cans of soup, or hold an office raffle, with the proceeds going to your local homeless shelter. A community service day is a prime way to remind everyone that they’re a part of whole.^{[13]
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- Give a day off to anyone willing to go and help out somewhere in person, like volunteering at an animal shelter for a few hours, to encourage real, meaningful community engagement.

15

Clothing Drive Day

Clean out your closets and donate to a good cause at the same time. Set up a collection bin and have people bring in disused clothing to donate. We’ve all got those old T-shirts at the bottom of our drawers, and though we don’t wear them anymore, they deserve a new lease on life with someone who’ll appreciate them.^{[14]
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16

Ugly Sweater Day

Dig out those ugly sweaters and wear ‘em with pride. An ugly sweater day is perfect for a spirit week that falls around the holidays, or even just during colder months. Now’s the time to flaunt that hideous shag carpet your aunt claimed was a chic top.^{[15]
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- Of course, no ugly sweater day is complete without an ugliest sweater contest.

17

Scrabble Day

Assign everyone a letter and have them form words throughout the day. Wear your letters as name tags, and encourage individual letters to group into larger and larger words throughout the day, taking a photo of the completed word as proof of their accomplishment. End the day with everyone working together to form the longest word they can think of.^{[16]
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- Include the photos in a newsletter or on a cork board so everyone can appreciate them.

18

Rainbow Day

Throw on as many colors as possible to create a rainbow wardrobe. Challenge your students or employees to wear as many colors as they can to make the halls one big, cacophonous closet of color. It’s hard to resist such a technicolor test.
- Hold a contest to see who wore the most colors, with faculty or management acting as judges.

19

Casual & Fancy Day

Give everyone the option to dress as casual or as fancy as they want. Sweatpants mingling with tailored trousers, cozy hoodies shouldered up next to cocktail dresses. Crocs and loafers. This theme gives everyone flexibility, and also a reason to flaunt that expensive suit they never get to wear.
- Challenge students or employees to mix and match for some juicy chaos. A hoodie AND tailored trousers? That’s couture.

20

Cartoon Day

Rep your favorite cartoon character from any era. Mickey Mouse, Teen Titans, The Simpsons—everyone’s got a beloved cartoon, and this theme is the perfect way to let them share that love with their peers.
- For some goofy fun, have everyone do their best impression of their cartoon character.

21

Actor/Actress Day

Make a lineup of a few iconic actors to dress as. Keep the lineup short but legendary—Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump or Woody; Nicole Kidman in Moulin Rouge; Heath Ledger’s Joker or 10 Things I Hate About You heartthrob. Let students or employees explore a few Hollywood star’s classic oeuvres via costumes and outfits.
- Have everyone who dressed as the same actor compete in a “who wore it best” competition, judged by their peers.

22

Flannel Day

Go full lumberjack with a flannel-themed day. Flannel is cozy, it’s practical, and it makes a great theme for a spirit week during the cooler months. What’s better, it’s common and accessible, so everyone can participate.

23

Denim Day

Don your Canadian tuxedos with denim everything. The only rule? It’s gotta be denim. Well, you could be a little more lax if you like, but the highest achievers will go all out.
- Alternatively, combine this one with flannel day for a festive lumberjack day.

24

Floral Day

Channel spring vibes by wearing flowers and floral patterns. The droll winter months can take a real toll on motivation, so lift some spirits with a floral-themed day, with everyone wearing floral patterns, or even coming with real flowers incorporated into their outfits. For an added challenge, have everyone keep their outfits themed to a single flower.
- Decorate with real or fake bouquets to transform the office or classroom into a lovely garden.

25

Superlative Day

Think of superlatives for each other. Most likely to star in a romcom or most likely to fix the copier. Least likely to turn in an assignment on time or least likely to be late. Put your minds together to give some much-deserved recognition to those who most deserve it.
- Take photos and hang them up with each person’s superlative, yearbook style.

26

Oscars Day

Dress as your favorite Oscar winner or contender. Be that best picture or best actress in a comedy, take advantage of the Oscars season buzz and have everyone rep their pick for this year’s frontrunner, or a snub from years past. (How did Judy Garland never get a little golden statue?)
- Hold your own Oscars ceremony for best dressed, or recognize valued employees or hard-working students with faux Oscar awards.
- Set up a photo booth for a paparazzi moment.

27

Inside-out Day

Wear your usual clothing, just inside-out. Need a more casual themed day to slot in between the slightly more intense ones? Inside-out day is easy, but silly enough to get everyone engaged and giggling. Invert those T-shirts and shorts, and let your tags show!^{[17]
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28

Neon Day

Bring the club to the office or classroom with glow sticks. Wear bright neon clothing, light-up sneakers, glowing wrist bands, and keep the lights a little dim, if possible. This theme works great if there are extracurriculars happening afterward, like a big game—the stands will be filled with a luminescent crowd.^{[18]
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- Offer complimentary neon bracelets or glow sticks to give everyone an opportunity to shine.

29

Pattern Day

Go against conventional fashion advice and wear clashing patterns. Plaid and polka dots. Stripes every which way. Paisley. The bigger the eyesore, the better. Have everyone layer those patterns like there’s no tomorrow.
- For an added challenge, wear only (or primarily) a single pattern.

30

Olympic Day

Celebrate this year’s Olympic games with a themed party. Dress as an athlete of your favorite sport, and set up a few mock games for everyone to play at lunch or on break—cornhole, high jump, hopscotch, croquet. We can’t all be world-class athletes, but anyone can get into the intensity and drama of cornhole.^{[19]
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- Light your own Olympic torch (a candle or 2) to start the games, and award medals to the top-performing athletes.

31

Crazy Socks Day

Show off your wackiest pair of socks. It might seem like business as usual, but lift that pant leg and BAM! Leopard print, zebra stripes, alien heads, oh my! Introduce a little whimsy into the dress code with this simple and silly theme.

32

Coffee House Day

Serve drinks and host a poetry reading. Set up a mic in a common area and serve coffee or tea, inviting everyone to share a bit of poetry or prose at the mic.^{[20]
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33

Line Dance Day

Wear western clothing and learn to line dance. Button-ups, denim, bolo ties, big belt buckles and of course, cowboy hats! Assemble everyone at lunch and learn to line dance together.^{[21]
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34

Anything but a Backpack Day

Show up with all your supplies, but no backpack. That’s the only rule for this viral spirit week challenge. Whatever you stuff your stuff into—a duffle, cardboard box, suitcase, wagon–it can’t be a backpack.^{[22]
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35

Talent Show Day

Host a talent show to flaunt your special skills. A talent show day is a great climax to any spirit week. Let your students or employees shine by giving them a spotlight to present their talents, be it whistling super loud, shredding a guitar, or talking backward.^{[23]
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36

Monochrome Day

Wear clothes of only a single color. Pick a color and challenge everyone to come dressed in a monochrome outfit in that hue. The wackier, the better—we recommend pinks and yellows.
- Also serve monochromatic snacks, like a platter of all green foods—salads, Jello-O, candy, etc.

37

Role Model Day

Come costumed as your personal idol. The more iconic, the better. Wear a Marilyn Monroe wig or an oversized David Byrne suit. Interview your students or employees and ask them why they look up to that person, and write down and share their answers.
- Hold a “Parade of Icons” during break hours, where the most glammed role models can show off their costumes in-character.

38

Crazy Hair Day

Do your ‘do as wild as possible. Break out the hair ties, spray, and dye, and get silly with it. 6 ponytails? Fabulous. A bald cap? Right on. For one day, everyone’s a stylist.^{[24]
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39

Fitness Day

Dress in athleisure and do some simple calisthenics. Zip up those tracksuits, don those sweatbands, and don’t forget the leg warmers! Athleisure is comfy, stylish, and a fun break from the uniform.^{[25]
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- At break, lead an (optional) quick and simple yoga or calisthenics session to get everyone up and moving.

40

Adam Sandler Day

Dress like your favorite Adam Sandler character. From Happy Gilmore to Click to Uncut Gems, the man’s got quite the repertoire, which means there’s plenty of options to choose from. Sandler’s characters tend to be easy to costume, to boot.^{[26]
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- Alternatively, pick any other prolific comedy actor’s oeuvre to emulate, like Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Amy Poehler, or Leslie Jones.

41

STEM Day

Dress in lab coats and safety goggles, or other science gear. Pay tribute to the STEM careers by dressing as mad scientists—or just real, hard-working scientists. Just be sure to mind the glass test tubes.
- Set up a simple science demonstration, like a dry ice station or a baking soda and vinegar volcano, to get everyone excited about science.

42

Camouflage Day

Wear as much camo as you can. Just be prepared to wonder where everyone went—that camo can be convincing sometimes.
- Lead a game of Red Light, Green Light to let students or employees show off their stealth skills.

43

Science Fiction Day

Costume yourselves like astronauts or aliens. Get out of this world with a special day for dressing like classic science fiction figures, like little green men or NASA astronauts.
- Screen an iconic sci-fi flick, like The Martian or Avatar.

44

Stuffed Animal Day

Bring your favorite stuffed animal. Cuddle up to your beloved stuffed pal and keep it in your bag or on your desk as you go about your day.

45

Valentine’s Day

Bring Valentine’s Day around early. Dress in red and encourage everyone to pass out Valentines, complete with cards and candy. Decorate with red streamers and heart-shaped balloons for added festivity.^{[27]
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- Alternatively, celebrate any holiday early for some off-season fun.