4th of July Outfit Ideas

Pin It

I am a big proponent of curating a wardrobe you love so that you can shop your own closet instead of constantly buying new clothes. Over the years I have found my personal style and collected pieces that I enjoy wearing so it is easy for me to go into my closet and create outfits from what I already have.

For July 4th outfits I only have a few pieces that are truly Americana on their own, but by pairing different items together and utilizing accessories I was able to easily create 7 different outfits that I could wear for different Independence Day activities. Use these outfit formulas as a guide to find pieces in your own wardrobe that you can mix and match for a perfect American holiday look.

This post contains affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links at no extra cost to you.  Please read the full disclosure here.

4th of July outfits I'd wear with clothes I already own

July 4th Parade

For a 4th of July parade I would go for a casual outfit with red, white, and blue colors. I have this blue and white striped tank top that I tucked into jean shorts, and to add a bit of red I added this bow hair clip and matching red lipstick. I threw on a pair of white sneakers to finish the Patriotic look.

Want to know a secret? The hair clip is actually a velvet Christmas bow, but no one would ever know!

Hair accessories are one of my favorite easy and inexpensive ways to make any outfit festive without having to buy new clothes. These bows from Amazon are a perfect example of an easy hair accessory to have on hand that you can use for anything from Memorial Day to Christmas. The Maybelline Super Stay Red Lipstick is another great example of using something small, inexpensive, and multi-purposed to enhance an outfit.

Playing Sports

I don't know if this is something everyone does, but with my group of friends it is pretty typical that a casual sports game gets scheduled on a holiday when everyone is around. Often in the summer it is volleyball, but ultimate frisbee, pickleball, or spikeball are all definite possibilities too.

I like having a patriotic athletic tank top in my closet that I can pull out around July 4th or anytime I am cheering on Team USA, but it is also something I can wear all year for exercise or sports so it gets plenty of use. The one I am wearing is old from Under Armour but I found these cute USA Tank Tops on Amazon that would be perfect too. Paired with my favorite Under Armour shorts, college baseball hat, and blue Nike sneakers, this is a simple outfit to throw on for activity that is in the spirit of the holiday.

Baseball Game

Since everyone in my family likes baseball I often find myself at games on July 4th, whether it's an MLB game or just a minor league team. Luckily for me my baseball team's colors are red, white, and blue, but many teams with other color-ways put out patriotic gear around the 4th. Places like the MLB Shop and Fanatics carry that kind of gear so they are the best place to look for your team's 4th of July apparel.

This is also another instance when acessories can really help make an outfit more festive. Since a lot of teams' colors are blue and white, just adding some red accessories would be an easy way to make the outfit more patriotic. Whether or not you are attending a game of America's favorite pastime on the Fourth of July, wearing baseball gear is an easy way to be in the holiday spirit of celebrating America.

Backyard Barbecue

For an Independence Day barbecue I would stick with something more on the casual side, choosing white shorts (my favorite short for summer) and a blue and white striped tee. This is a great basic shirt I have had for years from Old Navy and they typically put out something similar each summer. Blue and white stripes are a staple of my wardrobe (yes, I am totally a steroetypical New England girl!) and a basic t-shirt with a fun print like this is something I grab often since it is easy to wear but a bit more interesting than a plain colored shirt. Once again I used a hair accessory to make this outfit feel a bit more red, white, and blue, and then just paired it with classic Sperry boat shoes, which are one of my all time favorite summer (and spring and fall) shoes.

Garden Party

If I was going to a party that was a little more elevated than a casual barbecue this is the dress I would wear. It is one I have had for years (it's an old Tommy Hilfiger dress) and love the print of it, plus it has pockets! A fun patterned dress like this that has red, white, and blue in it is a great option for not being over-the-top "Murica" vibes yet still being in the spirit of the holiday. I also just saw this blue and white striped dress with red trim on Amazon and it looks so cute! I haven't tried it so don't know what the quality is like, but it gives off major Nantucket, east coast, coastal grandmother vibes that I just LOVE. These types of dresses feel festive without being too much and can be worn all summer long, not just for the Fourth.

If you don't have a dress with all three colors of the American flag, this is again where accessories come in handy. I have a lot of dresses that are just blue and white that I could easily wear for July 4th by adding a red bow and lipstick or something like a red headband.

Boat Ride

If you are lucky enough to be out on a boat on July 4th then you win the award for best holiday plans! The few times I have gotten to be on the water to celebrate the 4th of July have been some of the very best memories.

If I am going to be out on the water I like to wear layers since it can start out hot and then cool down once the sun sets. The base for this outfit was a pale blue tank top and white shorts, then I threw on my favorite striped sweater over that and accessorized with a red, white, and blue headband. Of course if I am going to be on a boat I am also wearing Sperrys.

Watching the Fireworks

Depending on where in the country you are watching fireworks it could be warm or cool in the evening. This is again a time when I would opt for layers so that I am prepared for whatever the temperature will be at night. The base layer I chose was this striped shirt I have had for years from Loft with white shorts (though I easily could have done blue or navy shorts too) and then this fun and cozy USA sweatshirt I have also had for a while. I found almost the exact Same Sweatshirt on Amazon with some other fun color options too. These are all great pieces because they work perfectly for the 4th but are also things I can wear anytime of year. The sweatshirt is something I pull out year round and the other items are things I get plenty of wear out of too. I switched out the classic Sperry boat shoe here for the Sperry Penny loafers which are another pair of my most worn shoes.

4th of July fireworks over Washington, DC.

You don't need to run out and buy a whole new outfit to dress patriotically for July 4th. With a little bit of mix and matching, plus the use of simple accessories, it is easy to create 4th of July outfits from clothes you already have in your closet. If you do want to buy something new, look for items you will get lots of use out of and can have for years so in the future you can go into your wardrobe and easily pull out pieces to create patriotic outfits without needing any new clothes.

I hope these simple outfit formulas can help you find items in your own wardrobe that you can use to make fun and festive Independence Day outfits too. Happy 4th, friends!