How a centuries-old figure finally settled on the most famous outfit in the world.
For a character who appears just one night a year, Santa Claus has a surprisingly complicated fashion history. The red suit we now consider iconic wasn’t always part of the story. It’s the product of centuries of evolution — part folklore, part literature, part art history, and part good old-fashioned American marketing. What seems inevitable today was, for generations, anything but.
From Bishop’s Robes to Folklore
The earliest seeds of the Santa image begin with St. Nicholas of Myra, a 4th-century bishop known for his generosity. In religious iconography, bishops were often depicted in robes of deep reds and golds — not because of Christmas, but because red signified status and authority. These images traveled across Europe, where the legend of St. Nicholas took root and transformed.
Saint Nicholas represented in Amsterdam - Intocht van Sinterklaas - (Image by Amsterdam.info)
In the Netherlands, he evolved into Sinterklaas, a tall, dignified figure who still wore a bishop’s mitre and long red robes. This version of Nicholas — serious, ceremonial, and richly dressed —i s the closest ancestor to the Santa we recognize, even if the spirit behind the character was far more solemn.
America Reinvents the Figure
When Dutch settlers carried the Sinterklaas tradition to the American colonies, the myth began to loosen and reshape. Over the 18th and early 19th centuries, “Santa Claus” emerged as a more approachable figure — part folk character, part winter sprite. Artists and writers depicted him in a variety of ways: sometimes as a small elfin being, sometimes as a tall, pipe-smoking traveler. His clothing changed with each interpretation. He appeared in green coats, blue coats, brown cloaks, fur-lined wraps — whatever the illustrator felt best suited the mood.
Cartoonist Thomas Nast's depiction of Santa Claus in Harper's Weekly, January 1863 - (Image by Smithsonian Magazine)
The defining shift came in 1823 with the publication of “A Visit from St. Nicholas.” The poem didn’t lock in a color, but it did lock in the silhouette: a round, jovial figure in fur-trimmed winter clothing, stuffed with presents and exuding a warm, domestic charm. The character now had structure, even if the tailoring remained undefined.
Thomas Nast Shapes the Look
Merry Old Santa Claus by Thomas Nast - (Image by Smithsonian Magazine)
If St. Nicholas established the spirit and the poem established the personality, then Thomas Nast gave Santa his physical identity. Nast, a political cartoonist working for Harper’s Weekly, produced dozens of Santa images between the 1860s and 1880s. He drew Santa as plump and grandfatherly, with a full beard, expressive eyes, and a suit trimmed in heavy fur.
Nast experimented with colors: brown, tan, blue, and green all made appearances. But red showed up too — and when it did, it stood out. Red felt warm and festive. It read clearly in print. And it harmonized with the growing visual language of Christmas cards, which increasingly leaned into reds, greens, and golds. By the late 19th century, red was becoming the favored choice, even if it wasn’t yet universal.
Coca-Cola Makes It Unmistakable
One of the most persistent myths in holiday history is that Coca-Cola “invented” the red Santa suit. It didn’t. Red had been used for decades, and Nast had already popularized a version. But Coca-Cola did something extremely influential: it made the red suit consistent.
Beginning in 1931, illustrator Haddon Sundblom created an annual series of Coca-Cola holiday advertisements featuring Santa Claus. Sundblom’s Santa wore a bright red, fur-trimmed coat and trousers — a look that was cheerful, full of life, and perfectly aligned with the spirit of the season. His images were warm, colorful, and widely distributed in magazines, posters, and point-of-sale displays.
These illustrations ran for more than 30 years, becoming part of the American visual landscape. By the mid-20th century, the red suit wasn’t just popular; it was essentially canon.
Why Red Endures
The red suit works for reasons that go beyond advertising. Red is a color of celebration and warmth. It carries centuries of symbolic meaning — joy, generosity, festivity, abundance. In the stark palette of winter, red feels alive. It signals the holiday season in an instant, and its emotional tone aligns with the kind of cheerful, communal spirit people want to feel in December.
Dan Aykroyd in Trading Places - (Image by Tenor)
The design also found its way into film, television, and department-store culture. As Christmas became increasingly visual, the red suit became the shorthand for holiday magic. A green or blue Santa would feel as strange now as a pumpkin carved on the Fourth of July.
A Cultural Icon, Tailored Over Time
The red Santa suit is a reminder that even the most “timeless” images evolve slowly. What we take for granted today is the product of many hands and many centuries: a bishop’s robe, a poet’s imagination, an illustrator’s eye, and a national appetite for a figure who embodies the best version of generosity. Santa didn’t start in red. He grew into it. And now, it’s hard to imagine him in anything else.
Get In on the Festivities
Want to capture some of that Saint Nicholas magic? Try on one of these festive choices on for size.
Coca Cola Champion Red Sweatshirt ($80)
Coca-Cola Champions Red Sweatshirt - SHOP HERE
Want to join in the Santa-themed cheer from the comfort of your couch? This Champion-made, Coca Cola-themed hoodie — in red, of course — is just the ticket.
Aime Leon Doré Poinciana Lightweight Fleece Shirt ($225)
Aime Leon Dore Poinciana Lightweight Fleece Shirt - SHOP HERE
For those looking to embody Santa’s unique sartorial flair without the full-body suit look, we've got just the thing: This lightweight fleece shirt with faux horn buttons from Aime Leon Doré is an excellent half-measure.
J.Press Red & White Stripe Shaggy Dog Sweater ($265)
J.Press Red & White Stripe Shaggy Dog Sweater - SHOP HERE
No one can say “no” to a classic Christmas sweater — especially in red and white, Santa’s signature colors. Try this hand-brushed Shetland wool version from preppy kings J. Press.
Celine Red Cable Hat ($480)
Celine Red Cable Hat - SHOP HERE
Maybe you don’t want to go full-Santa, but you do want to go full-luxe. (And to keep your head warm.) This cable-knit cotton-blend beanie from Celine ought to do the trick.
Valentino Garavani DB Grain de Poudre Red Wool Jacket ($3,174)
Valentino Garavani DB Grain de Poudre Red Wool Jacket - SHOP HERE
Happen to have a formal Christmas ball to attend? Then this gorgeous, full-canvas red dinner jacket in grain de poudre wool from Valentino Garavani is calling your name.
