Back in Action
Posted on September 4th, 2015
Some day in the not-too-distant future, there may come a time where we reflect on football as we know it as a thing of the past. We’ll marvel that millions of us congregated every week to watch grown men smack each other around. Our (great?) grandchildren will think we are barbarians.
That day is not today. Today is the return of football.
I love football, and the combination of violent physical and intense strategic skill. Given that I couldn’t play in high school, I did the next best thing. No, not cheerleading– I was announcer of the football games. I can’t binge watch Netflix, but I have no difficulty watching 24 hours of football in a weekend. The only redeeming reality of the end of summer is the start of football.
Those of you still in college, and particularly in the South, have it particularly good. Besides football, one of my primary passions is wearing pretty dresses. Later, this evolved to drinking in pretty dresses, but at any rate, “Guys in Ties, Girls in Pearls” is the perfect merging of these.
Going to UPenn was absolutely the right life decision for me, but I won’t pretend I didn’t miss those SEC gamedays.
Ivy League tailgating is essentially just a sea of girls in identical Barbour jackets and riding boots and guys in school hoodies. It’s a lot like this.
If you’re #blessed enough to be headed to a dressy Gameday this fall, I’m armed and ready with outfit recommendations. We’ll get you dressed and out the door in 4 easy steps:
Step 1: The dress. This is the quarterback of your outfit– high profile, most visible. Unlike with a quarterback, however, there’s no reason to spend a fortune here. Get a solid color sundress that you can reuse without looking like you’re on the way to the stadium, and you’re set. Keep in mind you may be sweating– a lot– so breathable fabrics and a roomier silhouette are ideal.
Step 2: The statement necklace, the tight end of your outfit. If the tight end is getting a lot of ball touches, guys are slapping his butt in fond recognition every minute, but if the offense doesn’t feature him, no one notices. Nearly every school has two coordinating colors, so you’ll need a statement necklace that features each to get you through the season. It’s okay to spend a little more here because you’ll have it on repeat throughout the year. Unless you’re a Tennessee or Texas fan. Those shades of orange cannot be reworn.
One // Two // Three // Four // Five
Step 3: Footwear. The offensive line– you’ll only think about them if they’re doing a bad job, and they probably don’t get as much credit as they should. Tradition takes you one of two ways here. Jack Rogers that coordinate with your school colors, or cowboy boots. Whatever you do, for heaven’s sake, wear something comfortable and flat. Also something you don’t mind getting beer spilled on. Just saying.
Step 4: The crossbody. Your bag is to your outfit what the secondary is to your defense– guards your stuff, not involved in every play, but there when you need it. If you’re in college and will be, shall we say, tailgating more heavily before (and after) the game, I recommend using your typical fratting crossbody– nylon preferred to handle spills. I used one very similar to this in college, and I like this one, too. If you’re looking for something you can stuff your cardigan into, as well, try this (navy stripes!) or this. You may be glad you have options once the sun goes down.
You look fabulous. Go team.
Comments