College Gameday Fashions & Traditions: The University of Georgia
College football season is under a month away, and college gameday prep is important! One of my earliest articles that keeps getting hits each year is how to dress for the games. So, I thought I’d give y’all a little update and help you out by outlining how to dress & how to be prepared for each schools traditions.
It should be no surprise that I think the Southeastern Conference has some of the best dressed fans in college football. With a long history of traditions, it’s no small wonder this translates over into how we dress. Yes, I say “we” because I’m a lifelong Georgia fan. So let’s go ahead and start with Georgia, shall we?
The University of Georgia
I love Athens. I spent a year living there. And while I did attend UGA I still claim it as my team for a few reasons:
1- My mom went there; so this means she also raised me to be a UGA fan.
2- My mom says I was born early because of Herschel Walker; the year was 1982 and my mother was a solid 8.5 months pregnant. I was due sometime early December/late November. Herschel would rush 219 yards in a solid 44-0 rout over Florida on November 6th. As my mother tells it, she was jumping up and down screaming at the tv. I guess it’s no surprise that little Molly made her debut early on November 10th.
3- I owe my inability to accept the word ” NO” to UGA; how? Because my parents would scream “GO GO GO!” at the tv and little Molly would run around crying. Took my parents a while to figure out I thought they were saying ” NO NO NO”. And thus, why I have a natural problem with that word to this day.
And those are just some of the reasons I love UGA. But let’s get back to the topic of what to wear. During my year of living in Athens, I worked in a clothing boutique. I already was in the habit of wearing team colors on gamedays, and of dressing up, but living in Athens just really made it hit home.
Anything red & black (and white mixed in is ok) and classic goes. Generally for the girls it’s going to mean cute skirts and a cute top. When it gets cold, having a warm black or red jacket is key. But be careful of white and black, I have a lovely houndstooth one but I cannot wear it on gameday lest I be confused with a Bama fan.
Pearls are always a good option, but be forewarned: I would wear cheap inexpensive ones. Chances are high someone will spill something on you. The above photo is a good example- also, I wasn’t anywhere near Athens that day. Although I was on St. Simons Island, which is kind of like a mini- Athens during Georgia-Florida.
Another thing to note: if you are going shopping in Athens, start now. And I do mean now. In fact you might already be far behind. You see, sorority recruitment will wipe a lot of the stores clean of items early. There’s almost a silent competition amongst the ladies to see who can have the most unique and cute outfits. I wholly encourage this, as I love nothing more than to see people dressing cute without being cookie cutter. In fact, if anyone has put together a cool outfit courtesy of Goodwill or a vintage store I want to see it because I am severely challenged in vintage shopping.
Here’s a great example of a skirt style I like a lot: the circle skirt. It flares out from the waist, which is not only flattering for most any shape but also wears easily during the hot summer months. This one is at Entourage:
But it’s not just in Athens that the red & black sells out. Oh no, this happens in Macon, Savannah, Statesboro and elsewhere. Pretty much anywhere outside of Atlanta (or even Columbus- where you have some Auburn crossover) people will bleed red & black. And this applies to the guys, too. Smart looking preppy red pants will leave the shelves quickly, as they always seem to be in short supply. There’s not much better looking than a man in a bowtie of their school colors and colored pants. Unless it’s seersucker pants.
but maybe not roll up the pants so much (image from http://blog.trashness.com/seersucker-x-red-pants)
Also- do NOT wear team t-shirts. No no no no no. That’s acceptable for mowing the lawn. Or sleeping in. Or in between classes. But not on gameday. Not in Athens. Many times, gamedays are treated like a date night: college students pair off with dates and dress accordingly.
As for other Athens gameday traditions, a lot of tailgating happens at the fraternity & sorority houses. It’s not uncommon for alum to come back and reminisce about the good ole days with those still around. And given the stately homes that house these fraternities and sororities, can you really blame them?
Then there’s the Dawg Walk, the Calling the Dawgs (chanting the ” Goooooo DAWGS! Sic em, woof woof woof” during kick off), the ringing of the Chapel Bell after a win, and more. When I was younger, I definitely would cruise the bar scene along the downtown streets after a game. Now, I’m generally in bed. But if you’re up for it I would for sure recommend doing so: ” 122 business downtown serve alcohol”, according to this December, 2014 article in The Flagpole.
What are some of your favorite gameday traditions? Tell us!
Love to all y’all,
Molly
