Football season (er, tailgate season) is one of the most fun times of year here in the South. When I went to my first WFU game after moving to NC, it really struck me how incredibly dressed up all the college girls were. They go ALL out in dresses, perfect hair and cute accessories (see my favorite everyday jewelry linked here). I was a little shocked, especially coming from Utah, where you dress for warmth for most of the games. Jeans + a sweater or sweatshirt were the norm when I went to football games growing up… granted, that was 20 years ago!
But I definitely wondered for a while what to wear to a football game with a dressier dress code. So, if that’s you too, I’ve got a few classic and comfy outfits for those of you who are gearing up and dressing for games this fall. I recently updated this post to include cold weather outfits as we near Novemeber.
While I’m not a die-hard football fan – especially since my alma mater is across the country (I attended Brigham Young University in Utah) – I do enjoy the festivities and excitement around fall football. My husband went to Appalachian State University, and we have a place in Boone, so we do watch ASU games. Hopefully we’ll attend some more games in person this year! And, since we live in Winston-Salem, we usually go to at least one Wake Forest University football game.
The looks in this post are all intentionally neutral so you can accessorize them with your team colors. I always find that buying clothes for one specific use ends up getting donated the next year. Honestly, I don’t want to wear a dark yellow top or dress that matches ASU’s colors. So in this post, I’m sharing neutral (but still fun and easy to accessorize), tailgate-approved outfits that you can wear all throughout the fall, even when you’re nowhere near a football game.
If you’re hunting for something for your husband to wear to a football game, I’d recommend anything from Duck Head (read my Duck Head review here). It’s Tommy’s favorite brand for men’s clothes and they have great casual options.
If you live somewhere cool, black jeans are a great option for game day. They’re a little more interesting than basic blue denim, but you can style them a million ways. I like to wear black jeans with a simple cropped sweater (I love this TopShop Cable Cropped Cardigan) and then accessorize with a game-day pin or sticker. Since I’m also very pro-sneakers when it comes to tailgating, my favorite crop of black jeans is a kick flare. This style is more on-trend than skinny jeans but still flattering and fitted through the majority of the leg. I love that kick-flare jeans show off your shoes and err on the more casual side.
Once it really gets cold, you can wear cute booties with these and throw on a black puffer cold with a team color beanie. I have an entire blog post dedicated to outfit ideas for temps around 40 here (since it can be hard to know what to wear when it’s cold in the AM and warm in the PM).
The pair I like best is a little pricey but SO worth the splurge — the Pistola Lennon High Rise Boot. They run true-to-size (I take my typical size 27) and have the perfect amount of stretch. You can sit in them all day without discomfort, which is essential for football games!
I’m linking a handful of black jeans at difference price points below as well:
Another great option for colder weather is a sweater dress. My favorite option is this Vivianne Sweater Dress from Tuckernuck because it’s comfortable and flattering, and the 3/4 length sleeves make it casual. This dress looks perfect with sneakers (here’s a post on how to wear sneakers with dresses), which are my go-to on game day. I always go for black on game days since it’s so easy to accessorize with your team’s colors. For this outfit, I paired the black dress with a clear game day purse with my initials in gold and black – Wake Forest’s team colors. My bag is from Sprinkled with Pink.
See my 5 must have dresses for cold weather linked in this blog post for more inspiration.
Next on the must-have list for game-day outfits is a comfortable pair of sneakers. Your cute football game outfit is a total failure if your feet hurt. You will walk a lot at a football game, unless you have VIP parking, and you’ll be so happy you wore sneakers as opposed to heeled boots or booties. I’m so thankful that cute fashion sneakers are trending right now because there are so many options to choose from.
My #1 pick for fashion sneakers is Vejas. I have three different pairs and love them all. They’re leather, so they’re a little dressier than you may imagine for sneakers, but they’re still comfortable and easy to wear all day. They look great with both jeans and dresses! Unfortunately, Vejas sell out super quickly, but Zappos has a handful of cute colors in stock.
Next on my list are New Balance 327 sneakers. These are also somewhat hard to find in different colors, but the price tag is better than Vejas. They are a little sportier than Vejas too, so they will be a great option for wearing with athleisure throughout the fall. You can also find lots of colors available in the 237 style, which is also super cute but a little wider.
A more affordable option is a pair of Tretorn sneakers. I got a pair from Tuckernuck this summer and love that they’re simple and lightweight. They don’t break the bank either.
Here are a handful of styles and colors I love:
Most college stadiums (and even professional sporting events and concert stadiums) are beginning to implement a clear bag policy, and while it can be really annoying to have to switch everything to a new purse, there are a TON of cute options available! The best options I’ve found have been from Sprinkled with Pink. They have a whole section of stadium bags that you can have personalized. My assistant bought this clear bag from Amazon last year and loved it for football games.
I shared the rest of my favorite stadium approved bags in a separate blog post.
Even the stadiums that are implementing a clear bag policy usually allow very small non-clear bags, as well, so it’s time to break out those belt bags! I LOVE my belt bag for so many reasons, but it’s especially useful for a football game. It holds your phone, keys, wallet, and any other small necessity. It can stay on your body all day without bothering you, and you can get them in all sorts of colors (perfect for accessorizing for your team!). I have both the Lululemon belt bag and a lookalike from Amazon. So, I genuinely don’t think it makes sense to order the Lululemon one because the Amazon version is SO good. I have a full review comparing them both, but in short, just get the Amazon belt bag!
Since we went neutral for the outfit itself, I thought it would be fun to share a handful of team specific accessories in case you want to jazz your look up. One of my favorite brands EVER, Mignonne Gavigan, makes the most gorgeous earrings in a ton of team colors.
I would LOVE to know who you cheer for! Let me know in the comments below!
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3 responses to “What to Wear to a Football Game – Cute Outfits that are Comfy & Classy”
A cozy sweater and jeans are always a classic choice for a football game. Pair it with a scarf and a beanie for extra warmth and style.
I feel like you are my soul sister… I’ve had the petite Lennon jeans in my cart for a while now. I’m 5ft and after your recommendation today I am ready to pull the trigger. I believe the ones you linked aren’t petite. You think they’d work for my height? I wear the Madewell kick crop in petite. Thank you as always!
Yes I think regular would work, but I’d probably order the petite! I am 5’1″ and have the regular but may cut the hem since they’re a little longer than I prefer. Hope that helps!