College football is a force to be reckoned with at K-State. As game day approaches, purple pride engulfs the city of Manhattan as students and visitors dress up to get pumped up for a day of tailgating and Wildcat ambiance.
“My favorite part about game days are getting to tailgate with my family and experiencing the crazy atmosphere in the stadium,” Scotti Twombly, sophomore in biology, said.
Although a purple Powercat T-shirt may seem like an obvious choice when it comes to game day apparel, other students are dressing it up a little more and adding their own touch.
“I think that it depends on the weather, but I would typically wear jeans, a purple top or a simple dress with purple jewelry if (the dress) were white or black to a game day,” Lexi Kasitz, junior in marketing, said. “Also, for most games, I like to wear cowgirl boots because they are comfy and a popular choice. Usually I shop online or at smaller boutiques for game day apparel.”
Boutiques like Fortuity, located on Poyntz Avenue, have many options when it comes to stylish game day clothes. Slinky, soft cotton T-shirts with wide necklines can easily be turned into a hip, off-the-shoulder shirt when bought one or two sizes too big.
Other ideas include hitting up The Original Retro Brand website or even your local thrift shop, like Grand Ol’ Trunk off Pillsbury Drive, if you’re on the search for a cool vintage look.
If you want to age your clothing a little more to give it more of an older, softer feel, then soak your clothing in salt water for approximately three days, machine wash with detergent and tumble dry afterwards. You can even personalize your own K-State style, if you wish, by heading over to Threads in Aggieville to design a shirt exactly to your liking.
As T-shirt dresses are becoming more and more common now, buying a men’s semi-fitted shirt in a size suitable for your height is an easy, full outfit when paired with Converse shoes or any type of boots for a casual, comfortable look. For colder climate games, wear a flannel or chambray shirt unbuttoned.
“My favorite outfit I’ve worn to a game was a purple flannel over a black T-shirt dress with booties,” Twombly said.
Rompers are also a great choice as they’re not only in style, but there are a lot of different varieties of rompers to choose from. When paired with sandals or booties, rompers can be a quick fix to any outfit dilemma.
“On game days, my go-to outfit is a basic white, purple or black dress or romper with cowboy boots and a Powercat tattoo to top off my K-State pride,” Kelly Mayerle, senior in hospitality management, said.
No matter what you choose to wear on game day, make sure you check the weather so you don’t have to spend multiple hours of your day in an outdoor disaster. Layering any of the previously noted outfit ideas never hurts and can add more to your look.
Just remember, make your clothes personal to your style and make it original. Never be afraid to stray away from the social norms of K-State dresses or the simple T-shirt and jean shorts. Adding or altering the slightest changes to common outfits can give any tailgater a fashion touchdown before even entering the stadium.
