“If South Carolina isn’t the essence of Southern hospitality, I don’t know what is. Those women sure know how to dress. Of course, in the South, a college football game is practically a formal event. Everyone, especially the ladies, gets all dolled up. But USC takes it to a whole new level. That football crowd is like something you would see in Vogue magazine.”
An ESPN College GameDay anchor made this infamous statement when their GameDay crew visited University of South Carolina. It is no secret that college football in the South is huge — especially in the SEC. This football team, easily argued the best in the country, is topped with over-the-top tailgating and dressing to the nines to do so. Garnet and black dresses fill the windows of the many boutiques in 5-Points (Columbia’s main shopping area) and each fall, the girls at USC all try to find the most fashion-forward game day dresses to flaunt during football season. It’s no secret that colleges nationwide are all about school spirit; but ladies, there is no reason that school spirit has to be restricted to cut-up T-shirts and baseball caps.
I spotted this Fashionista on her way to cheer on the Gamecocks in the Outback Bowl. South Carolina defeated Michigan 33-28, bringing them to another 11-win season; this student was able to cheer the Gamecocks to victory while being fashion-forward at the same time! My favorite part of this Fashionista’s look is her spirited game day dress — a closet staple for any Southern student. She took the on-trend chevron print to a whole new level by incorporating the ever-popular garnet and black of South Carolina. She tied the look together with a pair of cowboy boots, a classic shoulder bag and a strand of pearls.
Having trouble finding a fashion-forward dress that flaunts your school’s colors? Look no further than the Emma Graham Campus Collection; a line of dresses designed specifically for campuses nationwide, including South Carolina, Ole Miss, Georgia, Alabama, Florida and LSU. My personal favorite from the Campus Collection is the garnet ‘Allie’ dress. Other destinations for fashionable game day dresses and statement jewelry include Twelve Saturdays, who market themselves as “your source for stylish clothing for every game of the football season,” and Yours Truly — “gameday clothing with sideline style.” Yours Truly even has a chevron dress, similar to the one that this Fashionista is flaunting.
Next time you are going to cheer on your team, put away those spirited T-shirts and worn down denim shorts and opt for a more stylish game day look like this Fashionista did. Find a fashion-forward dress in your school’s colors and complete the look with a pair of cowboy boots and a statement necklace (or an always classic strand of pearls like this Fashionista). College football games are undoubtedly the biggest social events of the season in South Carolina and not dressing in your Sunday best (or in this case, Saturday best) is not an option. So ladies, flaunt your spirited dresses and step into those cowboy boots; there is no other way to do game day in the South!
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