It’s time for Penn State students to get their lion ears out: Home football games are back in less than two weeks, and that means tailgates are around the corner. To get those Instagram-worthy game day photos, the perfect outfit is necessary.
And, some already have been thinking about what they’ll be wearing this football season.
Lily McHugh said she already has ideas in mind for this year’s White Out.
“I plan on wearing white jeans and possibly a white bandeau top if the weather is still warm,” McHugh (sophomore-advertising) said.
Other students — like Dani McGrane — also plan on taking advantage of the warm weather by wearing less layers.
“I have some crop tops and tank tops that I plan on wearing,” McGrane (sophomore-communications) said. “One of them is strapless and says ‘State’ on it, which I’m excited to wear.
Students like Maddie Kuzmich plan on wearing outfits based on color rather than Penn State logos.
“I feel like once you get older and you’re not a freshman, people tend to wear just navy and white stuff opposed to all Penn State stuff,” Kuzmich (junior-biobehavioral health) said.
Sophomore Lila DiPaolo, who missed out on her freshman year football season due to the coronavirus, agreed with Kuzmich.
“To me, it’s going to be less about Penn State branding and more about the use of colors and pieces to accessorize and [using] things that I thrift,” DiPaolo (sophomore-advertising) said.
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DiPaolo said she already has a blue vest she thrifted and a skirt picked out for one of the games — all in “Penn State blue.”
But even straying away from Penn State branded shirts, DiPaolo said she thinks logos might pop up in a new fashion.
“I think quarantine is going to have a lot of inspiration on how people’s outfits are going to come out,” DiPaolo said. “People are going to DIY their tops with bleach or cutting them.”
Kuzmich said another trend that might pop up at tailgates are baby T-shirts — tighter cropped shirts.
“I feel like now people are gonna wear baby tees cause they’re cute, and people see other people wearing them,” Kuzmich said. “This year, depending on the weather, I’ll wear navy sweats with baby tees.”
Sage Kugler also has a few outfits in mind, one of which being a pair of navy, white and gray plaid pants — which she said is the perfect color combination for Beaver Stadium. Another includes a classic warm weather tailgate staple: a skirt.
“I definitely think tennis skirts are going to be a big [trend],” Kugler (senior-art education and psychology) said. “That was a big trend last year, and since we didn’t have football season, it’ll stand out this year.”
When talking about skirts, Kuzmich said students can’t forget the mock cheerleading skirts people can buy at many stores downtown.
Maddie Kuzmich and Kaia Iverson show off their tailgating outfits.
Alana Nesmith said she expects to see and wear a lot of skirts.
“I have a tennis skirt and cheerleading skirt I plan on wearing to the first game with a white crop top,” Nesmith (freshman-political science) said.
Even with all the trends, Kugler said it would not be a tailgate without sticking to the classic tailgate looks.
“I would say a classic tailgate look is a denim jacket — that’s a safe bet — with a crop T-shirt,” Kugler said.
As far as pants, Kuzmich said students can never go wrong with jeans at a Penn State tailgate.
“A very classic outfit is just a pair of jeans, probably baggy, with white tennis shoes and a navy or Penn State type of shirt,” Kuzmich said.
But even with all these trends and straying away from direct brands, DiPaolo said she thinks one iconic item will stay this season.
“I think the Nittany Lion ears are going to stay.”
