What to Wear to a Football Game – Cute Outfits that are Comfy & Classy

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.

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 and hope to attend some more games in person this year! And, since we live in Winston-Salem, we usually end up going to at least one Wake Forest University football game.

The looks in this post are all intentionally neutral so that you can accessorize them with your team colors. I always find that buying clothes for one specific use end up getting donated the next year. And honestly, I don’t want to wear a dark yellow top or dress to match 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.

What to Wear to a Football Game – cute outfits that are comfy & classic

What to wear to a football game when it’s hot: a neutral dress

When I’m thinking about getting dressed for a football game or tailgate, the easiest outfit idea I can think of is a black or white dress (at least if you’re wondering what to wear to a football game in hot weather!!). This is because a neutral dress is cute, lightweight, and every single team color I can think of will work with black or white, with the right accessories. Even if your team’s colors are navy and red, you can make white work. A solid color black or white dress is so versatile.

Two Options

I have two favorite dresses for this scenario. The first is this black ruffled tank dress. Mine is by Nation LTD. It’s sleeveless (so important for the south since it’s HOT here!), short but not too short, and looks great with sneakers. The name of the game is comfort, and this mini dress totally meets the standard. I also love that you can wear it throughout the rest of the fall with clogs, booties, a denim jacket or a sweater. I’ve had it for 2.5 years and worn it so much because it’s so versatile. The Nation dress is right over $100 and the quality is amazing.

The second dress I’ve really liked this season is by Amazon! This white mini dress with side cutouts may not seem like it would be pregnancy friendly (I was in my second trimester when I took the photos below), but it actually is! And the fact that it’s lined is a huge bonus. I have this in a size small and it fits true-to-size. It comes in SO many colors, so you could definitely get this in black or navy too.

You can see how I styled both for game days below. If we were going to App State or Wake Forest games this fall, I’d wear the black dress and gold jewelry to accessorize since both of their colors are black and gold. If I were going to a UNC Chapel Hill game, I’d wear the white dress and some light blue accessories — maybe this clear and light blue crossbody bag. Clemson fans in the house? This orange and clear purse is for you! I shared the rest of my favorite stadium approved bags in a separate blog post.

Linking a few other black and white dresses below:

Denim Shorts + Tank

Now let’s say it’s too hot for jeans but you’re just not one to wear a dress to a football game, denim shorts are the way to go! I actually wore jean shorts and a tank to an ASU game last year and accessorized with gold jewelry. It was practical, cute, and I didn’t sweat my clothes off. Like the two sections above, I prefer to go neutral for game-days, especially with jean shorts. A black or white tank is always the perfect option for me (that’s actually a bodysuit that I wear as a tank), and then a fun pair of earrings or a colorful belt bag finishes the look. You could, however, get a top that matches your teams colors too. Easy peasy!

My favorite pair of jean shorts are by Abercrombie, but since the season for denim shorts is almost over, they are almost fully sold out. My second favorite pair are the Agolde Parker Long shorts, and thankfully they are in stock. They’re expensive (for jean shorts at least), but they will last for years, they don’t show your booty, and they’re relaxed enough that they don’t squeeze your thighs. I’ll link a few other pairs below, but I HIGHLY recommend the Agolde pair if you’re a regular denim short wearer like me. The waist does run large (intentionally) so if you’re on the fence, I’d size down. They come in a ton of washes and hem styled (raw, distressed, finished, etc).

What to wear to a football game when it’s cold: black jeans

Now if you live somewhere cooler than Winston-Salem (lucky you), 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. Similarly to the dresses above, I like to wear a neutral top, like this flutter sleeve tank, with my jeans and then accessorize with more color. 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.

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 being uncomfortable, which is essential for football games!

I’m linking a handful of black jeans at difference price points below as well:

Sneakers

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:

A clear purse

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! I ordered one from Amazon that I actually wouldn’t recommend (the chain is WAY too long), but I found a handful of other bags with great reviews that I’m linking below. 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.

A belt bag

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!

Team Accessories

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 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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