There is very little more satisfying in life than a great tailgate before an amazing football game. Tailgating has grown in significance over the years to the point that what could easily be nothing more than a quick snack with friends before a game has become an event in itself with the premium tailgaters planning out their food/drinks/entertainment options months in advance. A great tailgate, however, can be ruined by the wrong choice in football clothes. Here is a guide to fall clothes that will make sure your tailgate apparel is on point this season, whatever the weather.
Tailgate Clothing for Any Weather
- Tank Top
- Ball Cap
- Short Sleeve Tee Shirt
- Long Sleeve Tee Shirt
- Crewneck Sweatshirt
- Hooded Sweatshirt
- Pom Hat
Hot
Tank Top
When looking at fall clothing for women, the region of the country is important. Sure, it is going to be getting cold quickly in the Northeastern United States, but in the South it is still going to be hot all the way through until we near Christmas. This means that for fans of NFL teams like the Miami Dolphins and Arizona Cardinals, or college squads such as the USC Trojans and Florida Gators, the tank top is a legitimate option through fall. In fact, the only issue with wearing a tank top as football apparel in some of the warmer climates in the US is the risk of sunburn!
Ball Cap
The cap is one of the most versatile pieces of tailgate clothing around. When it is hot and sunny, and there are many places in the country where this applies, then the cap is basically an essential item in order to stop burning of the face or neck. Be it a snapback or a flexfit cap, the number of styles and designs for such a small area of fan supporting real estate are almost limitless. It is human nature to be drawn to the face and head when meeting a fellow fan and showing your support with a cap at a tailgate in hot weather makes this item of fall clothing for men an easy decision to be part of the game day outfit.
Warm
Short Sleeve Tee Shirt
The short sleeved tee shirt is a classic when it comes to supporting your football team. At the most basic it is just a case of slapping a team logo on the front and running with it, but modern designs have a lot more to it than that. Retro looks are all the rage and will make you stand out in the crowd, while women can look at the lace up version of this type of football apparelto show their support. No matter the team, be it college or NFL, going to a tailgate on a warm fall afternoon almost requires a short sleeve tee shirt if you don’t want to be given a distrustful side eye!
Cold
Long Sleeve Tee Shirt
As the weather turns from warm to cold, the tee shirt decision turns from short sleeve to long sleeve. There is something about the extra insulation provided by a tee shirt that goes down over the wrists that makes it perfect as an item of fall clothing for men when considering tailgate apparel. Make sure to get on supporting the basketball, baseball, hockey or football team with a nice big logo on the front, or one in the jersey’s style with a name and number on the back. You can even layer a short sleeve tee over a long sleeve tee (contrasting colors, of course) as a layering option when the weather is a little more unpredictable.
Crewneck Sweatshirt
For those tailgates where a long sleeved tee shirt just won’t cut it the next step up is a crew neck sweatshirt. No longer the fall clothing item solely for dads, the crew neck is ideal when a light jacket is also involved as it doesn’t have the annoying hood bulging out of the back of the neck. This is another item of tailgate clothing that goes best with a retro look and a crew neck is perfect for those fall night games where the tailgating continues after the sun goes down and there is a chill in the air.
Nope!
Hooded Sweatshirt
As the weather gets towards “Nope!” territory, when it comes to a tailgate, you are going to need to start wrapping up much, much warmer. Those 85 degree tailgates in Florida are many miles away when you wake and get together your fall clothes for a noon kickoff November game in Green Bay, but that doesn’t mean that the tailgate fun stops. A hooded sweatshirt is vital here (layering really does work) and being nice and warm will make those pregame brats and burgers taste so much sweeter.
Pom Hat
A Pom Hat works much like the ball cap in as much as it is the first thing on your body that announces your football team allegiance. Also like the ball cap, there are just so many styles of pom and beanie hat out there. For those living in the really cold football cities, look for something with more than the standard level of insulation because your ears never need to be as cold as your beer before you head into the stadium.
Looking the part is definitely important at an NFL or college tailgate. Getting the right tailgate clothing for the season and supporting your school or team at the same time is vital if you are going to have a good time. Keep an eye on the weather and always have a stock of short sleeve tees, football jerseys, hats, and other items (gloves and scarves matter too) so that you will never be the person bouncing early from a tailgate party because you are too hot or cold to continue the festivities with your friends and family.
