Alabama football games are often associated with unique outfits and fashion trends, and with the season in full swing, some students may be experiencing a whole new way of preparing for game day.
“There’s a very clear distinction of what the dress code is if you’re in Greek life or if you want to be active on game days,” said Haylie Keller, a junior earning her Bachelor of Science on the pre-optometry track. She said that for girls, this dress code can include “cute but fancy” dresses, short dresses, cowboy boots, leather skirts and leather jumpsuits.
Boyd Kennedy, a freshman majoring in economics, said the expectations for guys can include any Alabama colors and branded clothing, but the common trend is collared shirts and khakis.
Dressing up for game days is a deep-rooted tradition at the Capstone. Over a century ago the expectation was suits, bowler hats and long dresses. Despite the long tradition of game day attire, it can be a culture shock for incoming students from other areas of the country who are not used to it.
“I knew there was a lot of culture around game day and that it was a big deal, but I wasn’t aware that there was a certain way you were supposed to dress or anything,” said Emma Erhart, a freshman majoring in psychology. She described the game day style as “kind a business casual,” adding that people in Tuscaloosa dress up more than in her hometown of Dallas, Texas.
Many colleges don’t have such a reputation for uniform when attending a football game, but this doesn’t seem to scare students away.
Kennedy said that although he grew up a University of North Carolina fan, he has never felt such a sense of “camaraderie” as he has at Alabama.
Keller said that one of the unique game day traditions that transcends social groups is buttons.
Game day pins are staples for those in Greek organizations and educational departments, and various stores around the Strip sell an assortment of styles. Buttons can be formal, depicting Greek letters and phrases like “UA hearts the Tide,” but they can also be comical, featuring expressions referring to Nick Saban, the former Alabama football coach, and others that make pop culture references.
Football brings the student body together, and the community centered around the unspoken dress code adds to the culture of game day Saturdays.
“You’re new to it [game days] and you want to fit in,” Keller said. “It’s not like wanting to fit in in the sense of wanting to make your friends like you better, but you want to fit into the campus culture because game day is a big deal.”
