A sweater by Ohio State alumna Amanda Sima, who ran fashion brand Alma Mater Wear from 2008 to 2018. Credit: Courtesy of Amanda Sima
At Ohio State, football may dominate Saturdays, but fashion has quickly become an integral part of the tradition. Vintage tops and cowboy boots have turned Buckeye gear into curated, trend-driven looks that set the tone for these spirited days.
Averie Ison, a fourth-year in strategic communications and editor-in-chief of Scarlette Magazine, Ohio State’s student-run fashion publication, said students have been crafting more unique looks in recent years.
“Students don’t just throw on a jersey anymore, they style their looks and add personal touches,” Ison said. “I’ve noticed a lot of students tying bows or ribbons in their hair and on their purses, layering jewelry, customizing their clothes, even cutting them.”
Ellie Michaelis, a fourth-year in marketing and co-president of Ohio State’s Fashion Production Association, said being unique has become a big part of dressing for game days.
“Personalization and individuality has become very commonplace,” Michaelis said. “People don’t want to wear exactly what everyone else is wearing.”
Michaelis said students say that social media platforms, such as TikTok, Instagram and Pinterest, are shaping how they approach putting together game day outfits. Viral “Get Ready With Me” videos show how students across the Big Ten, and even the SEC, are putting together outfits that balance school colors with trendy accessories.
“With social media, we get to see what other schools do and how other people ‘DIY’ their merch,” Michaelis said. “It’s so interesting to see the ways creators make clothes specifically for game days.”
Ison pointed to Pinterest as a particularly influential space.
“Nowadays, everyone gravitates there to get creative with their outfits rather than going to a licensed OSU apparel shop,” Ison said. “TikTok and Instagram have also highlighted innovative small designers that filled a gap in the market for women’s game day fashion.”
Though Ohio State is part of the Big Ten, students are drawing style inspiration from southern schools, where game days often look more elevated, Michaelis said.
“I noticed some people have started wearing boots and dresses more that reflect the SEC fashion,” Michaelis said. “I could see OSU moving in a more elevated direction with nicer dresses for girls and polos for guys in the next few years.”
At the heart of it all, though, is Ohio State football, a culture that magnifies everything around it. The passion that fills Ohio Stadium each Saturday in the fall spills into the streets, the tailgates and the way students dress.
“The culture of football definitely influences a large part of student behavior on and off campus,” Michaelis said. “If our football team wasn’t as good, people probably wouldn’t care about what they’re wearing as much.”
With the sport showing no signs of slowing down, neither is the fashion.
“Game day fashion is definitely evolving into more of a fashion statement and creative outlet,” Ison said. “In the future, it’s going to get more self-expressive, students are going to make their outfits more like a costume rather than just something to wear to a game.”
