The College style divide

Southern frills, northern chill and gator denim

By: Kaitlyn Tarakji

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Credit: Pinterest

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As a junior at the University of Florida, I’ve spent many Saturday mornings sweaty and roaming campus with my friends as we eagerly wait to make the infamous trek to the stadium for a football game. 

Sure, the walk is uphill, feels longer than it really is, and exhausting. Personally, there’s nothing I love more than walking side-by-side with girls decked out in gator gear and getting inspiration for future outfits.

With fashion being my favorite aspect of gamedays at UF, I couldn’t help but wonder what my friends were wearing at their schools.

Ole Miss

Cue the Ole Miss Sigma Nu pool; Suncruiser-dyed water collides with girls splashing atop pool floats, holding borgs above their heads to keep them from getting contaminated with chlorine.

Beneath all this, however, are skirts. Long, floral, pleated and pastel, all submerged below the surface of the water while matching cowboy boots wait by the pool’s edge.

I’ve been lucky enough to visit my Ole Miss friend twice now; once for darties and another for a gameday. Both times, however, I was sent a specific packing list that looked a little something like this:

• Long, brightly-colored or floral skirts.

• Maxi dresses

• Mini purse with a long strap

• Cowboy boots

• Alexander McQueen sneakers

• Metal pins

• Tea

Credit: Pinterest

Realistically, of course, I did not intend on buying all of these pieces for the two-day trip. That’s not to say it wasn't an accurate list. The moment I walked on their campus, I immediately noticed at least two of the items on each girl. While the first five are self-explanatory, the fashion can get a little fuzzy with the rest of the items.

Similar to UF, pins are an essential addition to an Ole Miss game day outfit. Deep reds and silky powder blues sprinkled across the spherical accessories are symbolic of identity, whether that's sororities or simply school spirit. 

As a gator, the shiny seal over top stuck out to me like a rebel in the Swamp. While the idea is the same, a UF pin is usually fabric with embroidered designs, and while I have seen the metal style, it’s simply not as common here.

Credit: Pinterest

If you made it to the bottom of my list, you’re probably wondering what “Tea” is. 

Whatever you’re thinking, you’re right. But, you’re also wrong.

Yes, it’s a drink. However, it’s not made with an herbal mixture seeping in warm water. They’re big, bright, and highly caffeinated “loaded” teas. The flavors can range from cotton candy to berry, and with how often I saw them, I consider the teas an accessory, much like Opus coffee is to anyone passing through Sorority Row. 

Credit: @theteatrailer on Instagram

Boston University

Boston University skips the tailgate scene all together. What they lack in football game attire, they supplement with elegant street-style at darties.

While I haven’t been able to visit my friends up North yet, I’ve seen more than enough of their mirror pics to feel qualified to cover this topic. Unfortunately for BU students, their fashion decisions tackle a factor neither UF or Ole Miss students have needed to consider: white, powdery pillows of snow.

Jeans, sweaters, scarves and high-end sneakers fill the open courtyards of frat darties. Headbands, an effortless way to complete a classic UF athleisure fit, become a necessity in the below 30-degree winds of Boston.

On slightly warmer days, I’ve seen my friends wear mini skirts and matching cropped blazers. Still, layers are essential. At BU, looking cute takes commitment and a high cold tolerance.

Credit: Pinterest

University of Florida

Over 1000 miles south of BU enters the humidity-wrapped swamp. On tailgate mornings, gator–blue halter tops and biker shorts swarm the narrow sidewalk on Fraternity Row. 

A Monday morning darty, though, calls for denim shorts and bikini tops, essential attire for sliding down mud-ridden inflatable water slides. UF is a school that needs little to no explanation regarding its distinctive blend of casual micro shorts and southern frills.

If you need inspo for the spring Orange and Blue game or next year’s football season, @RowdyMagazine on instagram has yearly outfit posts with updates to fit the season’s newest trends. 

Looking to branch out from the polka dot sets or the infamous white short and jersey combination? We’ve got you covered. However, for my current purposes, we’re comparing these styles to the rest of the nation’s universities.

My personal favorite UF gameday trend is the sheer amount of denim. Denim tops, skirts, micro shorts, purses and dresses: What else can we turn denim? Chances are, I’d buy it. 

Despite the blue, denim matches all and is an easy way to look put together while still staying comfortable enough to hike up and down Frat row in search of phone service.

While frequently discussed, micro shorts weren’t a micro trend for the gators. I’ve seen them at my first tailgate and will definitely be wearing them at my last. Again, they’re comfy, versatile and not widely seen at preppy southern schools or clean northern attire.

Lastly, it felt imperative to mention cowboy boots. Like Ole Miss, whatever the bottoms, cowboy boots will follow. I appreciate how they bring a little piece of southern culture back into UF’s style, and I love the creativity that surrounds them. 

Neatly tied orange and blue bows often loop around the sides of the boots for extra style and spirit, adding a personal gator touch to the ever-so common cowboy boot trend.

Credit: Kaitlyn Tarakji

After seeing maxi skirts in a pool, blazers in a snowstorm and head-to-toe denim in 95% humidity, I’ve realized there’s no universal college “look.” Every campus has its own personality and its own environment to dress for. 

Whether you’re dodging snow, sweating through a tailgate or trying not to fall in a darty mudslide, the effort always shows. And honestly? That effort is what makes college fashion so fun. 

It’s less about following a rulebook and more about showing up in whatever makes you feel like you belong there.

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Kaitlyn Tarakji is a junior Political Science and Journalism student. She says she “loves gamedays,” but really she just loves an excuse to wear a fun outfit.