Up until I met my husband I did not give two shits about football.
My family watched football when I was growing up and are die hard FSU fans. However, I think I just checked out or was in the kitchen trying to convince my mom I was going to be the person at OPI that named nail polish colors when I grew up. It was statements like that which lead my parents to have discussions with terms like "student loans" and "late to leave the nest".
Anyway, my husband is a tremendous Clemson fan.
He grew up loving the Tigers but went to the Citadel because if you know Chris, you know he was wild and he needed that. When the Citadel plays Clemson, he is a DAWG through and through. However, for the rest of the games he is a tiger.
I don’t know the rules, this is just what I have been told and I just follow suit in whatever colors I am supposed to be wearing on that day. As I started to attend more games I realized it is hard to dress cute for this shit?!
Also, somewhere along my football journey, something in me changed, in a DRASTIC way. I started to care!!! Like FOR REAL care.
We have a super fun group of friends that we tailgate and attend away games with so I always had a blast even if I wasn’t watching the game. I have a shirt that says, “Drinks well with others” and that was exactly my perspective, I’m here for the party. As the 2015 football season started to pan out, we all kind of started looking at each other like, things are going well, but not saying too much. I do know you don’t talk about it or jinx this stuff. Before I knew it we were going to Miami for the Orange Bowl, which was also on New Years.
South Beach for New Years, hell yes, I LOVE FOOTBALL. I wore gold sequin shorts to the game and a purple tank top, YASSS HUNTAY.
When Clemson won the game, Chris immediately booked flights. WE GOING TO THE NATTY!!!
Chris is literally booking our flights in this picture and that's my other husband Brett Kramer.
I will honestly say, looking at this picture now and remembering that moment in time it didn’t register what a big deal that was, however eventually my eyes would open, WIDE ASS UP.
While celebrating at a pool party the next day Chris and I attempted our usual tipsy cheer stunts. I mean my husband is built like a gorilla and I’m a former cheerleader, mix in some cocktails, WHO WANTS TO DO A FREE STANDING LIBERTY?!?!?!?! Um, ME!! Chris went to lift me up and I heard a pop in his arm. I turned around and he was trying to catch his breath holding his arm. We had just successfully torn what was a partial tear in his bicep from an old baseball injury. This was January 2nd, 2016.
Chris had reconstructive bicep surgery on January 8th and we flew to effing Arizona on January 10th for the National Championship.
When the surgeon called me into the side-room to discuss how the surgery went I looked him in the eye and said I need to know what happens if he re-tears his bicep, I know he has told you he is going to “think” about not going to Arizona for the game, but I know he is going. And the only medical supplies I have in my purse are fake eye lash glue and a bandaid, will any of this help? He stared blankly at me for a few seconds, sort of giggled and tried to figure out if I was being serious. I was dead serious Doc. He put Chris on a special blood thinner so he could fly and made him wear compression socks.
I was a COMPLETE NERVOUS WRECK.
Football games are nothing but people bumping into you and here we are, with a fresh bicep. I have never relied more on my mother for sanity and HATED FOOTBALL. I told Chris a thousand times this was the dumbest decision he ever made and he said I could either shut up or stay home. I shut the hell up and got on the plane.
When we got to Arizona, first of all, it’s beautiful, so that helped tremendously, I started to look at the situation differently. Everyone was so excited to be there, what a moment, a chance to win the National Championship for the first time since 1984. Ok, things are starting to click for me.
As we were walking into the game, we ran into Chris’s surgeon who had just fixed his bicep. Swear to God.
He checked Chris’s arm, said he was doing great and go tigers. I had 4% left on my phone and I called my mom told her what happened, she said thank god now go chug a beer and win this damn ball game.
God bless, aint NOBODY like my mama!! She was so incredibly worried about Chris, she prayed in the waiting room during his surgery over and over that he would change his mind about going, but now that she knew he was ok, it was time to win the Natty. Now I am JACKED!! Hell yes, I LOVE FOOTBALL!!! And then we all know what happened next.
We lost.
And I felt every second. My heart broke. I looked at Chris and thought after all of this, to be so close. And he just said this is how it goes Lyv, its why people love football, it hurts so good.
When I walked out of that stadium that night, something in my damn soul was different, something was on fire. It was college football.
And now I take these outfits more serious than date night.
So let me share with you some of the avenues I have found successful for putting together a great Gameday look for tailgating.
Orange and purple, man thats tough to work with, especially when I’m semi-orange after spray tans usually. I quickly realized the main goal of the tailgate was first, survival and then accessories.
Often times we know the weather will not be in our favor. The tailgate atmosphere shows us zero mercy and is always either sweating or freezing to death, there is no in between. On the crazy hot tailgate days, I like to keep my look simple and just know that at the end of the day I'm probably just going to throw it all away except for my accessories.
Throw it away?! Ummm yeah, there isn't enough color safe bleach in the world to get out the emotional stains of a Gamdeday.
For that reason unless I'm ordering something from Fanatics, I shop super clearance or thrift stores for solid orange and purple items. This orange tank shown was in the sale section at Nordstrom Rack for $4. Also later in the blog I wear a pair of orange shorts by J Crew, which I found from Plato's Closet with the tags still on them for $8. Shout out to my girls at Plato's Closet!! The staff at the Harbison location is the JAM.
Below I will provide a link to the store where I purchased the orange and purple tassel earrings shown. I find my best luck with accessories to be any of your local boutiques, Fab'rik, Vikki's, Entourage etc. The Clemson belt is from a Tiger town boutique. I'll provide links at the very end to the Instagram locations of the stores I just suggested!
Also when it comes to tailgate shoe attire, I am not trying to impress anybody.
I have a good pair of wedges that I MIGHT attempt to wear, however if it’s a home game that is really ambitious with all those hills! Lawd Jesus! I have not yet, but I know one day I will trip fall and roll straight down that damn hill into the Esso which is fine, I’m at the bar, where I need to be.
So typically I just go with my trusty cowboy boots.
SIDENOTE:
This tank is actually a full length tank that I cut ENTIRELY too short.
I was in a hurry to trim it a smidge for this shoot and I goofed and cut it WAY too short. However, it is the softest and lightest material. You can find the direct link below.
A good hat has also become a tailgate main ingredient for me. Let’s face it, if it’s one of these first games our hair doesn’t stand a chance, we are going to sweat and smell like an old chicfila nugget no matter what dry shampoo we have on hand. I naturally have a big head so I shop Brixton hats a good bit.
I shop year round for clothes to wear for gamedays. Always have your eyes open to whatever your team colors are even in prints and patterns.
My local fab'rik location has amazing Clemson and USC custom necklaces by Fabulina.
I also have had a lot of luck with keyword searches using: tiger stripe or just tiger clothes.
Once you train your eye to kind of always be on the look out it’ll come naturally. (Think of what your mascot is and how you can do a general search as well.) You will get a lot of results back, but once you see something that catches your eye or gives you a better idea, just start your search over with a more precise description.
This tiger stripe bodysuit is actually a one piece bathing suit I found from Forever21.
It sold out right away so I'll provide a link to a similar one I found from Revolve along with a link to the tassel earrings from this look. I plan on wearing this bodysuit this weekend in College Station for the A&M game. If I'm going to be sweating to death, a swimsuit kind of seems brilliant at this point.
Below I've included links to some of my favorite tiger theme items I have run across so far this season!
What are yalls go to drinks for tailgates?! I love a good crystal light and vodka! You can get the gallon jugs of water and pre-mix the crystal light so it’s ready to roll at the tailgate. I usually start with beer otherwise I’ll turn into a potato mid-day. I love this grapefruit german beer called “Schofferhofer Hefeweizen", I describe it as being paired best with breakfast casserole. LOL! It’s a great day beverage, it’s not heavy.
So fire up the cooler scooter and get your Gameday face on. I'm rolling into College Station tailgate ready this weekend!
And don't forget to let me know your suggestions for easy tailgate cocktail ideas!! Whoever your Gameday team may be, put your colors on, push your shoulders back and let’s get ready for some football because being you rocks!!
-Lyv
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