One of my pet peeves has always been when a person begins a sentence with, “When I was your age...” But that was because I was 22, and I largely felt left out of that sort of conversation due to lacking life experience. In my juvenile ineptitude, I’d brashly proclaim things like, “I’ll never use that expression,” or, “I’ll always be ‘cool.’” Well, here I am — definitely not 22 and probably not cool. And I am losing a bet with myself right now. However, I am equally winning, because now, the understanding of such statements rings true to me. And somehow, I feel a little wiser in this life.
So, here it is: When I was in college, game day was not about what we wore.
There were tailgates and streams of people flooding into town. My friends and I secured tickets, though sometimes we’d not make it into the stadium because of the fun-having at said tailgate. A sense of pride welled, even for those least into sports.
As for what we wore, it did not include anything with rhinestones, nor was it ever a dress. The fanciest my group of friends got was a jersey. We’d pull our hair up to prepare for a full day of celebrating.
Nowadays, dressing for game day is a sport in itself.
To claim the best-dressed bragging rights, huddle at Royce Clothing (7314 N. Western Ave.; 608-0148) and collect a game-day strategy. It frequently updates its social media sites with new looks, all available to rock whether one bleeds orange or crimson. Make sure you visit the physical location before the end of the month. After that, the shop will be online only (royceclothing.com).
Currently, Royce offers a black maxi dress — a great way to look trendy, dressy and casually chic. It’s got an orange pistol on the front to subtly assure the masses who the wearer roots for. The solid black is a great choice for the games earlier in the season, when the Oklahoma sun turns on those sweat glands. For Sooners, try the crimson-and-cream strapless dress with a bow on the front. It’s flirty, and its above-the-knee length is perfect for warmer days.
Maybe you don’t buy into the trend of dressing up on game days. Maybe a tried-and-true T-shirt will do the trick.
While in Stillwater, head to Chris’ University Spirit (244 S. Knoblock, Stillwater; 377-0555). The shop has been in business since 1986 and offers a substantial collection of shirts, jerseys, caps, hoodies for when the weather cools down and tailgating supplies.
If spending game day in Norman, shop at Balfour of Norman (792 Asp Ave.; 321-6539). In business for more than 30 years, Balfour knows exactly what one needs for the perfect football experience.
In the end, does it really matter what ones wears on game day?
Celebrate your team of choice, and enjoy being 22. Or 42 or 82. Let’s shop, OKC!
