How Recent Fashion Trends are Influencing College Park
By Aubrey Wurst
October 27, 2025
Photo Credit: Aubrey Wurst
Part of the American college experience, and just American culture in general, is attending a beloved football game. Every household from California to the East Coast has a team they religiously root for, and with this comes gameday outfits.
Being able to go to these games in person, enjoy tailgates, see loved ones, and the American sport of football itself is one of the most iconic ways to spend a weekend.
At the root of the experience lies the fashion and the way we can show our love for these teams through the outfits we put together for the games.
In College Park, students express their sense of fashion on gamedays. Gamedays bring anything from jeans and an oversized jersey, to head to toe Maryland-themed outfits. Throughout the United States, football game fashion has become a prominent topic on social media platforms and a way for college students to influence and share their lives.
So far this year, the majority of students at games wear jerseys of their favorite player, dresses, and Maryland polos.
Caitlyn Cornwell, junior communications major, said her go-to gameday outfit is a bodysuit and skirt. She said she has seen a lot more girls wearing dresses this year.
Nick Polinsky, sophomore journalism major, goes all out for football games. He wears head to toe Maryland gear. Including a hat and hoodie or UMD polo.
Polinsky said most guys wear polos to games in college park until it gets colder and they have to start wearing heavier clothes.
Gamedays typically include before and after activities such as tailgates, friend meetups, and alumni events.
Taylor Borovac, sophomore communications major, said her go-to outfit is athleisure to accommodate her busy game day schedule.
Athleisure is a consistent theme at UMD football games. Students tend to wear leggings or athletic dresses with bows or gameday pins.
Maryland football occasionally posts about themes for games. Cornwell and Borovac said their favorite theme to dress is blackout.
Blackout is an annual electric UMD gameday theme, the game is typically at night and students wear all black while they cheer on the Terps.
Different football conferences tend to have different aesthetics when it comes to fashion. Typically the Southeastern Conference is full of dresses and cowboy boots, while the Big Ten tends to be more casual while still adding style.
Football fashion is a large part of American gameday culture. No matter what NCAA conference you analyze, all American gamedays have a special feeling with them.
Gamedays will always be an opportunity for college students to express themselves while supporting their favorite teams.
Nick :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QziVjwCTXMdsZGgHDlEfuJ9EZqyTsNIk/view?usp=sharing
Taylor :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19Rl6iWRO5c_29CZ98LkHGFhDR97IF-8w/view?usp=sharing
Caitlyn :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CWIXUkAvh7a9maOF2lLXBaYRHgiNMexm/view?usp=sharing
Being able to go to these games in person, enjoy tailgates, see loved ones, and the American sport of football itself is one of the most iconic ways to spend a weekend.
At the root of the experience lies the fashion and the way we can show our love for these teams through the outfits we put together for the games.
In College Park, students express their sense of fashion on gamedays. Gamedays bring anything from jeans and an oversized jersey, to head to toe Maryland-themed outfits. Throughout the United States, football game fashion has become a prominent topic on social media platforms and a way for college students to influence and share their lives.
So far this year, the majority of students at games wear jerseys of their favorite player, dresses, and Maryland polos.
Caitlyn Cornwell, junior communications major, said her go-to gameday outfit is a bodysuit and skirt. She said she has seen a lot more girls wearing dresses this year.
Nick Polinsky, sophomore journalism major, goes all out for football games. He wears head to toe Maryland gear. Including a hat and hoodie or UMD polo.
Polinsky said most guys wear polos to games in college park until it gets colder and they have to start wearing heavier clothes.
Gamedays typically include before and after activities such as tailgates, friend meetups, and alumni events.
Taylor Borovac, sophomore communications major, said her go-to outfit is athleisure to accommodate her busy game day schedule.
Athleisure is a consistent theme at UMD football games. Students tend to wear leggings or athletic dresses with bows or gameday pins.
Maryland football occasionally posts about themes for games. Cornwell and Borovac said their favorite theme to dress is blackout.
Blackout is an annual electric UMD gameday theme, the game is typically at night and students wear all black while they cheer on the Terps.
Different football conferences tend to have different aesthetics when it comes to fashion. Typically the Southeastern Conference is full of dresses and cowboy boots, while the Big Ten tends to be more casual while still adding style.
Football fashion is a large part of American gameday culture. No matter what NCAA conference you analyze, all American gamedays have a special feeling with them.
Gamedays will always be an opportunity for college students to express themselves while supporting their favorite teams.
Nick :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QziVjwCTXMdsZGgHDlEfuJ9EZqyTsNIk/view?usp=sharing
Taylor :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/19Rl6iWRO5c_29CZ98LkHGFhDR97IF-8w/view?usp=sharing
Caitlyn :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CWIXUkAvh7a9maOF2lLXBaYRHgiNMexm/view?usp=sharing