College Football and tailgating have shared a century of tradition together. This communal bonding activity is a staple of fall, especially on Saturday and Sunday afternoons before the big game. The problem is that tailgates have become associated with keg stands and greasy burgers as much as they’re associated with football.
Last week, Her Campus decided to change the direction of tailgates forever by throwing its first ever âChic Tailgateâ before the Harvard-Holy Cross game under the lights at Harvard Stadium. This event wasnât your typical tailgate, but combined the traditional elegance seen at schools in the SEC with the modern vibe of Boston and Manhattan.
Follow along with our game plan to learn how to make any tailgate classy and chic!
Rule #1: Itâs all about the presentation.
There isnât a rule that says those flowers have to stand on their own. Mix
it up by putting them in a vase with a pair of pom poms (team colors of
course) and placing a football alongside. The lovely ladies at Scout by Bungalow provided us with cute insulated tote bags, flip flops, patterned totes, and an outdoor rug to make our tailgate decor super chic!
Rule #2: Put in some effort ladies!
Nobodyâs telling you to wear high heels to tailgate on a grassy field, but a
great pair of designer jeans, a cute skirt and when the weather calls for it,
sundresses are a must. We all chose to wear our Her Campus tees (of course!).
Rule #3: Don’t let a girl starve!
Food is the staple of any tailgate! Think cupcakes and cookies over
burgers and brats. We had our tailgate furnished with gourmet cupcakes from Finale Bakery in Boston. They were deslish!
Rule #4: Keep the beverages classy!
Natty Ice, PBR and Bud Light are big no-nos for a classy tailgate. Think a fresh cabernet, a sparkly champagne, or a sweet reisling instead. The team over at our favorite wine events company, The Second Glass, supplied our tailgate with some of their favorite wine picks. Thanks Second Glass!
Check out a video that we made of the events of the day!