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Tailgate Tees: A Cheap and Easy Way to Prep for Game Day

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at U Iowa chapter.

Hey Hawkeyes! It’s that time again! School is hitting us hard and we are all just trying to make it to the weekend. How can you not be excited about cheering on the Hawks at Kinnick? But wait… what do we wear? Well, I have some exciting news for you. You don’t have to just shop at Tailgate or Pink to get the look you want (though I’m not opposed to it). There are also some cheaper options that give you a hands on opportunity to get creative and make something that you are excited to wear as you make your way down Melrose to cheer on the Hawkeyes… GO HAWKS!

So, what’s it going to be? How will you be making your Hawkeye fan debut this year?

First thing’s first. If you want to get a little crafty, you are not going to want to spend $30 on something you are just going to cut up. So don’t. The Hawk Shop always has shirts toward the back that are cheaper. Also, if you want a more vintage tee, you should look around Goodwill. They always have great tees and it will save you some money. Trust me, you are going to look great no matter what you wear!

Get your shirts and scissors ready because now it’s time to get creative. 

 

V-Neck Cut Out

 

This cut is definitely an easy go-to cut. It is probably one of the most popular as well. What’s cool about this look is that you can throw on a cute bralette and it will add to your look. 

 

  1. Lay your shirt on the floor face-down.

  2. Fold the shirt down the middle with the writing on the outside.

  3. Make sure both sides of your shirt are lined up.

  4. Pull the front of the shirt (the part you are going to cut) away from the back of the shirt. You don’t want to cut through the whole shirt.

  5. Make an angled cut from the crease of the shirt to the crew neck seam. It is best to start out small and get bigger. 

  6. Then, cut around the crew neck seam. 

  7. As you make cuts, you can always try on your shirt to make sure it’s the way you want it. 

  8. Unless you want to crop your shirt or shorten the sleeves, you are finished!

 

Tube Top

This look is always a fun one. Actually, this is the cut I wore to the first game! The key to this look is to get a size bigger than you are normally. Getting a size bigger will allow you to be able to tie knots down the side and ensure that it fits you the way you want.

 

  1. Lay your shirt on the ground face-up.

  2. Cut off the sleeves of your shirt. 

  3. Cut along the top of the shirt right above the emblem/letters.

  4. Cut off the bottom of the shirt to where you want it. Long or more cropped? The decision is totally up to you.

  5. Cut down both of the sides along the seam. 

  6. Line the front and back up again. 

  7. Cut the sides into little segments of fabric all the way down the sides (Still make sure that the top and bottom are lined up).

  8. Tie the segments of fabric together up both sides.

 

Mini V Crop Top

If you really like crop tops, you will like this one. This top would go great with some high waisted shorts or jeans, but Megan was definitely rockin’ this look with her athletic shorts. This just goes to show that tailgate tees look good no matter what you are doing.

 

  1. Lay shirt face down.

  2. Fold in half with the emblems /letters on the outside.

  3. Completely cut off the crew neck of the shirt (seam and all).

  4. Then cut a small V into the shirt.

  5. Try on the shirt and decide how cropped you want it to be.

  6. Cut off the bottom to where you want it.

  7. You may also cut off a little bit of the sleeves to match the bottom. You can cuff your sleeves if you would rather do that too.

 

There are definitely some more designs you can do and they are all easy to find. Tailgate tees are something fun and inexpensive that you can do for bonding with your friends or specifically for football games! Get to making them and cheer on the Hawks in style.

Delaney is a journalism major with a certificate in sustainability at the University of Iowa. Her dream career is to become a Marine Biologist and advocate for the environment through research and writing. In her free time, she enjoys music, friends, and the occasional ice cream venture (Okay, maybe not so occasional).
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