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

It’s every Badger’s favorite time of year… gameday season! After every exhausting week of school you get to spend your weekend tailgating with friends and celebrating being a Badger. Now that it’s time to tailgate, you need to make sure you have all your outfits planned and ready to go. Even as a senior, I’m always looking for new outfit inspiration. Here are some gameday outfit ideas and essentials to create the perfectly trendy look.

All Bucky Everything

You can’t go a gameday without wearing some kind of Bucky apparel. The bookstore has some great items, like the iconic Bucky leggings. These are perfect for any weather and will definitely stand out! Another great find is a Bucky scrunchie, which combines my two favorite things: Bucky and scrunchies! This item is definitely right on trend. Also if you’re VSCO girls who happen to go to UW-Madison, this was probably made for you in mind. So, when it’s getting hot standing on the bleachers, tie your hair up with an adorable Bucky scrunchie.

Red Metallics

Red metallic leggings and skirts are a fun way to stand out during game day. During gamedays, you want to wear as much red as possible, so here’s a trendy way to do that. You can pair these leggings and skirts with any of your favorite gameday apparel. If you wanna make sure people know what team you’re rooting for (Badgers, of course!), then this will definitely make that clear.

Cheerleader Skirt

What better way to cheer for the Badgers than by wearing a cheerleader skirt?! This is a classic gameday item for any school, but you want one for Wisco obviously. Luckily, you can easily find these at the book store. Yeah, most of us can’t do a backflip, but we can still cheer on the Badgers during the games. If you believe you’re Wisco’s biggest fan, then you need the cheerleader skirt to properly complete your look.

DIY Your Shirts

Gameday is the perfect chance to try out some DIY! If you’re not crafty, I suggest finding a friend who is an expert! But, if DIY is where you shine, then go on a book store haul and get as many shirts as you can. The style is up to you, but some trendy options are to crop a shirt, cut along the collar, make a tube top or cut as many holes as you can. This can also be a fun project to try out with friends or roommates. With what used to be a regular book store Bucky shirt will soon be a one of a kind tailgate showstopper!

Pair Badger Apparel with Trendy Denim

You can’t go wrong with denim; with so many different cuts, styles and washes, it’s the perfect staple piece to go along with your favorite Wisconsin tee. My favorite is to pair denim jeans with red fishnets underneath and a Wisco crop top. And if you’re feeling DIY, add some patchwork to your jeans for some extra school spirit. There are many styles of denim that you not only show off some school pride, but your own personal style as well. From shorts to a high-waisted fit, jeans are a reliable foundation for any gameday outfit, any time of the semester.

Painted Oversized Denim Jacket

Okay, we’re still on the denim trend, but this is a great DIY for when the fall weather approaches. Take any oversized denim jacket and paint it Wisco themed on the back! There are so many prints you can create, from writing “jump around” to painting the classic “W.” This is something unique that everyone will want, but only you have. And make sure the jacket is oversized, because it will keep you both cozy and comfy on a chilly day.

Mesh

Mesh crop tops fit perfectly with the athleisure trend. Gamedays are all about athletics after all! It serves as a great layering piece for your red and white colored clothes. It’s a great chance to try out some gameday themed color blocking. Even wearing cute red and white clothes counts as gameday apparel. So if you’re feeling extra sporty the next game day, try out a mesh athleisure look.

Gameday outfits are so much fun and a great way to express your school pride. And the best part is that you’ll end up with the cutest gameday instas with friends. There are so many ways to create distinctively different outfits, whether you buy new items, DIY some old shirts or reuse those classic staples. So, time to unleash your inner fashion designer and plan all your outfits for the upcoming football season! And when in doubt, wear red!

Samantha Zecca

Wisconsin '20

Samantha is currently a junior studying retail and consumer behavior with certificates in entrepreneurship and digital studies. If she's not at the library, you can find her sitting at the memorial union terrace or trying out a new restaurant in Madison. Samantha is originally from New Jersey, but her favorite place to be is NYC going on day adventures either seeing a Broadway show, shopping, or visiting museums. From the midwest to the east coast, she has a lot to share.
I am a senior at the greatest university— the University of Wisconsin. I am in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication, double tracking in reporting and strategic communications and earning a certificate in and Digital Studies. I am a lover of dance, hiking, writing for Her Campus, the Badgers and strawberry acais. I am also a president of Her Campus Wisconsin.