Proper attire for the press box

Used to work with a guy whose free T-shirts became a staple of his wardrobe. Even worse than his fashion sense -- he'd often pair the T-shirts, tucked in, with khakis -- was his hygiene. He wore the T-shirts well past their prime. Pit stains, sweat stains, food stains, whatever, he kept on rocking them.

 

I wore shirt and tie when I covered NFL.
It was my boyhood dream come true and I wasn't going to look like a slob for it.
That's just me.

 

I think I work with that guy now. And his two roommates.

 

FYI, if you're covering a NASCAR race and planning on walking into the garage and/or pits, you can't wear shorts or open-toed shoes, even if it's 90 degrees outside.

 

One thing I do is avoid wearing the colors of either team.

 

No need for a tie for every event, but at least step up the attire on occasion. It won't kill anyone to wear nice pants/shoes, but it does make an impression, despite the naysayers who claim no one cares.

 

The commissioner appreciated the fact you wore a shirt.

The tie was optional, but it showed respect.

I have a tie with helmet pictures of NFL teams on it that I've worn to everything from NFL games to job interviews.

 

If you're going to a private venue, check if there's a dress code. Most golf clubs have them -- no denim! collared shirts! -- and aren't those MLB rules still in effect?

 

http://www.sportsjournalists.com/forum/threads/87550/

 

All good advice, but if you have a pair of nicer dark jeans, see if your boss is OK with that for anything below pro. Most jeans look a hell of a lot better than most pairs of khakis, in part because they're nicer and more expensive than khakis. You're at a CFB game in November, waiting on muddy sidelines, or God forbid you knock over your Diet Coke into your lap...jeans will have been the preferable choice.

I really don't get the hangup on khakis vs. jeans.

Don't wear shirts with stains. Seems obvious. But one day, you'll be mulling it over.

 

The courthouse I have to go to regularly, there is a rule that you can't have bare midriff, or be wearing shorts, in the court rooms themselves. However, it is posted outside of each court room and on the courthouse website, as opposed to that Utah case.

Re: the actual discussion on hand, I normally do khaki or a decent pair of cargo shorts if I'm going to be outside for a lot of the day. If it's something indoors, or a nicer outdoor event (graduation, political fundraiser), then I'll usually wear khakis or dress pants, with a polo or dress shirt.

 

They've backed off on the shorts if you have a hot pass. It's now okay,
That said, I haven't seen worse fashion sense than in a NASCAR press box or infield media center.