Press Box Attire - College Football

[Azrael]

In the spirit of the late, lamented Frank Ridgeway, I'm going to suggest the Original Poster learn about men's clothes. You can never go wrong in a well-cut suit.

 

[cranberry]

Welcome back. I can see where the annual, "What should I wear to cover a college football game in the South?" thread is hard to resist.

 

[Azrael]

Like John Wick, I'm not entirely sure I'm back.

But threads like this are why God invented seersucker.

 

[cranberry]

Well, sure, as long as you match your seersucker with a pair of bucks rather than wreck the look with your black dress shoes.

 

[RedCanuck]

When I was first covering major junior hockey, I remember being in a press box where a guy who usually covered the NHL and whose work I respected was wearing a jacket, a dress shirt and a nice pair of khakis, while another regular was wearing a stained t-shirt and jogging pants. At that time, I decided pretty quickly who I should emulate.

That said, the other guy was collecting a regular paycheck and getting as many inches in the competing daily... so I guess there's no one way to get the job done. For me, though, I think if you can still be comfortable, dressing better is never a bad thing.

 

[moonlight]

Used to cover golf in my previous life. One guy who worked a lot of the same events for a major metro oftentimes showed up in basketball shorts and a t-shirt. Golf PR people threatened to throw him out of some events, but as far as I know they never actually did. He always defended himself by saying he wasn't going to be on camera, so what he wore was irrelevant. Don't be that guy.

 

[cjericho]

JM22720, what did you wear? What were most people wearing? Haven't been in a press box in over a decade, but if it was a football game in a warm-weather city, I'd go with khakis and a golf shirt, or possibly a button down short sleeved shirt.

 

[PaperDoll]

Just remember to wear pants.

What's wrong with a knee-length skirt?

It's much cooler than pants, if that's the main concern. Or are you trying to hide your legs?

 

[dirtybird]

What's wrong with a knee-length skirt?

It's much cooler than pants, if that's the main concern. Or are you trying to hide your legs?

Good point, these yams gotta breathe

 

[SnarkShark]

Golf shirts? Collars? What is this? 2007? I'll take a dri-fit Nike T-shirt, or some variation thereof. Still can tuck so you don't look like a Neanderthal, but collars are for loserz.

Tucking in a T-shirt is never a good idea.

 

[SnarkShark]

You guys act like we're in the stone age. Sports coats? Ties? Slacks? Give me a forkin' break. Are we back in the '20s and punching our ship out on a typewriter, too? WTF.

Times have changed. Dress the way that makes you look good, feel good and what is comfortable for your environment. My employer has one dress code: dress similar or comparable to the people you cover.

As far as what "future employers" and "networking" people you meet might think, I don't give a ship how you're dressed so long as you're not an eyesore. At the same time, I do give a ship how you write.

Over time, people aren't going to judge you on how you dress, but they sure as hell will on how you write. Wear blue jeans for all I care but get the darn story and make it sing like Smokey Robinson. You do that, you'll never hear a word from me.

What level of sports do you cover?

 

[Doc Holliday]

College. I chip in with high school in a pinch.