In defense of dressing up for game day
It’s about more than just looking sharp
Ole Miss has gorgeous grounds filled with rich heritage and traditions and those that take place every home game in Oxford have been around for decades. Centered in the heart of campus is a 10-acre area full of oak trees nicknamed The Grove, home to the most well known tailgating spot in all of college football.
The Walk of Champions that happens on game day 2 hours before kick off is one of our best traditions. Students, adults, and even young kids dress up in their finest blue and red clothes to celebrate the Walk of Champions and it proves that Ole Miss fans are the sharpest dressed people out there.
It’s said the main reason for dressing up for games dates back to the Civil War: Before soldiers would leave to war, women and children would dress up in their finest clothes to see their boys off into battle. We do the same thing here at Ole Miss: two hours before kickoff, the team walks down the Walk of Champions filled with thousands of people cheering them into battle against their opponent.
Fans and visitors will see hundreds of thousands of people – girls in high heels and sundresses, boys wearing blazers, button downs and khakis. T-shirts and shorts are not tolerated in The Grove and are highly frowned upon if worn by fans.
Some smartly dressed fans doing the ‘Landshark’ or ‘Fins Up’ gesture seen during games
Students aren’t the only ones who get dressed up. Even if they have never attended the university, parents also wear the proper game day attire, and young boys and girls wear their “Sunday Best.” At other schools, people show up to games in t-shirts and shorts, but at Ole Miss, true fans know the correct dress code.
One of my friends said our game day dress code is important because it shows that we all care about the school and how it is presented, both on and off the field.
At Ole Miss, you don’t just get a quality education – you also get the keys to succeed in life. Students and alumni alike fully understand how much meaning there is behind our traditions and heritage. Tailgating at The Grove teaches students how to dress properly for each game and how to interact with people in a social environment hours before kick off. It may not seem like it, but these all-important traditions at Ole Miss actually help students learn skills they’ll benefit from in the long run.