Dos and Don'ts: Chicago Baseball Fans

Chicago baseball fans have starkly different reputations based on gross generalizations.  The city, generally divided into south and north sides is home to two Major League Baseball teams, both of which are enjoying a significant amount of success this season.  The Chicago White Sox, on the city's south side, recently won a World Series.  The Chicago Cubs, on the other hand, are still looking to end a century-long championship drought this season.  

White Sox fans have the reputation of being blue collar and more knowledgeable about the game.  I'm still waiting to have a friendly, intelligent discussion about the game with a White Sox fan - and I'd be willing to put money on the notion that this reputation comes as a response to the perceived makeup of the Cubs' fanbase.  The Cubs have a reputation of attracting more white collar, former fraternity members, less interested in the game itself than the scene at Wrigley Field.  As a Cubs fan, I'd like to believe that this isn't always true.  Heck, when you listen to John Cusack visit the booth on WGN - you know that it isn't always true.  The guy knows his stuff, plain and simple.   

All this said, every team's fanbase does tend to have a particular personality, which is likely to be subjected to stereotype and cliche.  In order to look cool at a baseball game in Chicago, try to avoid the common pitfalls that so many fans fall into.  Figure out a way to stand out without over doing it.  

Quick Tip: If you attend a game at Wrigley Field, avoid wearing anything pink.  Serious baseball fans constantly mock female Cubs fans wearing their pink jerseys, t-shirts and hats. Besides, Cubbie blue looks good on most women.   

Well Dressed Sports Guy: It is hard to put into words how terrible this get-up is, but I'll try.  This isn't just a crime against sports, this is a crime against humanity.

Well Dressed Girlfriend: Agreed.  Although honestly, if some pigtailed brunette was wearing that to be adorable, I'd hate it even more.  Balancing the surplus testosterone is usually a good idea, but this is not the right way to do it.  How about try some bright blue sunglasses or something equally kitchy, but not furry.

Well Dressed Sports Guy: This guy does pretty much everything correctly, right up to the point where he gets smoked by a dude twice his age employed to wear a children's batting helmet and shag foul balls.  You've got to hand it to the guy, his jersey fits him correctly (not too baggy), his shorts aren't outrageously long and he isn't wearing a dorky hat. A Cubs franchise hat or Cubs New Era 5950 hat would also work here.

Well Dressed Girlfriend: He looks normal.  If you're looking for a second glance, spice it up a bit.  If you are just looking to not make waves, but still exhibit fandom, this look's for you.

Well Dressed Sports Guy: Fukudome has been a fan favorite this season, so a lot of bandwagon jumpers have picked up his jersey.  Don't get me wrong, I've got one hanging in my closet, but I would hesitate before going overboard.  The Cubs alternate blue jersey works well here, but I would ditch the silly armband.  It says, "I wanted to go clubbing with Justin Timberlake in early 2003," not, "I'm a serious baseball fan."  

Well Dressed Girlfriend: Really, it says 'first 500 fans get a free t-shirt" to me.  Even if you're a Fukudome fan from the beginning (I know, I know), you've got to let it go.  This kind of thing happens all the time to hipsters who swear-to-god-listened-to-that-band-in-a-loft-in-Queens-in-99, and they dutifully step aside to allow the general population their simple pleasures.  Fukudome fans, it's your turn.

Well Dressed Sports Guy:  Ummm, yeah?

Well Dressed Girlfriend: I'll bet you $12 she's from New Jersey.  Nice work, though, getting some cleavage out in the open without being tasteless. Seriously, that's hard to do at a day game.

Final Take: Baseball tickets in Chicago are hard to come by because the city is filled with both serious and casual fans.  We recommend breaking the mold a bit if you want to look good at Wrigley or the Cell.  For White Sox fans, check out this Negro League Chicago American Giants jacket. In fact, the color scheme for American Giants throwbacks works for both teams, depending on whether you are looking at road or home threads.  Their home jerseys from 1919 would look great with a Cubs hat.  The same is true for their 1926 duds. 

The Chicago Whales, the city's Federal League team, also had jerseys possessing elements of both the White Sox and Cubs color schemes.  Their road jersey from 1914 is pretty spectacular, but the 1915 Chicago Whales home jersey takes the cake as possibly one of the sweetest jerseys I've seen in awhile.  Try rocking this with a Chicago Cubs 5950 road hat and be prepared to have an intelligent baseball conversation with a north sider.  

What to Wear: LA Galaxy

With the news that Bruce Arena just took over as head coach and GM, renewed interest may appear in the Los Angeles Galaxy.  The Galaxy are perhaps the best known Major League Soccer (MLS) team of the moment and the acquisition of international superstar David Beckham has brought on board hoards of new fans.  So how do you stand out from the crowd as a Galaxy fan? What looks good?  What doesn't work?  Well, as usual, we're here to help.

As expected, the David Beckham gear is everywhere when going to a Galaxy game.  And unless he is by far your favorite player - we'd advise against buying it.  Sure, the Well Dressed Sports Girlfriend and I are as hot and heavy for Becks as the next couple - but Beckham's role as the soccer's American ambassador means that nearly everyone seems to have his jersey. 

 

Instead, if you're going to go with a jersey, we recommend going with the team's away jersey, which is a bit more colorful than their home duds.  The problem with white polyester jerseys is the fact that they stain.  If you plan on wearing your jersey to a sports bar or a game - this might just be something to consider.  The blue and gold of the road jersey works well, though we'd advise against wearing bright colored jerseys to most non-sports events.

Soccer teams aren't known for the best selection of caps and the Galaxy doesn't appear to be any different.  If you were a fan of the Chicago Fire, a beenie would be a great call, but if you're an L.A. Fan, you probably watch most of your games in Southern California - so we'd advise you to avoid hats here all together.

Instead of wearing a hat - hardcore soccer fans often opt for the team scarf.  I think these team scarfs can actually look pretty cool with a solid color winter jacket and a plain t-shirt or polo. Having an L.A. Galaxy scarf doesn't accomplish the well traveled European look that a foreign team's might - but it still works. 

So if you're a casual fan of the Galaxy - I'd go with the scarf.  A more hardcore fan might consider an away jersey, which I think looks pretty cool.  

Well Dressed Sports Girlfriend's Take: 

I like this scarf.  It reminds me a little bit of a 70's candy bar, and really, can you go wrong wearing campy candy?  No.  Seriously, though, the scarf is a really fun accessory and wears much differently than in-your-face jerseys, body paint, and even hats.  The scarf says Big Fan, but even better, a fan with Style.  And what more can the well dressed sports fan ask for?  

Showing National Pride Without Looking Like a National Goofball

I've just gotta say it, the official Olympics logo usually looks a bit lame on clothing.  Further, the Olympic gear is highly time sensitive.  Sort of like that Super Bowl XL (2006) t-shirt, it won't be cool for another 15 years, when it finally becomes vintage.  The Olympics 2008 merchandise looks neat now, while the games are actually going, but once the craze dies down - the stuff instantly looks dated.

Back in 2002, during the Salt Lake City Olympics, everyone was wearing those god-awful roots stocking caps that looked like they belonged in a Charles Dickens novel.  People were running around looking like little matchstick girls.  Just terrible.  

A number of team sports such baseball (which will soon be discontinued from the Olympics), basketball, soccer, and hockey feature events for both the Olympics as well as a number of world tournaments.  In my opinion - unless you are a huge fan of a particular Olympics only sport - consider picking up something for one of these teams rather than that "USA Field Hockey" shirt that might look cool every four years.

A USA baseball hat, Canada hockey jersey, or washed Brazil soccer t-shirt, not only looks cooler, it will be useful for more occasions than a "Beijing 2008" hoodie.  

Now don't get me wrong, I'm all about cheering on your country, but I would avoid wearing more than one piece of flare unless you are traveling to see your country play a match.  A cool Team USA baseball hat, however, can be worn with a solid t-shirt or polo should to make you look great at any ballpark.  

If you are traveling to an Olympic event, consider picking up a simple t-shirt that will look good when handed down to your kids.  I would kill for a vintage 1980 Lake Placid Winter Olympics t-shirt.

Final call: If you are traveling to the Olympics, pick up a fun piece of clothing with the year and location proudly front and center.  The gear will look cool around your friends when you get home and once it has runs its course and looks a bit out of date, you can save it and pass it along to your kids along with your stories from your trip to the games.  

Read a bit more about the tragedy that is Olympic fashion here.

Quick Tips: Wear Glasses? Go for the Crushed Hat

Do you wear glasses and look like a bit of a dork in a 5950 hat?  Opt for a crushed hat instead. The looser dome will allow a bit of room for your eyeglasses.  

If you insist on wearing the MLB on the field cap, do the same thing that you would to fit your sunglasses under the bill of the cap - don't bend it quite as much as you normally might.  We recommend the Francisco Liriano look, rather than the Joba Chamberlain look.  Joba looks like one of the Mario Brothers with the perfectly straight bill.

What to Wear: New York Jets

It should be an exciting year to be a New York Jets fan.  After a 4-12 season last year, the fanbase has reason to be excited again after acquiring future Hall of Famer Brett Favre.  While Favre might not lead the Jets to the promised land this season, he certainly gives new fans a reason to jump on board the bandwagon and provides lifelong fans with even more reason to show their pride.

Brett Favre jerseys have been flying off the shelves at NFL.com. These jerseys will no doubt be the "hot" item this upcoming season at the Meadowlands, but we recommend looking just a little bit different from the crowd of number 4 jerseys.  We love jerseys, but Favre isn't exactly at the start of a promising young career - so we predict they will look a bit dated within a couple of years.  You don't see too many Joe Montana Kansas City Chiefs jerseys anymore, right?

Check out these "Ithaca is Pretty" shirts from M. Phil Designs here.  Match the shirt with either a casual looking Jets hat or the team's 2008 draft hat.  The shirt and hat combo looks great and isn't over the top - which is key if you hope to snag anyone's number during pre and post game festivities.

The Jets logo and colors also look good in more traditional fitted caps like this one.

Once again, avoid player "tribute" tees like this one.  If you have that much of a man crush ona player like Favre, it might be wise to pick up a jersey instead. After you make your purchase, consider counseling before you become a full blown stalker.  If you do opt for the Favre jersey, we suggest snagging a throwback "alternate" jersey.  These will set you apart from the crowd. Unfortunately, "authentic" versions of these jerseys (with sewn on numbers) are not yet available as of this posting.  Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for the authentic versions of these to appear, as they will last you much longer than the replica versions.

Be sure to check out our other tips for looking good this football season here.  Also, check out our Preseason NFL Preview.  You can find other fun designs from M Phil Designs here.

Check Out Our New Cafe Press Store

We've opened an online store!  Grab one of our t-shirts and throw on your favorite hat and you know you'll look great for the game.

Check it out here.

College Football Preview

I didn't grow up much of a college football fan.  My Dad and my Grandpa took me to a number of Minnesota Golden Gopher games when I was a kid, but, at that age, I was more into watching the NFL on Sundays.  Shortly after I arrived in college, it all started to click.  The families of fans, the band, the mascots, the tradition.  Now, I love college football and it consumes many of my Saturday's in the autumn.  Dressing the part as a college football fan, however, is quite different from looking good at an NFL game.  

College football teams offer jerseys for sale, but I wouldn't really recommend picking one up. The exception to this rule of thumb would be the University of Michigan - where top players always wear the number 1.  Most teams, however, offer the number of a handful of players expected to be the team's stars that upcoming season.  If your favorite player wears the number 1 - consider picking up the jersey if it is available - but other than that, most jerseys will look dated after a couple of years ("number 19? Who is that?  We haven't had anyone wear the number 19 for three years").  If you're willing to spend 50-60 bucks every year or two on a new jersey, this might be for you, but I would instead recommend picking up a hooded sweatshirt with your favorite schools logo.  Hoodies can be worn on more occasions and perfectly compliment a crisp Saturday afternoon.  

If you're a hardcore college football fan and want to opt for a jersey, consider sporting a throwback jersey instead of a jersey for a current player.  These jerseys will look "fresher" longer and you can often find sewn on versions that can live through the wash (important if you are in any danger of having beer spilled on your duds).  

College football has a long and healthy tradition of tailgating.  If you plan on grilling before the game, we recommend layering.  Wear your hat and t-shirt, but be sure to grab your sweatshirt. Once the afternoon or evening sun dips below the edge of most stadiums, you'll want to be prepared - either for yourself, or to lend to that cute recent alumni you just met. 

Avoid: Overly baggy t-shirts given away by the university - instead buy one that fits your shape a little bit better.  

Quick Tip: As a general rule, crushed hats look far better than any other kind of hats at college games.  The casual look just fits a little better in most college football stadiums.  

Quick Tips: Avoid Player Face Tees

Quick Tip: Avoid any t-shirt with your favorite player's face on the front.  Instead, buy something that looks a bit more like a jersey with your favorite player's name on the back.  

The whole - your face - on top of a celebrity's face thing - well, it looks a little creepy.

Dos and Don'ts of The Well Dressed NFL Fan

With the NFL season upon us, The Well Dressed Sports Fan thought it would be a good time to address some football fan fashion dos and don'ts for the upcoming year.  The Well Dressed Sports Girl will join me for this post.

Picture 1: Jessica Simpson sporting her boyfriend, Tony Romo's, jersey.  

Well Dressed Sports Guy's Take: Jessica Simpson is so damn close to nailing it here.  Plus she is hotter than that time I found a bunch of girly magazines next to a dumpster.  Replace that slightly pink jersey with a more authentic looking jersey and she's got it.  Jessica is clearly wearing the the women's cut jersey, which is a great call here.  The long curly hair tops it off.  Be warned, dressing like this at a game will get you a lot of attention.  If attention is what you're going for - copy this look with your favorite player's jersey and wear it with pride.

Well Dressed Sports Girl's Take:  Agreed.  But come on, are you really faulting her for wearing a little pink?  Jessica Simpson and her look-a-likes can wear the girly version of fan gear

 without shame.  A "real" version might add a few points, but this works.

Sports Guy's Response: A lot of hardcore fans complain about pink hats and jerseys, but if you're hot enough to pull it off, my guess is that even the most hardcore fan won't be complaining.  

Picture 2: Bills fans tailgating.

Well Dressed Sports Guy's Take: These guys actually do a pretty reasonable job of dressing for the game.  The guy on the right could consider subbing the Bill's hat for a plain blue stocking cap, but they don't commit any sins against spot here.  These guys are doing two things correctly -- they are dressing for the weather and they aren't over doing it.  No face paint, no shirtlessness.   

Well Dressed Sports Girl's Take:

 Average.  They don't make me cringe, but there's no reason for a second glance, either.

Sports Guy's Response: I'll agree with your take here, lady, but part of the goal of this blog is not to look like a jackass.  No second take, sure, but they avoid many of the most common crimes against fandom.  

Picture 3: The Shirtless Train Wreck.

Well Dressed Sports Guy's Take:  Here is a wonderful example of what NOT to do.  Nothing says, "Heckle me," like an overweight, shirtless, drunk, sports fan.  The terrible helmet and nipple decorations sort of make me want to jump of a bridge and break both of my ankles on my way down.

Well Dressed Sports Girl's Take: Once, I thought enthusiasm was everything.  This is the exception.

Picture 4: A Bit Too Skimpy?

Well Dressed Sports Guy's Take:  If you're going for reasonable attention, copy Jessica Simpson's look in picture one.  If you're looking for the drunk guy in picture 4 to rub his nipples and make an inappropriate comment about your rack, this is the way to go.  Dignity goes out the window here.  If all you're looking for is to get on TV - oh, and you're hot - this might be the look for you.

Well Dressed Sports Girl's Take: Where are these guys' parents?  Who let them out of the house.  When they were 18.  Seriously, they need supervision.

Sports Guy's Response: Nothing says, I'm pole dance at night and am just here for the attention by not wearing ANYTHING with your teams colors.  Find a sparkling bra that says New Orleans Saints or something.

Picture 5: Straiten up that hat!

Well Dressed Sports Guy's Take: Straighten up that hat and this guy has a pretty sweet look.  This would work well watching the game at a friend's place or going to the game with your girlfriend.  A khaki shirt might work a bit better with the purple hat, but other than that - pretty good lookin'.  Read about how to rock a crushed hat here. 

Well Dressed Sports Girl's Take: This is a good laid back look for going to a game.  Disregard the sports guy's take, though.  A khaki shirt would be intolerable.  Instead go for a classic oxford, and one without the weird chest pockets.  Nice jeans, clean hat, nice watch, then you've got to finish the look with a nice crisp shirt.  As long as you avoid the white hat, you can't fail with this look.

Sports Guy's Response: I would try to avoid the "I just came from work," look that so many guys fall into at baseball games.  Instead, if you're going for this kind of look, wear a casual looking oxford, rather than one you'd wear with a tie to the office.  Finally, be sure to roll up the sleeves.  

See more with our NFL Preseason Preview here.

NFL Football Pre-Season Preview

There are really two breeds of football fan -- fans who are able to go to games and fans who watch the game from afar. Unfortunately, it isn't very easy to dress casually as an NFL fan, the way you can as an MLB fan.  Going with a jersey for your favorite player's jersey is a good choice, but do you really want to spend the dough to buy an authentic jersey?  Should you wear your jersey on your second date with that hot blond from the office, or just on gamedays?  

Football, unlike baseball, does not have a low-cost casual option that looks good on most guys.  While baseball hats look natural, football caps for most NFL teams look a bit too busy -- and can often look pretty stupid.  If you have a NFL hat that matches your favorite team's jersey, you can wear it on gameday and actually look pretty decent.  The MLB and NCAA just seems to do a better job than the NFL of offering stuff to wear that is easy on the eyes.  A lot of NFL gear has HUGE logos and overwhelming colors.

Whereas the Well Dressed Sports Fan has at least a couple of great hats in his or her closet they also have at least one great NFL jersey.  Instead of dropping your hard earned money on "replica jerseys" go with authentic jerseys.  As an added tip, take a look on eBay for some great deals (another post on this later in the year).  Replica jerseys can fade and the numbers and letters can "chip" in the wash.  Authentic jerseys have sewn on letters that will last you a much, much longer time - making it worth the money.  But buyer beware, a few authentic NFL jerseys, like the Bengals, contain both sewn on and printed on elements.  The printed on elements, as with the replica jerseys, are likely to fade.

If you're able to go to a game in person, pretty much all bets are off.  If you're looking to meet a good looking girl that is also a fan of your favorite team, it is a wise idea to tone things down a little.  If you're just looking to have a good time, however, and aren't planning on going to bars away from the stadium afterword -- sure, go all out.  

If you want to show support for your team on any other day of the week than football Sunday, grab a polo shirt with your team's logo.  These shirts are more subtle than some of the other NFL gear and can look good at the golf course.  Unfortunately, some of these polos can be a bit spendy.  

Quick Tip: Wear a matching hooded sweatshirt under your jersey for cold weather.  This also works to make the jersey a bit more snug if you look like you're swimming in it.  

Avoid: Wearing the jersey of a player still in the NFL, currently playing for another team.  For example, avoid wearing your Randy Moss jersey to a Vikings game.  Snag an Adrian Peterson jersey instead.  On the other hand, you'll look like a hardcore 49ers fan if you rock your Steve Young jersey on Sundays.  

Also Avoid: Wearing your jersey other than on game day and during draft day.  If you go to watch your team practice in the fall, feel free to sport the jersey.  You also get an exemption for Super Bowl Sunday -- which is sort of like a national football holiday.  Thinking about wearing your favorite jersey to your daughter's 3rd grade graduation?  I promise you will look stupid.  

Final take: Instead of opting for a hat or t-shirt, we recommend to go with a NFL jersey.  Further, we recommend buying the authentic jersey with letters and numbers that will last a long time.  Finally, sport that jersey only on gamedays 18 times a year and special events like the NFL Draft to keep it fresh.  

Oakland Athletics: What to Wear

The Oakland Athletics have a unique color scheme of yellow and green.  To be honest, we don't exactly love the colors for casual sports fans.  When attending an A's game in Oakland, however, enough people are wearing the team colors so that they don't stand out as being so unfortunate.  

If you're a fan that would like to show your pride for the A's without wearing the bright colors the team does at home check out some of the toned down options.  The A's have a nice looking, blue and white Franchise crushed hat, here.

If you're into the on-the-field 5950 hats, check out the A's alternate cap.  The A's also have one of the least offensive spring training or bp cap, found here.

Typically, I recommend sporting most MLB teams road grey jersey - which nearly always feature the city or the state of the team across the chest.  Oakland's road jersey is the exception to this rule.  I think it is just a bit plain and dull.  Instead, we like the A's green alternate home threads.  

For a more casual look representing the city of Oakland - check out this shirt.

Finally, the A's have a history filled with interesting personalities and players.  If you've got the cash, a Rollie Fingers throwback jersey is a great choice.

A's fans sitting in the bleachers tend to be more hardcore - and if you're one of those fans, anything goes when attending a game, especially during the playoffs.  On the other hand, if you're a more casual fan, take a look at some of the toned down options given the teams color schemes.  

Favorite Player Traded?

Was your favorite MLB player traded before the trade deadline this week?  Bummer. 

Instead of buying an authentic jersey that can run upwards of $100, why not buy a t-shirt stylized like your favorite team's uniform with a customized name on the back?  Check them out from MLB.com here.

For authentic jerseys, the Well Dressed Sports Fan recommends throwback or retro jerseys. After all, Babe Ruth won't be traded from the Yankees anytime soon, so the jersey is timeless.