Students, faculty and Mizzou fans gathered in the Student Center Nov. 6 to witness a conference announcing the University of Missouri’s switch to the SEC. The Southeastern Conference includes Florida, South Carolina and Vanderbilt. Mizzou’s switch brings the number of teams in the conference to 14. Fans, coaches and students have their own opinions about the switch, but what we know for certain is that MU will see big changes as we say bye-bye to the Big 12 and hello to the SEC.
First of all, the famous rivalry between Mizzou and KU will disappear. Because the schools are now in different conferences, they will no longer play each other. The switch ends the oldest rivalry west of the Mississippi River. It’s possible that the Jayhawk jokes will slowly fade from Mizzou fans’ lips, and border tensions between Missouri and Kansas might finally ease. Even Kansas fans are lamenting an end to the Tiger-Jayhawk era.
Game-day attire could change significantly as well. On a typical game day you can usually spot a Mizzou fan wearing a gold t-shirt with spirit beads and face paint. But in the SEC, the game-day wardrobe is quite different. Except fans from Ole Miss, Arkansas and LSU to dress a little fancier for football games. Games are treated more as social events where men and women dress up and boast their school’s colors.
SEC fans pride themselves on their game-day wardrobe and hold their appearance to a very high standard. In the SEC you’ll rarely see older fans with their faces or bodies painted. Even something as comfy as a t-shirt isn’t recommended football apparel! I can’t even begin to tell you how many blogs I have found on women’s guide to dressing up for SEC games. Outfits range from dresses to cute tops with slacks and even heels. Ladies from each school blog about tips for making the most out of their game day wardrobe and tell stories about the challenges of finding the perfect dress. So girls, be prepared to bling it out and dress it up next year because it seems as if the days of rolling out of bed, throwing on a Mizzou shirt and heading to Faurot Field are finally coming to an end.
Some Mizzou students have already jumped on-board with the new changes. SEC themed parties have become quite popular over the past few weeks. This involves boys wearing blazers and ties while girls boast cute sundresses in Mizzou’s black and gold. So if you want some ideas on what to wear, here are some tips. First: fashion is a must. Since unisex t-shirts are practically out of the question, go for a fitted V-neck or a cute one-shoulder top. Plus, with the colder weather approaching you could even pull off one of the many trendy Mizzou sweaters that the bookstore sells. Second: accessorize, accessorize, accessorize! If you still want to rock the spirit beads, you go right ahead. But if you’re looking for something a little more tré chic, throw on a black and gold scarf, some gold bangles, and maybe even a flashy headband to show some school spirit. Lastly, be creative! If you can’t find something you want, make it yourself. The Internet is a great place to find DIY t-shirt dresses, tube tops, scarves…you name it!
Even though we may not be booing the Jay Hawks or wearing our favorite gold t-shirt on game day anymore, Mizzou fans are guaranteed to be some of the best looking in the SEC. And although more things will continue to change throughout the coming years for Mizzou athletics, fans will continue support and cheer on their Tigers to victory (with just a little more style than before).