Style Scenario: The Annual Big Sports Ball Game

What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. Every winter, people show out in droves to host or attend a get together to eat, drink, and watch some sports ball. If that’s you, make sure you look the part, but skip the overpriced slouchy fan gear here. Only sharp, intentional, athletic-inspired attire and goods to show your love for the game and look good doing it. As always, gather and celebrate responsibly.

The Shirt: Rhone Delta Pique Long Sleeve Polo in Black – $98. Spendy for a polo but these are the bee’s knees and perfect for the scenario. A tech fabric polo cut in an athletic silhouette fits right in to a sports ball party. Its purposeful and signals sporting intentions and interest without being an overpriced gaudy piece of fan gear for a team you probably don’t even care about. The more affordable option: What have we here? Joe’s got a couple of these on order from Amazon, and at $30, they could be a huge win/alternative to the Rhone. They’re allegedly wicking fabric and have a hidden button down collar. A warning: they do have some, uh, “tactical” details though, like mic-clips on the shoulders. Hopefully they’re subtle in person.

The Pants: Bonobos Stretch Washed Chinos 2.0 in Burnt Cinnamon – $59 ($99) [or whatever your personal favorite team’s colors happen to be.] It would be too easy to wear jeans in this scenario. Go the extra yard and opt for a pair of stretch chinos instead, and in a color that helps you rep the team you support. Even if (especially if!) they’re not actually in the big sports ball game. Like my own favorite professional corporate sportsball club. (that .gif is horrifying). Sports teams are rife with bright, bold, eye-catching colors and a party to celebrate them is your opportunity to do the same, especially with the black polo balancing you out up top. We ran a full comparison review on this new version of Bonobos’ beloved stretch chino pant, and found them to be more casual and athletically-inspired than their predecessor. Thus, a perfect fit for this occasion. These pants flex and stretch with you as the night goes on, and the gentle taper keeps your look sharp.

The Belt: GAP Leather Belt in Black – $40 ($44.50). Or whatever your go-to casual black belt happens to be. In this casual situation, opt for a basic belt against the chosen pants above. No belt offers better bang for your buck than this legendary strap of leather from the good folks at GAP. Not everyone will love the black buckle, but it goes well here with the overall sporty (SPORRRTS) aesthetic.

The Shoes: Made in the USA Victory Sportswear Classic Trainers – $230. America’s game merits a classic American-made sneaker. Few athletic shoes are made in America, and of those, even fewer have classic trainer looks. Expensive, no doubt, but you’re paying for the heritage and build quality. The new Todd Snyder collaboration is already all but sold out, so buying direct through Victory is the way to go at present. The more affordable option: New Balance makes USA made trainers for $45 less, but that’s still pricey. The “imported” New Balance 515 V3 comes in lots of Sportsball friendly colors, and goes for $70 – $75 on DSW. Those should work.

The Watch: Tissot Super(!)Sport(!!) Qua with Blue Dial – $325. It has sport right in the name, and a SUPER version, to boot! Classic, clean dive watch design on this Tissot brings the athleticism and a nod to a more active life than devouring chicken wings. Movement is a Swiss quartz, rather than an automatic – but at this price point, that’s standard. Well made quartz movements at an appropriate price have their place, and this watch from a well-known Swiss watchmaker is one of them. The subtle pop of blue adds more contrasting color, much like a team’s uniform. The more affordable option: Casio! Now, and forever.

The Socks: Stance Run Crew Socks – $20. You know, it’s a party, so the socks are a great place to show off a bit and get a little wild if that’s your thing. These athletic socks from Stance will keep your feet dry, cool and comfortable throughout the game – while pairing well with the trainers and overall casual athletic look.

The Gift: New Riff Single Barrel Bourbon – $50 to $60. New Riff is one of the recent darling craft distillers in America, and for good reason. In contrast to so many others, New Riff distills their own product and specializes in a rye-forward mashbill and their single barrel program. The juice in the bottle is great, but the backstory is why this is the pick for the scenario. New Riff’s distillery is on the Ohio/Kentucky border in Newport, Kentucky – directly across from Cincinnati and 2.2 miles a certain sportsball team’s stadium.

About the Author: Jason P. spends his days working in the creative marketing department of a big telecom company. He also does a bit of real estate investing on the side. He believes in curating a timeless, classic wardrobe with subtle modern touches for today. He and his wife love hiking with their dog and shopping at local small businesses and antique stores when they travel. Jason is a practitioner of muay thai and traditional boxing, and his favorite drink is a hoppy New England IPA.