Hey y’all- hope your week is absolutely fabulous so far! I realize that tomorrow is Valentine’s Day. However, one other remarkable aspect about February is that it is deep into college basketball season. I mentioned in this post last month that watching college basketball is one of my favorite ways to beat the winter blues. I don’t attend quite as many college basketball games as football games. This season, however, I’ve actually gotten to go to two UNC basketball games. And you can bet I enjoyed pulling together a Carolina blue gameday outfit. So in today’s post, I’m sharing my UNC basketball edition of gameday style.
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What Is Carolina Blue?
UNC (University of North Carolina) colors are Carolina blue and white. To be honest, it’s hard to describe in words what “Carolina blue” looks like, and it’s even harder to find an exact match that isn’t officially licensed UNC apparel. The best way to describe Carolina blue is light blue/powder blue. You can get away with wearing a really light sky blue to games, or a slightly darker powder blue. Just stay away from royal blue though!
Carolina Blue Piko Top
For the most recent UNC basketball game I went to back at the beginning of January, I wore a long-sleeved Piko top. Although it isn’t a super pale blue, it’s actually not too far off from the color of some of my official Carolina t-shirts. I paired it with skinny jeans, cowgirl boots, and my Lilly Pulitzer North Carolina print scarf. The NC Lilly scarf represents the whole state, and doesn’t have anything specific to any college in it. However, it does have some bits of light blue, so it’s perfect to pair with a Carolina blue top for a UNC basketball game. My Sheila Fajl hoops rounded off the look.
Since college basketball games are indoors, you don’t have to worry so much about dressing perfectly for the weather the way you do with football games. It’s definitely nice not to have to cover up a cute gameday top with a coat during the game! As a starting point, I recommend a basic top, like a Piko, in your team’s color. Then add on a scarf in complementary colors or a necklace if you prefer. Statement necklaces are always fun for gameday, but then you can’t go wrong with a dainty pendant either! The nice thing about this Carolina blue Piko top is that there are endless styling options. So I can definitely wear this same top to another UNC basketball game in the future, but mix up accessories so that I’m not wearing the exact same outfit. This exact color and style of Piko top is sold out on their website, but it’s super easy to browse all the available colors here. This style is the basic long-sleeved top.
Mascot Photo Opp
If you’ve been following me for any period of time, then you know I’m just a bit obsessed with mascots. Protip- if you go to a UNC basketball game, then you can head down to the court after the game ends to get your picture taken with Rameses and Rameses Jr (RJ), the team’s two mascots.
One More Gameday Look
I’ve already shared this photo in my November/December 2018 favorites post and on Instagram. But in case you missed it, here’s a look at what I wore to the UNC basketball game I went to back in November.
I wore a printed Lilly Pulitzer button-down top in a shade very close to Carolina blue. It’s actually the first item of Lilly Pultizer clothing I ever bought. Can’t believe I’ve had it for nine years now! I accessorized with my ivory Kendra Scott Elle earrings and Elisa pendant.
I hope that y’all enjoyed this post and that it gave you some styling inspiration for college basketball games, regardless of which team you cheer for. As always, thanks for reading! Who is your favorite college basketball team, and what do you enjoy wearing to basketball games?
-xoxo Liz
