March 28, 2024
Provided Image/Made by Taylor Nicole
There are plenty of ways for Phillies fans to show off their unique style this season at the ballpark, like this shirt that doubles as an ode to the discontinued Dollar Dog Nights by the company Made by Taylor Nicole.
As the Phillies' season gets underway Friday and fans start looking at which games they'll be attending and what new Citizens Bank Park food offerings they want to try, there is also another pressing consideration: what to wear.
Choosing an outfit may not seem like the most important decision when it comes to attending a Phillies game, but clothing has become a hot topic in baseball this winter: Remember all the controversy over the Nike and Fanatics produced uniforms?
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Fans can contribute to the famously passionate vibes at the Bank by showing up in a festive Phillies-themed fit. Just think of the clothing and accessory trends of Phillies seasons past — from overalls to straw home run hats to beaded necklaces — and how they contributed to the overall feeling of togetherness and fun.
The following recommendations are mostly geared toward (but not limited to) the girlies — as it can sometimes be difficult to find on-trend women's game day merchandise, in this writer's experience anyway — but many of the shops linked have pieces for everyone. A Phillies jersey and baseball cap always make for a solid ballpark look, obviously, but here are some ideas for fans who want to step outside the batter's box:
Hats are always a good idea for baseball games. Not only do they block the sun, they also remove the need to style one's hair. Caps with the classic Phillies "P" are always going to be in style for game day, but a hat trend that's been on a steady incline is the bucket hat.
Head to MLB Shop, Fanatics, Rally House or your local department store and you're bound to find one in any variation of the Phillies' team colors. I scoured the internet a bit closer and found a few options that are slightly more unique.
A few Etsy sellers offer cool options, like a tie-dyed blue hat, or a white hat with the Phillie Phanatic sticking out his tongue. Over on Redbubble, fans can find bucket hats with "Phillies" in a "Barbie" inspired font or Phillies-inspired inside jokes like "the Daycare." Oh, and if you're one of many fans mourning the loss of Dollar Dog Nights, Amazon sells a bucket hat with hot dogs printed all over it.
While we're on the topic of headwear, I wanted to give a quick shoutout to Phillies visors — this gray one from Fanatics is kind of cool — and headbands — for fans who want to emulate Bryce Harper — as other solid options.
Might I also pitch an option that doesn't yet exist, at least as far as I know? The Phillies should make Phillie Phanatic earmuffs similar to the fluffy Gritty-themed ones that the Flyers gave away during a game last month. That's a million dollar idea right there.
If you can recall last Phillies season without too much heartache over its untimely ending, there was one clothing trend that became synonymous with the team's postseason run: overalls. It all started with a DM on Instagram from the marketing manager at FOCO, a sports merchandise company, to backup catcher (and "chief vibes officer") Garrett Stubbs. Once Stubbs began rocking his overalls in the clubhouse, the trend took off among Phillies players and fans. FOCO sells Phillies overalls in red, powder blue, pinstripe and paint splatter.
New this season, FOCO has introduced Phillies "shortalls" — short-length overalls — in powder blue or red pinstripe. The shortalls seem ideal for the hot summer months, layered over a short-sleeve shirt or tank top, and it will be interesting to see which Phillies players decide to rock them!
With recently retired Eagles legends Jason Kelce and Fletcher Cox scheduled to throw out first pitches during Saturday's game, perhaps the duo, who have been spotted in FOCO overalls before, will wear overalls or shortalls — depending on the weather — for the occasion.
Baseball season begins in the chilly, rainy spring months, thereby deeming outerwear necessary when heading to the ballpark. Thankfully, I've located a few stylish options so you don't commit the faux pas of unwittingly covering up with a jacket that happens to be the color of the Phillies' opponent that day (gasp!).
Vintage-inspired clothing is on-trend, and the brand Mitchell & Ness — which you may know from its swiftly sold-out kelly green varsity jacket, inspired by Princess Diana and modeled by Kylie Kelce — offers outerwear such as varsity jackets, pullovers and windbreakers in Phillies' throwback colors of maroon and powder blue. New Era also has a vintage-style windbreaker, at a slightly less expensive price.
Also trendy for the chilly months of baseball is anything in the puffer style, like this hooded jacket from H&M or this cropped vest or cropped vest on Amazon. Once the weather warms up and people can graduate to lighter coats, denim jackets — like this FOCO number with the Phillies logo — or corduroy — like this red jacket with baseball designs — will be perfect.
If you're not wearing a Phillies jersey to the game, there are plenty of other shirt options for the trendy fan.
For instance, Made by Taylor Nicole, a women's fashion company run by Temple alum and Flyers cheerleader Taylor Zubkousky, sells several Philadelphia baseball-themed graphic tees, tanks and crop tops. She recently released her newest line, ahead of the Phillies' season. It includes crop tops with sayings like "I heart baseball players" and "support ballpark drinking," as well as tanks that read "Save Water, Drink Citywides" and "Fightins." According to Zubkousky, the most popular item from her new collection is an ode to the bygone Dollar Dog Nights at the Bank, reading "Gone but never forgotten."
Broad Street Creations, based in Montgomery County, also sells unique Phillies T-shirts. The company recently posted a Taylor Swift-themed crop top that reads, "Tortured Philly Sports Department," a nod to the Berks County native's upcoming album.
Should you choose to forgo overalls or shortalls, FOCO also makes Phillies distressed denim shorts, which are sadly sold out but hopefully could be back in time for the summer months. I also found this comfy-cute upcycled Phillies mini skirt from the brand Refried.
If athleisure is more your style, you can opt for Phillies leggings, like these from Walmart, or throwback-style Phillies joggers from New Era (which match the brand's windbreaker I mentioned above).
You can also just dig in your closet and find any pair of blue jeans, denim shorts or even red trousers to complete the game day outfit.
When it comes to shoes, comfortable footwear is definitely recommended for fans who opt for inexpensive standing-room tickets or who are prone to waiting in the stadium's long lines for snacks and brews. In my opinion, any white sneaker will do because they'll match the Phillies colors as well as the overall vibe of spring, summer and fall clothing.
Fans who literally want to represent the Phils from head to toe can rock these Phillie Phanatic slip-on canvas shoes, cleverly titled "Phans" as a nod to their similarity to Vans, by the company Phillygoat.
Once your main game day fit is settled, you have to complete the look with some accessories.
Citizens Bank Park's new bag policy for Phillies games permits only small clutch purses and/or fanny packs (no larger than 5x7 inches) or clear bags (no larger than 12x6x12 inches). But we can work with that!
In my opinion, clear bags are probably the way to go here. You don't want to risk getting turned away because your measurements were off and either having to toss your fanny pack or head all the way back to the car. Thankfully, there are plenty of Phillies clear bags out there that fit the bill. The MLB Shop offers this crossbody with a silver-colored chain. For something with a little more personality, Etsy sellers are offering a clear crossbody with a Phillie Phanatic patch and a clear Philly-themed fanny pack, for those who still want to rock the "phanny" pack.
Some other cool Phillies-themed accessories I spotted while browsing the web include a Phillies claw clip from the MLB shop, heart-shaped Phillies sunglasses on Etsy and Phillies nail-art decals from Amazon. The BaubleBar jewelry company also has an entire Phillies collection, including keychains, earrings, and friendship bracelets (for all you Swifties).
All this being said, the very best thing to wear to the ballpark is something that makes you comfortable, confident and ready to cheer on the Phils. Oh, and don't forget to wear your best smile because the most wonderful time of the year, baseball season, is back. See you all, and your fabulous fangirl outfits, at the Bank!
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