The University of Notre Dame is considered one of the schools with the most spirited student bodies, and yet at last week’s game, something even more exciting than the fierce competition with Texas A&M was happening: the revamping of this year’s The Shirt. The protocol was simple — wear the 2025 Shirt — but there was no rule on how. Adorned with ribbons and pins, the game turned from a high-stakes sports matchup to a live fashion show. Students turned these regular old shirts into completely different looks, some — I might say — much better than others.
Walking through the stadium’s parking lot, you could see each student’s personality shine through in the way the piece was styled. There was the halter-and-cowboy-boots combo, the cropped miniskirt fit and the oversized men’s XL shirt turned into a dress.
Men were not excluded from the competition. With clever designs, they took the classic Shirt to a whole new level. There was the no-sleeves look and some with so many cut-outs that they were barely shirts. Along with these innovative attires, there was, of course, the fashionably styled regular Shirt look that I personally went for. Sometimes the simplest things are the most elegant — or maybe I just forgot and bought the shirt a day before.
While eating dinner at LaFun, I noticed the museum of past designs hanging on the walls. Some earlier years had similar designs on the front, but each had a different illustration and color. It’s hard to pick a favorite design; however, the 1991 design caught my eye the most. With its simple design and electric blue, it remains iconic in a sea of darker colors. The runner-up in my unprofessional ranking of graphic-tee designs is the original The Shirt, hand-drawn and featuring Lou Holtz.
36 years later, this famous piece of apparel is still key to Notre Dame’s vibrant school spirit, providing a canvas for fans to express their creativity and sense of belonging. This tradition not only makes game days more thrilling than they already are, but also unifies the student body across the tri-campus community.
As interesting as it was seeing this museum of clothing, seeing the next game day’s worth of looks will be as entertaining as the game. Blinded by green, gold and the ever-present cowboy boots, we’ll just have to see what dazzling looks are in store for us this upcoming weekend. And whoever says football and fashion don’t go hand in hand clearly hasn’t been to Notre Dame Stadium yet.
