No need to look at stats and rosters; North Knoxville stores have football fans covered when it comes to a winning look this season. 

The first Vols game of the season may not be until Sept. 1, but local boutiques started “pregaming” back in January.

“A lot of it we design ourselves, and some it is from a vendor, and we get it all in July,” said Andrea Vaughn, co-owner of Reap the Sew on Emory Road. “Our sweatshirts, the Vols (with cursive embroidery) and Go Big Orange with the varsity letters, have been the best sellers so far. The orange just looks different and the patchwork letters are on everything lately.”

Oversized sweatshirts and T-shirts are another trend. “People are wearing them as dresses with boots, so we sized up,” said Vaughn. “We try to incorporate the Tennessee-themed clothes with other pieces, such as a checkerboard skirt.”

Reap the Sew doesn’t cater just to Vols fans. “We have neutrals to represent high school football and other teams, too,” she said.

Demand is high for Tennessee and game day-themed fashion, according to Gracie Lee’s Gifts & More in Fountain City.

“We promoted the first game day drop last week, and within the first 24 hours we were pretty overwhelmed,” said Michelle Mears, who co-owns the store with her daughters Gracie and Makenzie. “We started restocking within the first 24 hours.

“Our sequin dress has been really popular, and Gracie custom-designed our sweatshirts and we had a local guy work with us on the T-shirts to get something different.

“Finding the right orange is difficult.”

Most customers are looking for outfits to wear to games, according to Mears, with some looking for something for a sorority party and a UT alumna who wanted the sequined dress to wear to a party she throws every year in Texas.

As the weather cools, Mears said they have planned and focused on adding jackets that could pair back with dresses and tops.

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“With the denim jacket they can extend their gameday outfits through the season or if they just need a sleeve for work,” she said. “That’s always a good thing about a denim jacket. We think about what you are going to do with it.”

“I order orange all the time,” said Becky Walker, owner of Folly Boutique in Fountain City. “The good news is that orange is a fashion color this year, so I think you’ll see it everywhere.”

Walker starts thinking about game day wear and fall apparel in January. “We usually set it out front and center by Aug. 1,” she said. “Most of it is tailgate wear for parties; there is not a lot of demand for dresses, so I just carry a handful for employees to wear orange on Fridays.”

Folly carries a steady stream of new apparel through to the Alabama game in the third week of October. “My customer base shows up every month and want to see something new,” said Walker, adding that they carry junior and miss sizes and up. Aluminum Petunias brings in the high school sweatshirts and T-shirts.”

Kaitlyn Howell, owner of Salt & Pepper, likes to have a limited run of most things in her boutique. “I like people to know they won’t see the same thing everywhere after they buy it,” she said. “Once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

The UT alum added that the amount of orange or Tennessee graphic shirts she reorders will depend on if the Vols are winning this season.

“People love sweatshirts and graphic tees, and it’s oversize on everything,” said Howell.

“People often come in right before the game starts to buy something to wear. The girls who live on campus tend to look for the more trendy things – such as an orange and white outfit for the games and T-shirts and sweatshirts to wear to class – while the alumni will gravitate towards just a new T-shirt.”