Inside Mid High Market on High Street. Credit: Courtesy of Paige Puhalsky

As football season begins, with the first game of the season Saturday as the Buckeyes face Ball State in Ohio Stadium, Columbus retailers are preparing for Ohio State students in search of game-day outfits that combine Buckeye spirit with current fashion trends.?

Clothing Underground — located at 1652 N. High St. — sees a significant increase in sales during the first semester compared to the second, said store owner Josh Harden.

Fridays before game days are the store’s biggest student rush, Harden said, beginning in the first week of the semester as first-year students move onto campus.?

Throughout football season, vintage-style crop tops are the most popular among women, while jerseys sell the most among men, Harden said.

Clothing Underground stocks new clothing items often, with Brutus designs being particularly popular among shoppers, Harden said.

“The big thing with our store is everything’s one of a kind, so it changes every week,” Harden said.?

Kristin Paulus, a fashion forecasting professor at Ohio State, said the trending silhouette on campus for game days has changed over the years, moving from skinny jeans to more flowy, wide-leg pants paired with tighter tops. Baby-doll tees, tank tops, midriff-bearing tops and cutout pieces have become a major part of the shift.

Paulus said stripes and ‘90s-inspired layering are also making a comeback.

“What’s old again is new again,” Paulus said. “It becomes more like a collectible type item, which is fun, and then it’s also very unique.”?

The interest in unique pieces has contributed to the growing popularity of thrifted clothing among students, Paulus said. Many students use secondhand garments to create individual styles, while others are upcycling pieces to make them their own.

That desire for self-expression also carries into game-day fashion, where clothing can represent a student’s connection to Ohio State, Paulus said.

Mid High Market — located at 1758 N. High St. — prepares for the fall rush during the summer by scheduling weekly releases, testing new products and refreshing the shop, owner Austin Pence said.?

“We bring in new styles every fall, along with some perennial best sellers,” Pence said. “We typically have a ‘testing’ period during the first week or two to see what styles students are gravitating towards, and then pivot from there.”

The first few weeks of the season are typically the busiest time of year for Mid High Market, as students try to find new outfits for game days, Pence said. He expects their new mock-neck sweatshirts to be especially popular this year.

This year, Pence said he thinks the demand for game-day apparel will be slightly higher than last year, as the Ohio State Buckeyes will play the Michigan Wolverines at Ohio Stadium.?

So far this semester, new appliqué and embroidered baby tees, tank tops and hoodies have been high sellers for Mid High Market, as students gravitate toward a mix of traditional Ohio State gear and fashionable, game-day-ready pieces, Pence said.?

Ohio State licensing partnerships also give students more ways to balance school spirit with their personal style, Paulus said. The university works with brands such as lululemon, Nike and Under Armour to allow students to wear recognizable brands while representing Ohio State.

Pence said when the shop lays out their designs for the season, they keep in mind that college students may have limited incomes — prioritizing items suitable for everyday wear, not just game-day.?

During a typical home game-day week, Mid High Market will have a large pop-up tent outside their shop on High Street, showcasing some of their newest items on Thursdays and Fridays, Pence said.?

“Those are my favorite days, since parents or out-of-state fans tend to come into Columbus a few days early to check out campus and their energy is contagious,” Pence said. “There’s a buzz on campus leading up to a home game that you don’t quite feel anytime else.”?

Paulus said she recommends students explore new styles in engaging with rising trends.?

Paulus said classic Ohio State designs and emblems will always remain best sellers.

“Brutus will always sell,” Paulus said.