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Getting All Your Kids in Purple and Gold Without Looking Like a Costume Shop Saturday mornings in Youngsville during football season have their own rhyt...
Saturday mornings in Youngsville during football season have their own rhythm. You're packing the cooler, checking the weather for Tiger Stadium, and somehow trying to get three kids dressed in LSU gear that doesn't look like you raided the same clearance bin at halftime.
Coordinating siblings for tailgates is trickier than it sounds. Too matchy and everyone looks like they're headed to a team photo shoot. Not coordinated enough and the family pictures look chaotic. There's a sweet spot somewhere in between—and finding it doesn't require buying five versions of the same tiger-print romper.
The instinct is to put every kid in purple and gold everything. Purple shirt, gold shorts, purple socks, maybe a tiger tail hanging off the back for good measure. But that's actually what makes sibling outfits look costumey instead of coordinated.
Pick one anchor color per kid and let the other pieces stay neutral or complementary. Your oldest might wear a purple polo with khaki shorts. Your middle child could rock a gold sundress with white sandals. The baby? A simple white onesie with purple embroidered details does the job without overwhelming their tiny frame.
When you step back and look at all three together, the purple and gold reads clearly—but each kid still looks like themselves.
If one sibling is wearing a bold tiger stripe or fleur-de-lis print, the others should balance it out with solids. This keeps your tailgate photos from looking visually overwhelming and gives each kid a moment to stand out.
A good formula for three kids: one statement print, one solid in a primary team color, and one neutral with a small accent detail. For two kids, try one print and one solid that picks up a color from the print.
The printed piece becomes the focal point, and the solid pieces frame it. It's the same principle that makes coordinated (not matching) bridesmaids work—variety within a clear color story.
Here's something that gets overlooked: LSU tailgates happen on grass. There's usually a tent, folding chairs, maybe a bounce house if your crew goes all out. Your kids are going to be running around, eating jambalaya with their hands, and probably ending up in someone's lap for a photo.
This means:
The most photographed moments at tailgates are usually candid—kids throwing a football, dancing to the band, sitting on the cooler eating a biscuit. Outfits that move with them photograph better than stiff, fussy pieces that require constant fixing.
A mistake I see often: dressing the toddler like a mini version of the teenager. What works on an eight-year-old doesn't always translate to a two-year-old, and vice versa.
For babies and young toddlers, look for soft knits, easy diaper access, and pieces that won't irritate their skin during a long day outside. A cozy purple bubble romper or gold gingham jon-jon works perfectly without being over the top.
For preschool and elementary kids, this is where you can have more fun with graphic tees, appliqué details, and bolder prints. They're old enough to have opinions (you'll hear them, trust me) but still young enough to embrace the team spirit fully.
Tweens and older kids often want something that feels cool, not cute. A simple gold henley or a purple polo reads LSU without feeling babyish. Let them accessorize with a trucker hat or game day buttons if they want extra flair.
Nothing derails coordinated sibling outfits faster than random shoe choices. You've got the purple dress, the gold bow, the whole look planned—and then someone throws on neon Crocs and the other one insists on light-up sneakers.
Neutral shoes are your friend for tailgate coordination. White sneakers, tan sandals, or brown leather boots (depending on the weather) tie everyone together without fighting the outfit. If you want to add team spirit through footwear, pick one kid to wear the statement shoes and keep the others simple.
Say you've got a six-year-old girl, a four-year-old boy, and a one-year-old who's just learned to walk.
She wears: A gold ruffle-sleeve top with a purple gingham skirt and white Keds.
He wears: A purple polo, khaki shorts, and white sneakers.
Baby wears: A white cotton romper with small embroidered gold tigers and bare feet (because let's be honest, the shoes are coming off anyway).
Standing together, they're clearly coordinated for game day. But each outfit works independently, and nobody looks like they're in uniform. The photos from Cajun Field to Tiger Stadium will look intentional without looking staged.
The temptation is to add more—another bow, another accessory, another layer of purple. But the best-coordinated sibling looks usually have less going on than you'd expect. One team color worn confidently does more work than five pieces of spirit wear fighting for attention.
Grab that family photo by the tailgate tent, then let them loose to play. That's what game day memories are made of.