How South Carolina Shows Their Clemson Pride

C-L-E-M-S-O-N! If you know the Clemson chant, you know how proud South Carolina is of their team. However, that pride doesn't end on the football field or the basketball court. Clemson fans are a die-hard bunch, and it shows with the amount of Clemson apparel seen around the campus and throughout the state.

Ironically, Clemson did not start off with their infamous orange and purple color scheme. In fact, their original choice was crimson and navy, but it was much too similar to the colors of the rival Georgia Bulldogs' crimson and black. Thankfully, that similarity led to the change to the iconic vibrant orange and purple, instantly recognizable as Clemson apparel today.

Orange Fridays

Orange Fridays are a big deal in South Carolina. Every Friday, you'll see people of all ages wearing orange Clemson apparel to support the team as they head into their weekend games. While the college campus is a sea of orange jerseys, many businesses also participate by allowing their employees to wear orange on Fridays. Unlike other college towns, Clemson apparel is not just limited to the university grounds. Orange Fridays are a "thing" across the state, with everyone going orange for the day.

Clemson Day

As if Orange Fridays weren't enough, South Carolinians also show their Tiger pride on March 1st. Clemson Day was designed to celebrate the school, its teams, and all Clemson students. What started as an unofficial holiday is now officially celebrated on March 1st each year after a resolution passed in both houses of the South Carolina congress in 2022.

If you are in town on a Friday or plan to celebrate Clemson Day on March 1st, there are several options for Clemson apparel, including T-shirts, hats, jerseys, and sweatshirts. If you have to work and wear professional attire, an orange polo or orange-and-white gingham button-up shirt would be appropriate. You can find Clemson apparel at the Clemson University Bookstore, local sporting goods retailers, and online retailers.

Don't limit your Clemson pride to the color orange, however. You can, of course, buy Clemson apparel in white or purple. Just try to rock the orange on Friday.

One caveat

Don't pay for your Clemson apparel with a $2 bill. Those should be reserved for spending out of town at an away game. In fact, you should have a separate stash of $2 bills for this purpose. The University boasts that since 1977, students, alumni, and fans have been stamping $2 bills with an orange Clemson tiger and spending the unusual bills "when attending away games to show the impact of the Clemson Family across the country."