At most stadiums, you choose your outfit. At Penn State, the stadium sometimes chooses it for you.
A few times a season, Beaver Stadium asks its entire crowd to dress as one thing: all white for the White Out, blue and white stripes by section for the Stripe Out. Get it right and you’re part of one of the great sights in college football. Get it wrong and you’re the navy smudge in somebody’s photo.
That’s what makes Penn State game day outfits different. You need to know which game is themed, what it asks for, and how to stay warm in it, because Happy Valley in late October is properly cold. This guide covers all of it, for women and men.
The 2026 themed games, and what they ask you to wear
Penn State announces its themes before the season. According to the official 2026 game themes, here’s what’s left on the home schedule:
- October 10, USC: White Out. Penn State encourages all fans to wear white. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
- October 31, Purdue: All-U Day. No color theme, so standard navy and white.
- November 14, Minnesota: Military Appreciation. No color theme.
- November 21, Rutgers: Senior Day. No color theme, and likely the coldest home game of the year.
The Stripe Out (Marshall, September 5) and the Helmet Stripe homecoming game (Wisconsin, September 26) have already been played. Worth knowing for next season: for those, your color depends on your section, so check your ticket before you get dressed.
How to do a White Out properly
Wearing all white sounds easy until you try to do it at night in October. Here’s what trips people up.
It’s cold. The White Out kicks off at 7:30 p.m., and October nights in State College average a low around 44°F, according to WeatherSpark’s climate data. A white tee alone won’t last until halftime. The fix is to layer underneath in any color, then make sure the outer layer is white. A white puffer, a white hoodie or a white fleece over whatever keeps you warm is exactly what the White Out needs.
White and cream are different. In a sea of bright white, cream reads yellow. If you’re buying something new for the game, go for true white.
White shows everything. Tailgate food, stadium seats and a spilled drink. That’s the cost. Choose things you can wash, and keep the white denim for the stands, not the grill.
Accessories count. A white beanie, white gloves and a white scarf finish the look and keep you warm. From the upper deck, your head and shoulders are what people see.
If you don’t own much white, prioritize a white top layer and a white hat. Nobody can see your jeans from across the stadium.
State College weather, month by month
Happy Valley gets cold earlier than most Big Ten towns people visit. WeatherSpark’s averages for State College:
- September: high around 72°F, low around 54°F
- October: high around 61°F, low around 44°F
- November: high around 49°F, low around 35°F, with the snowy season starting around November 9
So an October afternoon kickoff might be jacket weather, and the late-November games are full winter dressing. For the full layering system, including what to do when it rains, see our guide to cold weather game day outfits.
Penn State game day outfits for women
1. The White Out puffer
A white turtleneck, a white or ivory cable knit, a white puffer jacket, light-wash jeans with thin thermal leggings underneath, a white pom-pom beanie and white sneakers or light boots. It’s warm, it photographs beautifully under the lights, and it fits the theme head to toe.
2. The navy and white classic
A navy quarter-zip over a white tee, white or light jeans, and clean white sneakers. It’s the go-to for any game without a theme, and it works from an early-season afternoon to a cool October evening.
3. The jersey, layered
A navy or white football jersey sized up, worn over a fitted long sleeve and a thin hoodie, with jeans and boots. Our jersey styling guide explains how to wear different cuts without looking like you’re in a uniform.
4. The overalls look
Denim overalls over a white thermal or a navy sweatshirt, with a white beanie and sneakers or boots. It shows up in Pinterest’s suggested searches for Penn State outfits, it’s comfortable for a long tailgate, and the overalls give you plenty of room for thermals underneath.
5. The skirt and tights
A navy sweater with a white or plaid skirt, thick fleece-lined tights and tall boots. It looks polished, and the tall boots and fleece tights keep it wearable well into November.
Penn State game day outfits for men
1. The White Out hoodie
A thermal base layer, a white hoodie, a white puffer vest, grey or light jeans, and a white beanie. Simple, warm and completely on theme.
2. The quarter-zip standard
A navy fleece or merino quarter-zip, a white tee underneath, dark jeans and leather boots. The default Happy Valley look for any game without a theme.
3. The jersey over layers
A long-sleeve thermal and a thin hoodie with the jersey on top, sized up one size. Add a beanie and gloves by October.
4. The November parka
A flannel shirt, a navy crewneck, a navy parka or insulated jacket, jeans with long johns underneath, waterproof boots, a beanie and gloves. Built for Senior Day in late November, when the snow season has started.
Tailgating in Happy Valley
Penn State tailgates are big and spread across the lots around the stadium. You’ll likely spend more time outside the stadium than inside it, often from the morning onward.
That changes what you wear. Dress for the whole day, not just the game: layers you can add as the afternoon cools, shoes you can walk in, and something warm for the walk back to the car after dark. Waterproof boots make sense for most of October and November, when lots can get muddy.
Rain at Beaver Stadium
“Rain” is one of Pinterest’s suggested searches for Penn State outfits, and for good reason. Beaver Stadium is open to the sky, and a wet October game can feel colder than a dry November one.
Bring a clear or white poncho that fits over your layers (a white one keeps you on theme for the White Out), wear waterproof boots, and avoid cotton close to your skin. Wet cotton stays cold for hours.
The bag rules at Beaver Stadium
Penn State’s rules are stricter than some SEC stadiums in one way that matters for outfit planning. Under the official Penn State bag policy:
- Clear plastic, vinyl or PVC bags up to 12″ × 6″ × 12″ are permitted.
- A wristlet can be no larger than 4″ × 6″ × 1″. That’s smaller than the clutch many other stadiums allow, so check yours before you leave.
- You can bring a coat, a blanket, and a seat cushion that rolls up and doesn’t have pockets.
- Strollers are not permitted at Beaver Stadium.
- All clear bags and fans are subject to inspection at entry.
The seat cushion is worth bringing for late-season games. Metal bleachers pull heat out of you surprisingly fast.
The Beaver Stadium checklist
- Checked whether your game has a theme, and whether your section has a color
- White outer layer and white hat for the White Out
- Warm layers underneath, in any color
- Thermals under jeans for anything after mid-October
- Waterproof boots and a poncho if rain is forecast
- Clear bag up to 12″ × 6″ × 12″, and a wristlet no bigger than 4″ × 6″ × 1″
- Blanket and a roll-up seat cushion for November
- Gloves you can use your phone in
Keep building the look
For stadium dressing everywhere else, start with our game day outfit ideas. Visiting another Big Ten stadium? Our Ohio State game day outfits guide covers the Horseshoe’s no-bag policy. And for anything after Halloween, the cold weather guide is the one to read before you pack.
Questions people ask
What do you wear to a Penn State White Out?
All white, especially on top. Layer warm clothes underneath in any color, then wear a white puffer, hoodie or fleece on the outside with a white beanie. Bright white stands out better than cream.
When is the 2026 Penn State White Out?
October 10, 2026, against USC at Beaver Stadium, with a scheduled 7:30 p.m. kickoff.
What colors should I wear to a Penn State game?
Navy blue and white. For themed games, follow the theme: all white for the White Out, and your section’s assigned color for a Stripe Out.
What is a Stripe Out?
A themed game where each section wears either all blue or all white, creating stripes around the stadium. Your color depends on your section.
What bags are allowed at Beaver Stadium?
Clear bags up to 12″ × 6″ × 12″, plus a wristlet no larger than 4″ × 6″ × 1″. Coats, blankets and roll-up seat cushions without pockets are allowed.
What should I wear to a cold Penn State game?
A thermal base layer, a warm sweater or fleece, an insulated jacket, thermals under your jeans, waterproof boots, a beanie and gloves. Late November games regularly sit near freezing.
What do guys wear to Penn State games?
A navy quarter-zip or hoodie, jeans and boots for most games, with a white hoodie and beanie for the White Out and a parka for November.
About the images on this page. The photographic illustrations in this article were generated with AI by the SportsFable team, and the game-themes graphic was designed by us. None are photographs of real people, real events or real products, no image depicts an identifiable individual, and no team logos or marks are shown. Our full approach to sourcing is on our About page.
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