Aggies students go all-out in selecting GHOE attire
By Zaria Drakeford / November 3, 2023
The university colors, blue and gold, are always in fashion on Homecoming weekend
A&T’s homecoming is a beloved tradition and for many students and alumni choosing the right outfit is a crucial aspect of the celebration.
It’s a chance to express their pride in the university, connect with fellow Aggies and showcase their personal style.
Traditional Aggie colors, blue and gold, dominate the fashion choices during homecoming week. Students and alumni often incorporate these colors into their outfits through clothing and accessories. The classic A&T logo and the Aggie bulldog also make frequent appearances on clothing and accessories.
Embroidered and patch designs tend to be more popular than heat pressed and screen-print designs.
Smith’s business, Kayla Amani’s Kreative Kreations (aka Kcubed), specializes in customizing A&T apparel by applying patches, painting, and designing hoodies, jeans, T-shirts and other items.
“Compared to last year, my sales did drop just a little, but that is due to me not being as active posting on my social media accounts,” Smith said. “My most popular item this homecoming season would definitely be the custom freestyle corset. Right behind that would be the NCAT full zip hoodies.”
“That piece generated a lot of business last year also, so I am happy that I have customers who are still interested in it.”
Hall Pass, an HBCU apparel company also gets a lot of buzz during GHOE. Tabatha Williams, a licensed apparel distributor and an Aggie alum, also sees a surge in sales during GHOE.
“Homecoming is always the time of year with the highest sales,” she said. “Being that alumni are back at A&T in person, most are buying for the occasion and even preparing for the holidays.”
“The A&T market has always been consistent,” she added. “Aggies will buy as long as you give them something worth buying. I hold the license for a couple of HBCUs, but A&T always outperforms the rest.”
Williams said certain items do really well. “Embroidered and patch designs tend to sell better than heat pressed and screen-print designs because these items are generally better in quality,” she said. “Also, non-traditional colors like all black logos have been best-sellers for me as well.”
Everyone wants to look the part during this festive and monumental week, but people rarely discuss how much it costs to look so stylish. From new dresses and skirts to hoodies and letterman jackets, all of these trendy clothes can add up quickly.
“I try to have a general budget for homecoming when it comes to clothes and shopping for new clothes,” said South Carolina native and senior journalism and mass communication student, Jessica Whetstone. “My budget this year is $300, which I think is more than enough to get what I want and need to look the part this year.
Whetstone said she “usually orders everything off of sites like Shein and Fashion Nova, purchasing items like gold and blue tops, skirts, cargo pants, etc.”
“Because I order off cheaper sites like Shein, the clothes I buy don’t usually cost that much.” She added, “However, it gets tricky because once you accumulate all the ‘cheap’ clothes in your cart, you end up with a $200 total.”
The attire at North Carolina A&T transforms into a visual reflection of the continuing spirit of the university as the homecoming festivities kick into high gear. Every Aggie understands that homecoming is a time to celebrate, connect, and make timeless memories, regardless of whether they are dressed in classic Aggie colors or are pushing the boundaries of fashion.
Zaria Drakeford is a North Carolina A&T junior multimedia journalism student from Fort Mill, South Carolina.
