Gameday Hair Tie Colors: Kickoff Guide

Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer — and this year, it’s also the calm before the biggest football weekend of the season so far. Before the burgers are even off the grill, Ohio State–Texas, Cowboys–Giants, and Broncos–Chiefs kick off, and every stadium turns into a sea of two colors. Every gameday outfit starts with the same question: what are we wearing? Here’s how to build your look around the matchups everyone’s watching — no jersey required.

This Weekend’s Biggest Games — And the Colors to Wear

Ohio State at Texas — Scarlet & Gray vs. Burnt Orange & White (Saturday, Sep 12)

This is the game of the week, period. Two top-ranked programs, a rematch with real stakes, and a color matchup that couldn’t be more fall-coded. Texas fans, this one’s basically fate: our Austin, Texas colorway is that exact burnt orange, named for our hometown. Pair it with Arctic for a clean orange-and-white gameday tie, or layer in Sandy for a softer, dressed-down version. Ohio State fans, lean into Chili for the scarlet and let a warm neutral like Cacao stand in for the gray — it reads more “fall wardrobe” than “costume,” which is exactly the point.

Cowboys at Giants — Sunday Night Football (Sep 13)

Our Texas team takes the primetime slot this week, and if you’re wearing Cowboys colors, Abracadabra is your hair tie. Pair it with Arctic for that classic navy-and-white look, or add Sandy for warmth. Giants fans get their own strong combo: Sapphire for the blue, Chili for the red — two colors that already live in your everyday rotation, just worn with a little more intention this week.

Broncos at Chiefs — Monday Night Football (Sep 14)

Closing out the week is Denver at Kansas City, and it’s another combo that reads as much “fall collection” as it does “team colors.” Broncos fans, reach for Fire — or Austin, Texas for a deeper burnt-orange look — and pair it with Sapphire for the navy. Chiefs fans, Chili and Lioness give you the red and gold without trying too hard.

The Season Really Gets Going This Week

Two days after Labor Day, on Thursday, September 10, the 49ers and Rams open the NFL season a world away in Melbourne, Australia — red and gold against blue and gold, if you’re tuning in early (or staying up late). And if you’re already looking past this week, LSU at Ole Miss (Sep 19) and Oklahoma at Georgia (Sep 26) are two more marquee matchups worth building a hair tie combo around before the month is out.

Why Fall Colors and Football Colors Keep Overlapping

This isn’t really a coincidence. In-Between Places, our fall collection, was built around the palette of transition — warm earthtones, deep burgundies, dusty neutrals, the colors that show up on a late-September afternoon. Football season lives in that exact window. Team colors are bold by design, made to be seen from the upper deck, but the ones that carry into fall — burnt orange, deep scarlet, forest green, navy — are the same tones we reached for when we built this collection. Gameday and fall wardrobe season were never really two different things. We just gave you the colors to prove it.

Find Your Gameday Color Personality

Not sure where to start? Here’s the quickest way to find your combo — whether or not your team even plays this week.

• Deep & Moody: You’re drawn to burgundy, deep wine, and dark forest green — the colors of teams like Texas A&M, Florida State, or Michigan State. Reach for TIY’s richest tones, Vino and Forest — they read intentional, in the stands or on the couch.
• Earthy & Warm Neutral: Burnt orange, cacao, and sandy neutrals are your lane — think Texas, Tennessee, or Cleveland. Austin, Texas, Cacao, and Sandy (or Clay, from our fall collection) work every week of the season, team colors or not.
• Clean & Classic: Navy, white, and black — Cowboys, Penn State, Georgetown energy. Sapphire, Arctic, and Panther are your go-tos. Arctic and Panther are both part of our In-Between Places fall collection, so they pull double duty — and they pair with everything without ever trying too hard.

FAQ: Gameday Hair Tie Colors

What hair tie colors match my team’s colors this fall?

Start with your team’s primary colors and find the closest TIY match: Sapphire for navy, Chili for red, Fire or Austin, Texas for orange, Lioness for gold, Arctic for white, Panther for black. Pair two colors for a clean, coordinated look.

What is the In-Between Places collection?

In-Between Places is TIY’s fall collection: seven colorways — Arctic, Panther, Sand, Milkshake, Clay, Plum, and Euphoria — built around warm earthtones, deep burgundies, and dusty neutrals for the transition from summer into fall. It launched September 1 and is seasonal, so some colorways are limited.

What’s the biggest football game this weekend?

Ohio State at Texas on Saturday, September 12 is the marquee matchup, with Cowboys at Giants (Sunday Night Football) and Broncos at Chiefs (Monday Night Football) rounding out the NFL’s opening weekend.

Shop the Look

Whichever team you’re wearing this week, your hair shouldn’t be an afterthought. Shop the In-Between Places fall collection or build your own gameday combo at tiyproducts.com before kickoff.

With so much love from Austin, Texas.