As The Game approaches, there is one burning question on all of our minds: what will I wear? Whether your goal is to impress a star-crossed Havard lover or to feel confident in the stands, Game-day attire can make or break your Yale-Harvard experience. For some, there is no better way to embrace Game-day spirit than by sporting limited edition Yale-Harvard merch . . . but what exactly does this merch look like? 

Let’s start with something classy. The Crewdog Yale-Harvard sweatshirt brings a Ralph-Lauren-esque elevation to the classic hoodie. On the front, you’ll see our very own Handsome Dan squaring off with some animal in red (I thought Harvard’s mascot was just the color crimson?). Crewdog has many options, all equally sleek. Wearing this hoodie to The Game would be a warm and intellectual option for showing Havard who’s boss. 

Sticking with the upscale vibe, Yale Emergency Medical Services have crafted an electric Yale-Harvard design. On the front, we are met with two simple words: “The Game.” The back is a vibrant portrait of the football field, setting the colors of Bulldog Blue and Crimson against an ambulance in the backdrop. It reads, “Yale EMS. Taking Care of Harvard since ’03,” a phrase as cold as the Ice Blue color of the hoodie. Personally, this is my merchandise of choice. This design embodies the best of Yale, combining generosity with wit. Also, objectively, the graphic on the back is just cool. 

Other merchandise options might be a little less fancy. Indeed, many of the t-shirt designs flooding my inbox look to be quickly photoshopped creations taken directly off Fizz. But does this mean these shirts aren’t iconic? Absolutely not. 

Take the Thriving Bodies Initiative, a group that brought us the Peter Salovey Nipple Shirt of 2023. Complete with a design of Salovey’s head atop a cartoon insect, this shirt is sure to strike fear into the hearts of Harvard students. I say we go even further and photoshop Salovey onto Hugh Jackman’s body in order to properly convey the strength of our glorious institution. 

But wait! There’s more. The Thriving Bodies Initiative has also brought us a simple masterpiece. On the front we have a Yale logo, our normal brain. On the back we have the Harvard logo, showing our brain on drugs. This is simple and to the point. Any Harvard student standing behind you will begin shaking in their boots. I suggest this design to someone ready to go to war in the stands of The Game (and all of you should be). 

The list of excellent, silly t-shirts is not over yet. The Yale Record does not disappoint with two of their designs. Clean and straightforward, one shirt proclaims the objectively true statement, “There is no L in Yale.” The other properly describes, “Harvard thinks this is pants.” Nothing gets me more fired up than a simple quip, and The Record is excellent at accomplishing just that. Last year, they made the famed “Harvard Not Good School” shirt. I have to say if you have that shirt in the back of your closet, bring it back and wear it to The Game. 

Truly, there is something for everyone. If you feel formal, goofy or somewhere in between, there’s a way for you to harness that creative energy towards stomping Harvard through your outfit. Moreover, if you didn’t shell out for one of these exclusive designs, have no fear. You can always make your own, as photoshopping Peter Salovey onto a t-shirt seems surprisingly accessible. You could rep a different outfit that portrays Yale spirit. You might catch me wearing my Walrus costume, highlighting my every-dying love for Morse College (KISS OUR AXE HARVARD). 

Alternatively, you could always wear classic Yale merch. Yale slippers, Yale bathrobe, Yale hoodie, Yale sweatpants, Yale socks. You can make sure that every inch of your body is covered with obnoxiously overpriced, yet stylish, merchandise from the bookstore. I’m not sure if they sell Yale underwear but if they do, find a way to buy it before The Game. Only the best for your star-crossed Harvard lover. 

Don’t forget that the greatest Yale merch for Game day was actually made by our doting rival. If you have somehow found yourself in possession of a “Yale is a munch” bucket hat, wear it. If you have one and don’t want to wear it, please sell it to me. Need I say more?