EVELYSS / Guides / Travel & Everyday

What to Wear to a Rugby Match (Women): Stadium Seats, Club Grounds and Hospitality

“Rugby in November is an excellent way to discover exactly where your coat stops working. Your feet and your seat will get cold first, so dress from the ground up. And you can look good in a scarf without resembling a merchandise stand.”Her take

Dress for sitting still, not for walking

You'll be warm on the walk from the station and in the queue at the turnstile, and then you'll sit still for around two hours in the cold. Concrete, plastic seats and an open stand will take the heat from you quickly. That means your outfit has to do two jobs: open up in a crowd and close up completely once you're in your seat.

Go for several thin layers, with a coat you can unzip. Choose bottoms you can sit in for hours without the waistband digging in. Skinny jeans with a fine thermal legging underneath are warm, and so are thick wool trousers. Leave short skirts and thin tights for the evening. A long coat is useful here too, as it gives you something to sit on.

What to wear to a big stadium

For an international or a big club fixture, think about the journey, the queues and the rain. Check your seat location too, since many seats have some cover but not all, and wind can bring rain into the stands. An outfit that works well is a thermal base, a fine knit or a rugby shirt, a warm coat and dark jeans.

Bag rules are worth reading before you leave the house. At Twickenham, the venue's guidance is to bring no bag if possible, and otherwise to keep it A4 or smaller, which is about 21 by 30cm. Larger bags aren't allowed in, every bag is searched, and any bag drop may charge a fee. Scottish Rugby's event guidance has also used an A4 limit at Murrayfield, with no bag drop at the stadium. Rules change by venue and fixture, so check the guidance for yours, and choose a small crossbody with your phone, card and tissues.

What to wear to a club ground

Local rugby is more relaxed but often more exposed. You could be standing on a touchline, on damp grass, in the wind, with no roof anywhere near you. A waterproof coat that covers your hips and wellies or waterproof boots are much more useful than anything smart. Expect mud, even on a dry day.

A wax jacket, a thick jumper and dark jeans tucked into boots is a classic combination, and it will take you straight from the touchline to the clubhouse. Bring a hat that stays on in the wind, and keep your best suede at home. If you're going to watch your children, add a folding seat and a spare pair of socks for the drive home.

Which colours and team kit should you wear?

You can wear your team's colours as much or as little as you like. The usual international shorthand is white for England, red for Wales, navy for Scotland and green for Ireland. A replica shirt is perfectly at home at a match, and it can be layered over a thermal or under a coat for warmth.

If shirts aren't your thing, choose one touch: a scarf, a hat, a pair of gloves or a jumper in the right shade, worn with otherwise neutral clothes. Navy and cream work with almost every team's colours. Rugby crowds are generally friendly, but it's still sensible not to wear the opposition's colours unless you mean it.

What about hospitality and rugby lunches?

Hospitality has its own rules, and they vary. Twickenham's own hospitality guidance says there's no strict dress code, advises smart casual and allows team shirts. In practice that means tailored trousers, smart unripped jeans or a smart dress, with a blazer or good coat and clean boots, and it's best to skip scruffy trainers. Some private boxes or formal lunches ask for more, so your booking confirmation or the venue's website will tell you which applies.

You'll probably move between a warm lunch room and an outdoor seat, so plan for both. A wool dress or trousers with a fine knit, a long coat and heeled ankle boots with a good sole will do the job. Keep your coat with you for the match, because a smart dress on its own will not be enough once you get outside.

Accessories worth bringing

Small things make the biggest difference on a cold day. Fill your pockets before you fill a bag, and leave anything you'd hate to lose at home, since crowds, rain and beer are all likely.

• Warmth: a wool hat or beanie, gloves that work with a phone and a big scarf that doubles as a lap blanket.
• Feet: thick wool socks, with enough room in your boots to wiggle your toes.
• Rain: a hood or a packable waterproof, because an umbrella blocks the view of everyone behind you.
• Comfort: a small seat pad or a folded scarf for cold seats, and lip balm for the wind.
• Practical: a phone, a contactless card and any digital ticket, ready before you reach the gate.

Questions people ask

The takeaway

Layer for two hours sitting still, keep your bag small, your boots grippy and one smart nod to your team's colours close to your face.

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