Huddle up. Fall favorites focus on college football.
Tasteful tailgating
Pass on the plastic tablecloths for your tailgate party. Instead, score style points with a tailored, team-spirited tablecloth from Florida-based Tablevogue. Designed for dining and buffet tables, the fabric, floor-length cover hides table legs while providing storage for items that need to stay under cover and out of sight. The cover also fits snugly over folding tables, creating a custom look.
Jane Birdwell, Tablevogue’s creator, came up with the clever concept. But the Pensacola native credits much of the company’s success to Mommy bloggers, who helped spread the word about the washable table covers.
The team logo covers, designed for a six-foot table, are $79.99. Alabama and Army are top-sellers. But many of your favorite college teams are represented, including Auburn, Clemson, LSU, Ole Miss, Michigan, Florida State and Georgia Tech. For a college table cover, visit www.TeamTablevogue.com.
The company also offers solid color table covers for other types of parties and celebrations. Choose a 48-inch or 60-inch round table cover or the versatile, 34-inch card-table cover. The covers, which give a table a pulled-together look, also come in sizes to fit a five-, six- or eight-foot table. Colors include natural, white, black and red. Prices range from $39.99 to $59.99. Check www.Tablevogue.com.
School spirit
In April, Atlanta native Rachel Lietch and her business partner Chad Walker started Simply Southern Signs, which creates hand-painted, hand-distressed wood signs.
Some of their colorful signs feature Southern sayings (y’all, sugar) and whimsical roosters ($20 to $49). But after “The South” sign became such a huge hit, the company followed up with signs of Southern college towns.
So far, the best-selling college towns are Athens, Auburn, Chapel Hill, Norman and Tuscaloosa, said Lietch, a 2008 graduate of North Georgia College and State. But there are 20 others, including Austin, Blacksburg and Knoxville. If you don’t see your alma mater or favorite college town, ask them to make one.
Painted in school colors, the ready-to-hang signs ($29) are 15 inches by 15 inches. Check www.SimplySouthernSigns.com and Etsy.com/shop/SimplySouthernSigns. Also find signs at upcoming fall festivals, including the Country Living festival, Oct. 26-28, at Stone Mountain and the Marist holiday show Nov. 3. Check the website for other festival dates.
Game-day wear
While tailgating at a South Carolina game in 2003, Mel Pennington and Tygh Bailes tossed around a business idea that combined football and fashion. Two years later, the friends started Florida-based Pennington and Bailes, which makes attention-getting collegiate sportswear for men and women.
The company’s Stadium Pants were an instant hit with frat guys and preppy fans of all ages. They still are. In addition to the dress-style pants ($135), the company offers embroidered, cotton-twill Stadium Shorts ($105). Big and skinny guys like the comfy fit of the traditional-cut shorts. Women like the skirts ($105) and polo dresses ($95). There is also a children’s collection.
Team apparel is available for about 50 colleges. Over the last five years, the best-selling schools have included South Carolina, Florida, Alabama, Auburn, Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Tennessee and UGA. Visit www.PenningtonandBailes.com.
Best of the South
Do you have favorite finds from around the South that you give as gifts, buy for your home or rave about to friends? If, so please share them with us. Send your suggestions to: ljerkins@bellsouth.net. In the subject line, write Southern Made. Please include your name and a contact number.
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