Decked in Denim Since ‘93: A Conversation with George Kittle
Campaigns /
September 2023
We sat down with All-Pro Tight End, George Kittle, to discuss his style past and present. From growing up on the farm in Iowa to playing pro football, George has stayed true to himself by focusing on what vibes best with him. And, of course, with his wife Claire. Check out the edited version of our conversation below.
I'm pretty sure I even wore my dad's Levi's® when I got to college. So yeah, we wore lots of Levi's® my whole life.
– George Kittle
Who did you look up to for style inspiration?
I would say it's a combination of my dad and whatever I was feeling. My parents did a really good job. It was like, “Hey, wear whatever you want to wear as long as it's appropriate.” Dinosaurs, graphic tees, jeans — that's what I've worn my entire life and I still wear today. Pretty consistent.
How did your early lifestyle influence what you wore?
[I] grew up on a farm, multiple farms... So we just were a very active family. Everything was outdoors. Hiking, biking, rafting, so clothing needed to be outdoor fitted. Whatever was comfortable, could get wet, and would dry fast.
Do you have any memories wearing Levi’s?
Yes, actually, my parents loved Levi's®. My mom wore Levi's®, my dad wore Levi's®. I wore Levi's®. My sister probably wore Levi's®… We used to always go to Colorado to climb mountains, and we’d climb a fourteener here or there every summer. When you're up in the mountains camping, you'd always need a nice pair of jeans… I'm pretty sure I even wore my dad's Levi's® when I got to college. So yeah, we wore lots of Levi's® my whole life.
How has your style changed over the years?
I definitely look better now than I did five or six years ago. It used to be strictly Hawaiian shirts. Thankfully, my wife has slowly encouraged me to express myself in a different way, which I've thoroughly enjoyed doing. But yeah, maybe a little bit more expressive. I still stick to my graphic tees and stuff like that, but she's helped me along the way. And my sneakers have gotten way better.
How has your experience as a Pro football player influenced your style?
The coolest thing is that you're in a locker room with all these different guys who come from different backgrounds, who all have their different levels of swag. And so you see all these different outfits all the time. Going from the state of Iowa — where it's pretty consistent exactly what you're going to see on most people — to the NFL where you're dealing with guys who wear very extravagant clothing all the time, that's cool. It opens your mind up to all the other things out there. But I will say, I'm still consistently me. And while some of the things might change, you're going to see me consistently wearing all the same stuff.
Have walk-ins impacted your game day looks?
My first two years [playing], I didn't even think twice about it. I would wear a normal pair of sneakers, black jeans, and either a hoodie or a t-shirt with no intent behind it besides my wife saying, “Okay, you look handsome.” But then I just started playing with it. I started styling off whatever shirt that’s going to be my mindset or the thing I'm trying to channel that day. And build the outfit off that. Let's just say it's a Stone Cold Steve Austin shirt that reads, “Open a can of whoop ass” — excuse my language. But that's the mindset. So I might pair the Stone Cold Steve Austin shirt with my Levi's jeans and I'm going to throw on some snakeskin shoes, something like that.
Who inspires your style now?
My wife, Claire. She inspires most of what I do.
How do you stay true to yourself with what you wear?
I am consistently me every single day. I don't get really influenced by anything else outside of my wife and the vibe of the day. I don't know how to explain that. It's just whatever makes me feel the best at that moment.
What type of outfits do you have planned for this season’s game days?
I don't want to spoil the surprise, but you'll probably see me in jeans and some really cool sneakers. I've got 6 to 10 shirts already picked out for the games, but you’ll just have to patiently wait and see!
Shop each look from our shoot with George Kittle
