Game-day culture is a cornerstone of Southern universities, encompassing tailgates, chants, food, traditions and, of course, fashion.

Game-day outfits are a key part of this culture. While the style of these outfits varies across campuses, there is one common feature: game-day buttons.

Though the exact origins of game-day buttons are unclear, they date back to the early 2010s. These buttons come in different styles, colors and, most uniquely, slogans. They are used to support schools, sororities, fraternities, cheer teams, dance teams, the band and even individual players.

At TCU, game-day buttons are an important tradition and, for some students, a small business. One such student is Lindsey Young, a sophomore business major, who designs and sells custom buttons from her dorm room.

Cute as a Button

Lindsey Young launched her small button business, Cute as a Button, in September 2023 as a creative outlet.

“I didn’t think there were enough fun, easily accessible designs for students,” she said.

With no prior experience, Young bought a button-making machine and got started. She begins by designing the buttons on Canva, prints them in a specific shape and size and then uses the machine to attach the design to the button.

While her main focus has been game-day buttons, Young has expanded into other categories. She noticed a gap in the market, particularly among students who are not involved in Greek life, and she wanted to create designs that catered to everyone.

“I imagine it can feel isolating not to be part of Greek life,” Young said. “I wanted to ensure that everyone could participate in the button tradition.”

Young currently offers a wide variety of button themes, and customers are now sending in their own designs through Canva for buttons. Increasingly, people are requesting custom buttons for birthdays, often featuring photos of the person being celebrated.

Cute as a Button has found success on the TCU campus, selling buttons ranging from $2 to $5.

Recently during The Shaddock Market, Young completely sold out of her inventory of over 270 buttons.