What to wear to cheer tryouts: squad in black and white with purple light-up bows on high ponytails at a showcase

What to Wear to Cheer Tryouts: Dress Codes, Hair, Bows and Clinic Outfits

For athletes and parents getting ready for cheer tryouts and clinics: published college dress codes side by side, clinic outfits, where the bow sits, what to pack, and the light-up bows squads order for their own nights.

Light-up cheer bow glowing violet with a rhinestone center, LED hair bow for cheerleading and competition teamsNew · Just dropped

Add to your team order

LED Light-Up Cheer Bows

White bows with built-in LEDs that glow any color at the click of a button, one bow per athlete.

$66 USD per bow · 10-bow minimum

See photos & how they work →

For athletes trying out this season: wear exactly what the program’s dress code lists, down to the shoes and the bow. For the nights your squad picks its own look, our light-up cheer bows change color with one button on each bow, no remote or app. See the product page for team pricing.

What should you wear to cheer tryouts?

What to wear to cheer tryouts: squad in black and white with purple light-up bows on high ponytails at a showcase

Whatever the program’s dress code says. Coaches publish one so every athlete looks the same and they can judge skills, not outfits. Two published college codes:

  • Southeastern Oklahoma State University asks women for a black sports bra, solid black spandex, white cheer shoes, white socks and a cheer bow, with hair worn half up, half down with the bow. Men wear a black short-sleeve shirt and solid black shorts, with a clean-cut look (source: Southeastern Oklahoma State Cheerleading).
  • Utah Valley University asks for a solid-color cheer short or spandex, a solid-color tank or sports bra, hair half up or in a ponytail with a bow, and cheer or athletic shoes (source: Utah Valley University Cheer).

Read the packet for every program you try out for, because codes differ. Where a code is silent, choose the plainest option: solid colors, no logos, minimal jewelry and hair that stays put through a full tumbling pass.

Cheer tryout outfits at a glance

Program and event Top Bottom Hair and bow Shoes
Southeastern Oklahoma State, women’s tryout Black sports bra Solid black spandex Half up, half down, with a cheer bow White cheer shoes, white socks
Southeastern Oklahoma State, men’s tryout Black short-sleeve shirt Solid black shorts Neatly styled, clean-cut Not listed
Utah Valley University tryout Solid-color tank or sports bra Solid-color cheer short or spandex Half up or ponytail, with a bow Cheer or athletic shoes
UConn dance prep clinic Navy and white athletic clothing, encouraged Navy and white athletic clothing, encouraged Pulled back; one set of stud earrings Sneakers, plus socks, turners or jazz shoes

Sources: Southeastern Oklahoma State Cheerleading, Utah Valley University Cheer, UConn Spirit.

Clinic outfits are looser than tryout outfits

Clinics usually ask for comfortable athletic wear, sometimes in the program’s colors. UConn’s spring 2026 dance prep clinic encouraged navy and white athletic clothing with hair pulled back, asked dancers to bring sneakers plus socks, turners or jazz shoes, limited jewelry to one set of stud earrings and suggested packing water and snacks (source: UConn Spirit). Wearing a program’s colors to its own clinic is a quiet signal that you came for this team.

At the tryout itself, switch back to the exact code. And never wear the uniform of the team you are trying out for: Troy University’s 2026 auxiliary audition packet says outright that no Sound of the South uniforms may be worn (source: Troy University 2026 auxiliary auditions).

Where the bow sits, and when it lights

Cheer tryout outfit idea: squad in green with green light-up bows on high ponytails and LED pom poms at a night game

When a code asks for a bow, wear a plain cheer bow in the color the program lists. It sits high at the crown on a high ponytail, loops on top and tails hanging down over the ponytail. For a half-up style, set it at the crown over the half-up section. Pack a spare.

Light-up bows belong to the nights your squad chooses its own look: a showcase, a banquet, a clinic finale your team hosts or a game night your coach signs off on. Our light-up cheer bows are white bows with built-in LEDs. A button on each bow changes the color, or the bow cycles through colors, with no remote and no app, and there is a hair-tie option. Squads order one bow per athlete, so the whole line glows the same color. See the cheer bow size chart, our guide to light-up cheer bows for teams and the light-up cheer bows page for current team pricing.

Light-up cheer bow glowing violet with a rhinestone center, LED hair bow for cheerleading and competition teamsNew · Just dropped

Add to your team order

LED Light-Up Cheer Bows

White bows with built-in LEDs that glow any color at the click of a button, one bow per athlete.

$66 USD per bow · 10-bow minimum

See photos & how they work →

What goes in the tryout bag?

Pack Why
Every pair of shoes the code lists Some programs list more than one; UConn’s clinic asked for two
A spare plain bow, hair ties and bobby pins A bow that slips in a tumbling pass is the most common fix of the day
Water and a snack Clinics and tryouts run for hours
Forms, fee receipt and any headshot Programs charge fees and some ask for printed items
A light warm-up layer Gyms run cold between rounds
A notebook Write down every correction while you remember it

Lay it all out the night before, in the order you will need it, and check it against the packet one more time.

Outfit mistakes coaches notice

  • Logos and team names from your current gym or school, where the code asks for solid colors.
  • Loose shirts that hide your body line in jumps.
  • Jewelry beyond what the code lists.
  • Hair that falls before the last round.
  • Brand-new shoes on tryout day; break them in at the clinic.
  • The wrong bow color, when the code names one.

None of these will sink a strong tryout, but each one pulls the coach’s eye away from your skills, and you want every second of attention on your jumps and motions. For the skills side, see cheer tryout tips for clinic season.

Practice gear that earns its place

The program sets your outfit; your practice gear is yours. A practice pair of our light-up pom poms gives your motions real weight, 7 oz per pom, and because the LEDs are built into the pom itself, every arm angle shows in a dim-room practice video. They are rechargeable, with 3 to 4 hours per charge. See the light-up pom poms page for a practice pair. If your squad later wants matching poms for game nights, the team rate is $120 a pair on 10 or more pairs. For how programs run clinic season, see our guide to college recruitment clinics for cheer and dance.

Light-up LED pom poms by Neon Cowboys — glowing metallic cheerleading & dance team pom poms

Add to your team order

Light-Up LED Pom Poms

Metallic streamers with LEDs built into the pom, a rechargeable pack, and one remote that changes the whole team’s color at once.

$145 USD per pair

Order Size
Pom Streamer Color
See photos & how they work →

Frequently asked questions

What do you wear to cheer tryouts?

What the program’s dress code lists. Published college codes ask for a solid sports bra or tank, solid spandex or cheer shorts, cheer or athletic shoes and hair up with a bow.

What is a good cheer tryout outfit if there is no dress code?

A fitted solid-color tank or sports bra, solid spandex or cheer shorts, broken-in cheer shoes, hair in a secure ponytail with a plain bow and minimal jewelry.

Should I wear a bow to cheer tryouts?

If the code asks for one, yes. Southeastern Oklahoma State and Utah Valley both list a bow. Wear it high at the crown.

What should I wear to a cheer clinic?

Comfortable athletic wear, in the program’s colors if it suggests them, hair pulled back and every pair of shoes the clinic lists.

How do your light-up cheer bows change color?

With a button on each bow: click to change the color or let it cycle. No remote and no app.

Can a whole squad order light-up bows?

Yes. Squads order one bow per athlete; see the product page for current team pricing.

See also: college recruitment clinics for cheer and dance, cheer tryout tips for clinic season, college cheer prep clinics for seniors and light-up cheer bows for teams.

Sources: Southeastern Oklahoma State Cheerleading, Utah Valley University Cheer, UConn Spirit, Troy University 2026 auxiliary auditions.

Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Utah Valley University, the University of Connecticut and Troy University are named for their published dress codes only. None is affiliated with Neon Cowboys.

Questions: info@neoncowboys.com.

Never Miss a Drop

Be first to new drops, restocks, and exclusive events — straight to your inbox.