Ariana Lopez, Kris Stevely, Anna Kendrick, Ava Kendrick, Mia Huiss and Cassie Rosica all pose for a photo outside of the RBC Heritage tournament.
Hilton Head, S.C.
The 2023 RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing is underway at Harbour Town Golf Links, and this year’s fashions are turning heads.
From the tournament’s signature tartan to the Royal Bank of Canada’s (RBC) blue and yellow or spring pastels, patrons at the event have plenty of options to choose from each day.
Who ended up wearing what this year, and how much did it differ from last year?
Spring patterns and Sunday brunch chic as well as comfortable athletic wear and golf attire were all front-runners for fashion at this year’s tournament. On the official first day of RBC Heritage, patrons were sporting fashions that best combined their personal style with the season and practicality for spending the day outdoors.
Local residents Olivia Wall and Katelyn Nickles modeled their attire on their way into the tournament Thursday. The pair displayed bright colors, pastels, florals, gold accents and matching acrylic golf bag-shaped earrings as a statement piece.
Donning sneakers for all-day comfort wear, Wall and Nickles discussed how the style at RBC Heritage has changed throughout the years. The two women continued how the overall style has become much more comfort- and leisure-oriented rather than, in the past, the majority of female attendees slipping on their best Lilly Pulitzer dresses and wedges to wear throughout the day, regardless of the weather.
Continuing the trend, a group of women all decided to follow along with the spring-inspired fashion with breezy fabrics, comfortable footwear and a hint of tartan to tie in the look to the tournament’s signature pattern.
The group mentioned how they made a visit to Old Town Bluffton’s newest boutique, Monkee’s of Bluffton.
Bertholf and Alvarez followed suit with spring patterns, brunch-like attire, light-weight fabrics and comfortable footwear, which seemed to be the staple dress code for many women on Thursday.
Pastels, blues and greens were conspicuous colors seen throughout the day.
The majority of men continued to sport clothing mostly aligning with “athleisure.” Khaki or bright-colored shorts or slacks and Dri-Fit polo shirts proved popular as many were seen sporting their sharpest golf attire.
Meanwhile, the ladies attending this year’s golf tournament have been choosing multifarious options that seem to have one thing in common — comfort.
Style-conscious women stayed along the lines of feminine but ready for the day’s events with their outfit choices, prioritizing practicality and comfort in the warm weather with breezy, lightweight fabrics and comfortable shoes.
Aside from the usual dolled up golf attire, dressier choices around the greens this year included sundresses, pleated shorts and linen tops. Common trends ranged from local boutiques to brands such as CK Bradley, J. McLaughlin, Tuckernuck and Lilly Pulitzer.
Classic ensembles focusing on the breathability of fabric is key when selecting outfits for the tournament. Tournament days follow the trend of starting off cooler during the early morning tee time hours, but steadily getting warmer throughout the afternoon. Layering generally isn’t necessary unless the attendee gets chilled easily.
An important note to remember: The PGA Tour has a tournament policy on the size of handbags that can be brought into the event. Any clutch or bag is allowed into the tournament as long as it is smaller than 6-by-6-by-6 inches. If something bigger is needed for the day, patrons may bring a clear bag of any style as long as it is no larger than 12-by-6-by-12 inches, or a one-gallon clear and resealable plastic bag.
Radiance, a women’s boutique in Harbor Town, was one of the many shops that attendees explored during the day Thursday. The boutique’s owner, Susan Dyess, explained how happy she was about the RBC Heritage golf tournament going on less than a mile away.
“We love the RBC Heritage tournament. It brings a lot to the community,” Dyess said.
Dyess also noted how flowy dresses and neutral tones seem to be prominent this year from what she’s seen outside of the boutique, with casual comfort becoming the new trend for years to come.
All colors and trends aside, of course, many attendees still chose to sport the signature and iconic Heritage Plaid as the forefront of their attire throughout the duration of the RBC Heritage golf tournament, proving themselves as comrades with Sir Willie.
This story was originally published April 14, 2023, 1:21 PM.
Sarah Claire McDonald is a Service Journalism Reporter for The Island Packet and Beaufort Gazette. She specializes in writing audience-focused, unique, spotlight stories about people, places and occurrences in the Lowcountry. Originally from the Midwest, Sarah Claire studied news media, communications and English at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, where she graduated in 2021.
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