Seeing as we are now eight weeks into Winter term, you've probably noticed the round of illness plaguing the men and women of Dartmouth. Slowly, student after student has fallen prey to the dreaded Hanover winter uniform. For ladies, that would be either tall boots with a scarf or post-gym clothes, depending on whichever is easier that day. For men, it's almost exclusively the latter, discounting the occasional tight-jeans choice.
When asked to prescribe some solution to this gym-clothing obsessive campus condition, I told my editor that my last foray into sports was when I was co-captain of the diving team -- in high school. In terms of being up-to-date on sartorial culture, however, I do blitz out the odd must-have jersey-shorts-bodysuit every now and then, so I'll do my best.
The remedy to the Hanover winter uniform virus follows after a short, revealing anecdote.
It just so happens that this past weekend, two of my friends from home visited, providing some much-needed perspective on the fashion choices of our student body. Each friend -- one from Cornell and one from Binghamton -- had some choice words about our campus' gym clothing-anchored, overgrown, prep school uniform.
The first night, as we were leaving my room to go "out," one friend innocently asked my Dartmouth friend and I, "Wait, is that what you guys are wearing?"
He was referring to my skirt/tights/boots/top/cardigan combo. I thought I looked pretty natty and told him so.
"Oh no, I mean, you look fine," he quickly backtracked, nodding towards me and glancing at my girlfriend.
"I have to wear these shoes," my friend started to explain. "Frat basements ruin your shoes anyway."
My visiting friends pretended politely to understand.
I guess the style standards really are higher at state schools. My suspicion was confirmed on the second night when, despite my explanation that boys don't wear "that kind" of clothing (namely, respectable) to go out here, one friend refused to change out of his standard going-out button-down shirt.
The weekend was sprinkled with the further amusement of the boys' reaction to Dartmouth culture: their discovery of and subsequent enthusiasm for the concept of wearing flair to parties; the question of why so many people wore Dartmouth gear even when "out"; and an observation regarding the prevalence of boat shoes.
"The only person I've ever seen wear those shoes is Pak," my friend said, in reference to a boy we knew in high school who once explicitly uninvited me to a house party.
And now, the long-awaited prescription to remedy this.
Luckily for us at Dartmouth, gym-inspired clothes are on point for spring 2009, so we'll be seeing Pak dressing as we've long been dressing and soon sporting some of our favorite gym(-inspired) wares.
For this spring, think '00s loosened neon '80s-workout inspired muscle tank tops paired with short, puffy skirts and exaggeratedly tall knee-high socks.
If you feel slightly more ambitious, try pairing a pair of sparkly sequin-covered Converse with aqua-colored running shorts and a jean jacket, or tuck a matte silk graphic blouse into a pair of heavy French terry cotton shorts.
Also on the list of gym-inspired must-haves are abbreviated sweatshirt-material dresses, embellished basic jersey tees and super-bright sneakers and zip-up hoodies paired with structured shorts, stacked bangles and standout flats.
As an added benefit, one could ostensibly even go to the gym in these clothes -- well, some of them at least.
