The Male 'Fashion' Thread II

Is that your university team then?

I think a lot of people miss the point of varsity jackets, they're not supposed to be things you buy, they're supposed to be things you are awarded.

Simply buying a varsity jacket is kinda like buying an Olympic gold medal off ebay.

Not in the UK they're not. You may object to buying one in America but on this side of the pond it's the only way to get one.

Not in the UK they're not. You may object to buying one in America but on this side of the pond it's the only way to get one.

Not really. I have one that I was awarded for playing baseball for my university.

I guess I just have a bugbear about inauthenticity. I think only Man United fans should wear Man United shirts, only Metallica fans should wear Metallica t-shirts, only people who went to Harvard should wear harvard hoodies, only christians should wear crucifixes... and only people who have been awarded a varsity jacket by a sports team should wear a varsity jacket.

For better or worse, I think your style in clothes should reflect the person you actually are, not "the person you think other people would think is cool". You shouldn't need to pretend to be something you're not.

That's a couple of different things, really.

I don't see why on earth someone who isn't a Man United fan would wear a Man United shirt (unless they have mistaken it for a peace movement) - same with Metallica or any other band. But these aren't in the same category as Letter jackets, which are again different from souvenir clothing. If there's a gift shop at MIT selling "official" MIT t-shirts, then they clearly expect people to buy them and fill coffers. I don't see how its much different from buying an "I <3 London" t-shirt and wearing it when you go back home to Tokyo or wherever.

The one that has always made me wonder is the whole thing with Abercrombie and Jack Wills. For example - if you're in the lacrosse team at school, a team hoodie will probably cost you around £25. That's for a genuine team hoodie from a real school. Or, you can go to the aforementioned shops and buy a very similar looking garment emblazoned with the colours and name of a fictitious school for three times the price. Don't get me wrong, if people like the branding I'm all for it - I just don't get why you'd choose fiction over reality. It would be like choosing to wear a Hogwarts hoodie instead of your actual school one.

Well, that depends. I managed to get one from my uni american football team with my achievements and stuff on there. I guess you're right though, they are very much an American thing and you can only get hold of "fashion" varsity jackets over here. Oh and welcome back

Not really. I have one that I was awarded for playing baseball for my university.

I guess I just have a bugbear about inauthenticity. I think only Man United fans should wear Man United shirts, only Metallica fans should wear Metallica t-shirts, only people who went to Harvard should wear harvard hoodies, only christians should wear crucifixes... and only people who have been awarded a varsity jacket by a sports team should wear a varsity jacket.

For better or worse, I think your style in clothes should reflect the person you actually are, not "the person you think other people would think is cool". You shouldn't need to pretend to be something you're not.

There was a fashion briefly for wearing vintage t-shirts of real bands. People who didn't know the tune to Brown Sugar were walking around wearing Rolling Stone t-shirts because they thought it made them look cool and vintage.

Lots of people wear Yankees or Red Sox baseball caps - despite not supporting the team. I don't see how that is much different from an american wearing a United shirt and not liking soccer.

If I wore a "University of Nottingham" hoodie, you would assume I had gone to Nottingham, right? Thats the message conveyed by the hoodie. To wear it without having gone there would, to some extent, be dishonest. I don't see why MIT would be any different.

Letter jackets or Varsity jackets are literally designed to show off the letters of your school or university (hint: varsity = american slang for university) that you play for. Just because they've become a fashion item in the last couple of years doesn't make it any more weird that people would choose to wear them having not earnt them.

I can understand 12/13 year olds playing dress up like the big boys. But when you're old enough to have earnt yourself a real varsity jacket, its just weird to buy yourself a fake one. If you're not good enough at sport to be awarded one, tough. Isn't it embarassing when people ask you what sport you won it for and you have to explain that its all a big sham?

There was a fashion briefly for wearing vintage t-shirts of real bands. People who didn't know the tune to Brown Sugar were walking around wearing Rolling Stone t-shirts because they thought it made them look cool and vintage.

Thanks! Although I should really be off til after exams but oh well.



I just think varsity jackets in the UK are different.



The thing is though, I have never heard of varsity jackets being an actual thing sports teams award or give to members in the UK. Not once. In my school and in my university they have tops and/or hoodies, but not jackets in the style of the varsity jacket. I can't speak for all British people but when I see a varsity jacket I do not associate it with sports, indeed for me to acquire one in the way you describe would necessitate that I change universities.

Secondly according to your logic it isn't an issue if the varsity jacket in question doesn't represent an actual institution. If it's a fabricated emblem on the jacket, or if like the jacket I recently purchased it has no number letter or insignia, then it's not misrepresenting anything. And I would argue that, while possibly tacky, it is OK to wear paraphernalia of a sports team you do not support if it is from a different country (or was given as a gift) because of tourism. It's good for the economy, it's good for the team (generates money and is also advertising the team) and it harms nobody. It's the same as wearing an 'I <3 New York' tee shirt, especially for famous teams like the Yankees or Manchester United. I have a Yankees baseball cap my American aunt gave me for a birthday present one year, are you saying I shouldn't wear it?

At any rate I'm sorry but I really, really do not see anybody ever mistaking my varsity-style jacket for a sporting achievement unless they're American, in which case I will explain to them that in the UK generally speaking we do not actually have varsity jackets.

At the end of the day I am wearing my varsity-style jacket not because I care about sports, not because I want people to think I'm sporty, but because it's a nice jacket that's good to wear in the spring/summer because it's not too heavy. Fashion has taken many other things from sports, and this isn't any different.

meh, can't really blame you, they're quite cool looking jackets and you're right, most people in this country don't understand their origin, just like most people don't realise that the NY on their caps isn't just a fashion brand, it actually represents a real life baseball team with players and fans and everything. They'd find out soon enough if they wore it into the wrong bar in South Boston.

And as soon as they opened their mouth and were clearly English everyone (except the complete and utter morons) would just accept it. I think you are taking the whole 'things can only be worn if they fit 'x' criteria' a bit too far.

Well it really depends on what you're after doesn't it?

There's pretty much everything you can ask for, and some pretty good vintage shops as well

Anyone know the quality of Primark Chinos?

For £10-£12 they don't look bad (the blue ones).

I may buy a set today

Not really. I have one that I was awarded for playing baseball for my university.

I guess I just have a bugbear about inauthenticity. I think only Man United fans should wear Man United shirts, only Metallica fans should wear Metallica t-shirts, only people who went to Harvard should wear harvard hoodies, only christians should wear crucifixes... and only people who have been awarded a varsity jacket by a sports team should wear a varsity jacket.

For better or worse, I think your style in clothes should reflect the person you actually are, not "the person you think other people would think is cool". You shouldn't need to pretend to be something you're not.

Anyone know the quality of Primark Chinos?

For £10-£12 they don't look bad (the blue ones).

I may buy a set today

Haven't been here in a while.
Last thing I bought: