by Molly Cory

The first thing I noticed when I stepped onto this campus for a visit last spring was the attire that seemed customary for most of the female students. Oversized T-shirt, Nike Tempo shorts, running shoes. I couldn’t comprehend why so many students would dress that way, even after experimenting with the trend myself. I own a pair of Nike Tempo shorts and several unflattering free T-shirts, but I save those articles of clothing primarily for legitimate exercise – and, no, walking to class does not count as a workout. To all of you following this trend, I implore you to reconsider your style.

A majority of the students who wear these clothes would likely attest to the comfort of oversized tees, shorts and running shoes. The shirts and shorts need to be loose to keep students cool, and the running shoes are necessary for those lengthy treks to class. But have you considered wearing a light dress instead? And I assure you that your feet can survive in sandals for the 20 minutes maximum it takes to get to class.

The athletic wear trend seems to have also arisen out of convenience. It gives off the “I just rolled out of bed” vibe. However, most people I see sporting the trend have gone to efforts to perfect their hair and makeup, so I have trouble believing people are truly saving time. In addition to being as comfortable, it is just as convenient to throw on a dress and some sandals as it is to wear athletic clothing. One dress instead of both a shirt and a pair of shorts, and no socks or laces required – it couldn’t get any easier than that.

More than anything, the current trend is a sign of conformity, which perhaps connects us all in some way. But it is also incredibly boring. If athletic clothes weren’t so widely accepted and even expected here, I wouldn’t be surrounded by a sea of tees every day on my way to class. Seeing the same monochromatic gray shirt on student after student day after day becomes monotonous and boring. The way we dress should depict who we are, and I certainly hope we are not all the same monochromatic gray shirts.

Stop saving your sense of style for parties and gamedays, and start saving your workout clothes for, well, workouts. It’d provide campus with a change of scenery, and you with a sense of individualism.

Molly Cory is a freshman majoring in journalism and fashion retail. Her column runs biweekly on Monday.