Here are a few examples...
Jandals
You read that correctly, the term you get by blending "Jesus" and "sandals." These inexpensive rubber beauties are a staple back in Oklahoma. They may not be cute, but they are definitely comfortable. I suppose they must be conventional and inexpensive for their actual purpose (surprisingly, their true purpose has nothing to do with helping the average person dress like Jesus), Jandals are actually Pali Hawaiian Sandals, designed to "draw the line between work and play in the sand" for the people of Hawaii. I'm sure that the intended consumers were certainly not Oklahomans, but somehow these sandals seem to be a necessity back home.
Chacos
I've caught a few individuals parading around campus in their Chacos; however, the population is just a small fraction of those you would see wearing them in my hometown. Our love of Chacos defies the seasonal constraints of when they would be appropriate, so to make them suitable footwear for all seasons, again, we go for the socks/sandal combination ~ this time commonly referred to as "Sock-Os."
Dressing up for football games
Most Saturdays my social media is flooded by my friends at southern universities at football games. They all meticulously picked out the perfect outfits, utilizing their school colors and still managing to look fabulous in orange and black (Oklahoma State's colors). In the south, it seems that people take advantage of every opportunity to be stylish, including football games. It seems like to Penn Staters, adorned in cut t shirts and shorts for games, this is a ridiculous idea. Honestly, growing up where looking nice for games was normal makes me a little jealous of my friends back home, I mean just think of all of the classy photo opportunities.
Oversized t-shirts
I have a very petite frame at only 5'2" but that does not stop me from ordering medium t shirts, even though smalls are slightly big on me. I was entirely oblivious that this was abnormal here until I was wearing a big comfy t-shirt and my friend asked "were they out of smalls?" I paused for a second and explained that I was just prioritizing comfort over appearance and I loved my big t-shirts. Her response was simply "okay, it must be a southern thing."
On the other hand...
Conservative clothes
When did it become okay to "flaunt what you've got" all the time? Even to class?? I believe that being raised in Oklahoma instilled a sense of modesty in me from a young age. Because of this I am in awe of some clothing choices I see at Penn State. Going out at night is one thing, but going to class is entirely different. I implore you to please refrain from wearing crop tops to class and for the love of all that is good and holy, make sure that your butt is tucked into your shorts.
Picture credits to
Pali Sandals
Chaco
and my friends Teryn and Trini
Picture credits to
Pali Sandals
Chaco
and my friends Teryn and Trini
I've never seen people wear chacos before! It was great to hear about how things are different in Oklahoma. It'd be so awesome to dress up for football games! And I so feel you on oversized t-shirts, they're the comfiest things ever. Great post as usual!
ReplyDeleteYour sens of humor in this post is incredible! The comment about girls wearing crop tops to class made me really laugh. However, I also liked how you incorporated some of your southern traditions. I am from Pittsburgh and there are still a lot of big changes here. Its as if Penn State is a completely different culture within itself. I also have never heard of chacos, but they sound interesting.
ReplyDeleteI honestly love the style of socks and Birks and I think more people should wear them! Like you said, they are adaptable to all seasons. I can relate to what you said about the big T-shirt thing because I also love wearing long shirts that almost cover my shorts, and the first time I wore it here I was conscious of the fact that not many other girls seem to like this style. I also thought it was interesting how you mentioned how in the South it is popular to dress up to football games. I have a friend that goes to the University of South Carolina and every game she is in a dress and wedges. However I love being able to be decked out in my Penn State T-shirt and show my spirit.
ReplyDeleteI honestly love the style of socks and Birks and I think more people should wear them! Like you said, they are adaptable to all seasons. I can relate to what you said about the big T-shirt thing because I also love wearing long shirts that almost cover my shorts, and the first time I wore it here I was conscious of the fact that not many other girls seem to like this style. I also thought it was interesting how you mentioned how in the South it is popular to dress up to football games. I have a friend that goes to the University of South Carolina and every game she is in a dress and wedges. However I love being able to be decked out in my Penn State T-shirt and show my spirit.
ReplyDeleteBeing from New York, the style difference between states is evident. No one from the Big Apple wore chacos. And in my school, girls dressed provocatively to class all the time, so it was a normal thing. Reading about your lifestyle down in Oklahoma is extremely interesting. I can't wait for your next post!
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed the humor (and the introduction to a few southern fashion practices!) I can't say that I'd sign a petition against what some girls wear to class, but I appreciate hearing your view, especially given that you are a girl yourself!
ReplyDelete