Shorts and Uniforms

Oh, I love that I work with exchange students… they make the best observations about the South. I am going to be getting material out of this all year!

So, I have a student who is here from western Canada… needless to say she has been trying to adapt to the heat and life of the South and this has made for a slight adaption in her clothes. So, she and her sweet Southern roommates went shopping where my student attempted to buy shorts. She comes to orientation yesterday and exclaimed, “why are all the shorts so short here?!” And you know what, she is right! I am not sure if it is just the South or all of the USA, but women’s shorts have gotten ridiculously short over the last few years. I am not saying that shorts should be down to the knees or even hovering above the knees, but I really don’t want to see your butt cheeks hanging out of the bottom of your shorts, end of discussion. I directed her to Loft, I figure she’ll be able to find some reasonably length ones there!

Another fun fashion observation this week comes from my two Aunts. One has spent years living in Oregon and recently moved back, the other was visiting from New York. So I get over to my Uncle’s house for a family dinner on Monday night and they immediately ask me about the guys on campus and what they were wearing. Apparently, they drive through campus on the way to dinner and passed college guy after college guy and they are all wearing the same thing: khaki shorts ( just above the knee- cargo and non-cargo), a polo shirt or a button down dress shirt (not starched), rainbow flip flops or boat shoes, sunglasses with croakies attached. Optional items… baseball hats, vineyard vines belts. My aunts were cracking up, asking it was a uniform. I thought about it and said yes, the vast majority all do seem to wear a variation of the same thing! With or without the popped collar. Now, some people may think it is just the guys in fraternities… I was asked that. But no, I think it is just the standard uniform down here anymore. Boys in their Southern uniform.