Jeremy Rowley
Jrowley1@uwyo.edu
When we finally graduate and the weight of real world comes crashing down onto us, all we will be left with is a diploma and the clothes on our back. So, why should those clothes be nothing but Wal-Mart graphic tees and Pokes merchandise?
Clothing, for better or worse, is a strong reflection of a person’s character. Oftentimes, our clothing makes an impression before anything we say manages to. Making judgments based on clothing may not always be fair, but it does save people from countless poor decisions. Odds are that you would not go on a date with a man wearing cargo shorts, tube socks and crocks¬, and for good reason–such fashion travesties are red flags in a typical society.
Yet, our little college town is anything from typical. With such uniformity in our clothing, it becomes impossible to differentiate one person from another. Who is that person wearing Lee jeans and a UW tee shirt? Your guess is as good as mine.
When your only options for clothing are secondhand stores, Wal-Mart and Maurices, you cannot help but look just like everybody else. Our closets look like they belong to the people in “The Giver,” when they should appear to have come from the first few districts of “The Hunger Games.”
So, what is the solution to our dystopian clothing crisis? Online purchases, though they have merit, are simply not enough to renew Laramie’s tired wardrobes¬–Shipping costs are just too high and the accuracy of clothing sizes is just too low. We simply need more clothing stores.
The possibilities are endless. A Gap would provide students with a solid outlet that is conservatively priced. An Express would be an option for the more fashion forward. A Banana Republic would give the more classically inclined something to splurge on. At this point, any sort of clothing store would fill a tremendous gap in our city’s infrastructure. Even something as basic as a Kohl’s would be welcome in our relatively barren town.
Clothes are the most important non-necessary product a person can buy. Doing so is an investment in yourself. It makes it possible to strategically make an impression. To an extent, you are only as good as your clothes.
Furthermore, clothing allows us to thrust judgment upon our peers. We have earned the right to harshly criticize our fellow classmates based on their external appearance. All we need now are some clothing stores.
