Barnumbia girls, please stop mogging me!

As a Barnard first-year student, each day I open the heavy doors of the Sulzberger lobby, without fail, my eyes are immediately bombarded by fashionable fits everywhere. I admit, a tendril of jealousy always slips its way into my traitorous heart. (I’m admittedly jealous of many girls’ wardrobes and sense of style.)

However, some days, I simply want to walk out of my dorm and not feel ashamed by my boring, drab outfit that I put together in ten minutes. Sometimes, I just want to blend in and not feel judged. I know for a fact that if I had chosen my in-state public school, every day would be a breeze in terms of blending into my surroundings. But it seems as if fashion is an integral part of Barnumbia culture—not surprising since we do live in New York City. Every single day, I feel like I’m living in a real-life version of Roblox Dress to Impress, where the brick roads by Milstein are the runway and, each time, I get voted 1 star. I am the ugly duckling in a swarm of beautiful white swans. Barnard and Columbia girls are far too fashionable, no matter what day of the week. I’ve never once even seen sweatpants unless they were on my legs.

But I’m here to protest this. I’m here to say that this CAN BE CHANGED! It’s entirely too cold outside, and I’m too stressed by finals to be putting extensive thought into my outfit for the day. Please, I beg, bring back sweatpants and comfy lazy clothes!

I have done my part in protesting the Too Many Stylish People Movement, and, without fail, at least once a week, I don an oversized sweater, baggy sweatpants, and Crocs that are a size too big for me. I encourage anyone reading this to do the same and to not judge those who look particularly bummy on a day. I truly do believe that we as students care too much about appearance and how we are perceived—and the way we dress does play a role in shaping how peers view us (unfortunately). We can always work on this, though, and the first step is wearing sweatpants with confidence. In my opinion, lots of terrible people have amazing style, so looking cool is overrated anyway.

In conclusion, sweatpants are essential. They are warm, they are comfy, and they can even function as pajamas! Let’s bring them back and embrace our lazy selves.

Outfits via Bwog Archives