Is it obnoxious when an adult wears an Ivy league college sweatshirt?

[Anonymous]

An observation I made while shopping at Wegman’s over the weekend: on Saturday, you see where people went to college, on Sunday you learn their favorite NFL team.

[Anonymous]

Who cares what people wear?

[Anonymous]

No, when older adults attended Ivy's the admission rate was 40 or 50 percent so nothing to brag about.

[Anonymous]

Why would it be obnoxious?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:An observation I made while shopping at Wegman’s over the weekend: on Saturday, you see where people went to college, on Sunday you learn their favorite NFL team.

Yes I was thinking I only see these sweatshirts on game day. Or very elderly people walking their dogs around the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

I think it’s weird if you’re wearing anything Ivy League but state colleges are fine. It’s similar to bragging. Some stores like forever 21 started sell Harvard clothes but most of the people wearing them have no connection to Harvard. Just weird to me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s weird if you’re wearing anything Ivy League but state colleges are fine. It’s similar to bragging. Some stores like forever 21 started sell Harvard clothes but most of the people wearing them have no connection to Harvard. Just weird to me.

Wearing Ivy League gear seems insecure as well. Who cares that you went to Penn or Dartmouth when you are running or @ the gym

Others wearing it is aspirational. Schools love it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm starting this thread because it's an off-topic spin-off that's taking over another thread. Trying to give the original thread some oxygen. Here are some of the key comments so far ...

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So if mom or dad went to Syracuse it is ok to deck the kid in orange head to toe, but if they went to Harvard then school gear is obnoxious? Why can't someone who went to a top school give their kid school clothing? That alone isn't obnoxious.

Had this exact conversation with someone last week. Other person’s view is that the Harvard parent needs to recognize that lots of people will think it’s obnoxious to wear Harvard gear because it could be viewed as bragging, but no one would think it’s obnoxious to wear Syracuse gear because no one would ever brag about Syracuse.

It is obnoxious to wear your elite college gear any place but the gym. That is my philosophy. It is stupid to compare wearing Harvard gear with schools that have good sports teams, Michigan, Cal, etc. The only reason to wear ivy gear is to brag. It is low class and is considered as such at our school.

I’m going to take it a step further and say it’s obnoxious to wear your elite college gear, period.

You know what? The only people who care are those who are envious and insecure. DH and I are both Ivy grads. Our kids wear them because it's part of our family traditions. They have visited our schools, including during alumni week, and know that many of our oldest friends are from those schools, too.

It's quite obnoxious to suggest that UVA or Penn State grads can happily tout their school loyalties, while Harvard, Yale, and Princeton folks who do so must be snobs.

My entire immediate family went to ivies or Stanford (some of us "lower ivies," but ivies still). My sister regularly attends the drunken Princeton reunions. My dad goes to Penn homecoming. My brother gives lectures at Stanford as a notable alum. So we get it. But if you cannot see at all how wearing this stuff could be perceived by some as snobby, that is unfortunate. It is like the dorks who still use their alumni accounts. Be a grown up. Leave some of that behind.

Yes, totally agree as a general matter that anyone who is still wrapping himself in college gear 10 years after graduation need to turn the page. But I think lots of people have college spirit and fond memories of those times, so they do it regardless.

The question here - I think - is why it's generally considered socially acceptable for a Maryland grad or even a Georgetown grad to wear college gear, but offensive for an Ivy grad to do the same thing. I know Ivy grads with lots of genuine school spirit and fond memories, but it seems they have to be careful about wearing their college gear for fear someone else will judge them as bragging. I think it's really mostly about the fact that lots of people have insecurities about where other people went to college.

Maybe be should start a list ...

Ivy or Stanford - totally unacceptable to wear because you might be bragging
Duke or UVA - obnoxious, don't do it
MIT or CalTech - ok to wear because it's just so nerdy?
Navy or West Point - ok because it's a military school?
any other state school - fine
any small liberal arts college - no problem because they're so obscure?

This is dumb. You need a hobby.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think it’s weird if you’re wearing anything Ivy League but state colleges are fine. It’s similar to bragging. Some stores like forever 21 started sell Harvard clothes but most of the people wearing them have no connection to Harvard. Just weird to me.

Wearing Ivy League gear seems insecure as well. Who cares that you went to Penn or Dartmouth when you are running or @ the gym

Others wearing it is aspirational. Schools love it

DC is like a magnet for Type-A people; strivers, Alpha-males, and climbers.

No surprise these types want to rub your face in their perceived superiority and “establish their dominance.”

That’s what you are noticing with the sweatshirts. It is not normal America around here (nor is it healthy).

[Anonymous]

To me it’s not worse than wearing head to toe Lululemon. It’s all thirsty behavior.