On any given day at McGill you can spy an endless range of labels, prints, textures, trends, and styles, giving this campus an eclectic but trendy appearance. You would expect, or at least hope, that McGill apparel would uphold our campus’ fashionable reputation. However, as I have learned over the past few months, you would be wrong. While standing in the never-ending line that has come to define the bookstore in the first few days of Add/Drop, I found myself face-to-face with fashion’s worst nightmare: McGill jeggings. Plagued by the horrors of this garment, I saw it fit to call attention to this pressing issue. I narrowed the bookstore’s problem down to three principle concerns. I hope you will consider the following simple rules when it comes to the integration of these items into a normal Montreal wardrobe.
Rule 1: Ask yourself, what’s wrong with red?
First and foremost, there are far too many colours available at the bookstore. Chaos inevitably ensues from this sort of selection. An innocent first year walks into the bookstore with his eyes set on a classic red hoodie. After being brutally accosted by pink and orange (which, might I add, clash awfully with McGill’s primary colour) this innocent student finds himself back in his room with a blue plaid zip up sweater, his brow furrowed in confusion. In my opinion, the only acceptable options for sweatshirts and sweatpants are red, white, and neutrals such as black, grey, or even navy, on occasion. Purchasing a McGill item gives the impression that you are a proud member of school. Why would you buy it otherwise? Why pay more for the McGill insignia if your purple hoodie makes you look like you go to Bishops? If you are in desperate need of sweatpants and the bright green McGill ones start to look appealing, pass back through those double doors before things get ugly.
Rule 2: One is often enough.
Sometimes people in McGill apparel appear just a little too proud to be a member of our university. Unless you are an athlete or on your way to a varsity sporting event, there is absolutely no need to wear more than one McGill item at a time. A full red suit is not necessary for an ordinary day at the library. I must confess that I have, on occasion, paired my red McGill umbrella (bought only out of desperation) and my red McGill sweatshirt on my way to the gym. Please note the key word in this sentence: gym. I can respect trying to be comfortable at school, but I promise, a full McGill sweat suit is not your only option.
Rule 3: Say no to hybrid styles.
In recent months, there seems to have been an influx of multifunctional McGill apparel around campus: namely, a light purple crewneck-hoodie hybrid. With a wide neck and substantial kangaroo pouch on the front, this item is hard to miss. This is an odd union. The best part of a crewneck is its simplicity, and the best part of a hoodie is the hood. Along the same vein of hybridism are the McGill jeggings. Although I have come to warm up to jeggings in general, I will remain forever opposed to the McGill variety. In both the navy and grey option, the pants are the sum of all the wrong characteristics of their parts. Too thin to be jeans, too tight to be sweatpants, and too many pockets, both real and decorative, to be ordinary tights: the McGill jeggings take precedence as the worst hybrid offender. I suggest abiding by this rule: if a store doesn’t also sell jeans, do not buy their jeggings.
Much of the McGill Bookstore’s clothing is doing students a disservice. If you can get through the bombardment of baby clothes or themed blankets at the front of the store, remember, stick to basics, wear one item at a time, and don’t ever let the McGill jeggings win you over.
