School Supplies: Fleeced

-Most of the complaints we hear about collegiate style tend to center around the prevalence of the North Face fleece jacket. Its an easy target: an overpriced, seemingly contrived product that has become overwhelmingly popular on Greek Row. While buying multiple colors for the sake of matching is ludicrous (and surprisingly common), so is the outcry against such a practical garment. We live in an area famous for shitty weather, and a light fleece jacket can be a huge asset. Believe it or not, you can stay warm this fall while retaining some semblance of originality.

-There was a time when The North Face was simply known as one of the best outdoor companies around. They recently commemorated the 1990 Trans-Antarctica Expedition with some throwback colors and minor design changes. Calling these colors loud would be an understatement, but they are anything but unoriginal and they make the jacket pretty hard to lose at a kegger.

-Patagonia is a pretty solid company, as they don't force you to sacrifice style for the sake of your ecological footprint (as evidenced by one of our first PowerPoints). Anyone who has ever worn a North Face fleece can tell you that even the slightest amount of wind renders them obsolete. Patagonia's Retro-X is windproof, thus making it a lot warmer than the alternative. After all, before pink fleeces and Uggs got popular, warmth was the reason people wore jackets and boots to begin with. The times they are a changin'....at least according to the guy on that Lucky shirt.