To the Editor:
After reading the “Best Dressed” column in the Feb. 9th issue of The Bates Student, I was certain that I could not have read it correctly. Upon first read, the article came off as pretentious, materialistic, and blatantly ridiculous. So I read the article again, again, and again. Unfortunately, my first instincts were correct. I was repulsed when I read that someone who wears sweatpants to class should “feel embarrassed” when he or she “spot[s] a fashionista…around campus.” Really? Though I would be naïve to believe that no students at Bates are concerned with outward appearances, I had no idea that I attended a school where this issue had enough weight for individuals to earn praise for dressing well.
The article also raised the argument that professors respond better to students who are well-dressed in comparison to those who wear sweatpants to class. I found this claim troubling considering that one-third of Bates students play varsity sports. As an athlete, I know that playing a sport often includes morning lifts and conditioning sessions before class and practices immediately after classes get out. Realistically, in-season, an athlete often has no choice but to wear practice clothes (including sweatpants) to class. I feel sorry for those who believe that their clothing is making such a large impression on their professors. While some may think they are doing well because of their “leather boots and cute jackets,” I know my GPA is based on nothing more than my brain power and contributions in the classroom.
This article should have no place in The Bates Student. If I was a prospective student and came across this article, I am positive that I would decide not to come to Bates. What does it say about our student body when there are articles in the student newspaper informing others how one should dress? Yes, everyone knows that many people judge others on their wardrobes, but do we really want to highlight this societal flaw here at Bates?
Molly Kervick 13'
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