{shortcode-a4e9ea4d412906caa336d02233afe7bb219d70e5}Forget midterm season; it’s comping season. Take a look around and you’ll spot embroidered Patagonias, regular hoodies, t-shirts, stickers, and everything in between. What clubs should you join to get these fits, and what does the club gear say about the club? Here’s a guide to helping you navigate through the comp process while looking your best.
The Patagonia
Nothing says “I’m in a Harvard club” than a Patagonia. You can picture it now: the perfect heather gray-colored quarter-zip, with the Patagonia logo on the left, the carefully embroidered club logo on the other side. The gold standard of club swag, the Patagonia is reserved for only the highest honors of clubs (or at least those who have the funds). On the plus side, these sweaters are easily paired with jeans, khakis, boat shoes, or even a cozy Canada Goose jacket on top — which explains why owners of these jackets wear them everywhere. Still, we can only dream to be worthy of these jackets.
The Hoodie
They say you are what you wear, so hoodie people can only be described as warm and cozy. They don’t really care about the brand name, so you already know the club’s a guaranteed good time. Hoodies are used to advertise clubs, with fun designs that make you want to join. Within the hoodie category lies the crewneck, the distant cousin of the hoodie. A little more sophisticated, a little better graphic design, and a little more serious than the hoodie.
The T-Shirt
T-shirts come out of hibernation on laundry day, when there’s nothing else to wear except for the free t-shirt you got from the club you dropped last year. It’s super soft now from wearing it every night to sleep since it really can’t be exposed to the public. It also doesn’t hurt that t-shirts are a social bonus — oh, you went to that event? I did too! This type of gear is an ideal conversation starter and bonding moment.
The Sticker
If a club has stickers, they’ve truly invested in themselves. The fact that someone is willing to put a sticker of their club on their laptop or Hydro Flask shows a lot of devotion. There are also ranks of stickers, and design is high stakes in this scenario. You’re going to be stuck with this sticker for the rest of your life, so think twice before voluntarily advertising these clubs.
A club really does build a community, and swag works to enforce it. Your club has the potential to become your second family, and we hope you surround yourself with the people (and clothes) that bring out the best in you.