It's 6:30 AM in Argentina and I can't sleep, so what better way to pass the time then to reminisce about Rhodes College and the wonderful things I discovered from its diverse social scene.
1. The Gold Medallion Shoe
I may not know the name of these shoes (I literally got the picture from googling "gold medallion shoe"), but I do know one thing about them, the girls at Rhodes College love the shit out of these things. They had them in every style imaginable: neon, plaid, heels, sparkly, etc. And they wore them with their dresses, they wore them with their skirts, and they even wore them with their Nike shorts - so of course they had to have at least 3 pairs each to coordinate with their various ensembles. Because why would anyone pay 20 bucks for a pair of old navy flats when you could pay 70 for the same ones with gold medallions glued to them?
2. The North Face
Another thing people at Rhodes loved was to give the appearance that they had been mountain climbing recently. And by that, I mean they loved The North Face. And I'm not talking any North Face, I'm talking about the Denali jacket. I have never seen this jacket so many times as when I went to eat lunch on the first day of fall at Rhodes College. Bust out your power sweatshirts everyone! And if you didn't have one when you started at Rhodes, you had one when you left, because who would be caught dead wearing a Patagonia? Don't get me wrong, I think it's a good jacket and a good brand, but I doubt that most people who were wearing it didn't actually know what the name "The North Face" even refers to.
3. Nike Shorts
Apparently these shorts are a staple to
any college girls wardrobe. Even if she has never gone on a run in her
life. Which is fine, they're comfy and fashionable and can be paired
with gold medallion shoes and North Face Jackets to turn any bad day into a
stylish one! No but really, these shorts are everywhere. I had the old version of these shorts for soccer practice when I was younger and didn't even realize the gold mine of a fashion statement I was sitting on until I got to Rhodes. I busted those babies out as soon as I caught on! Although they weren't quite as cute as these neon pink tiger stripe ones on the right here so I had to invest half my paycheck in a more updated version. And quite frankly, for as cute as they look, I can't help but be disappointed about the poofy section in the front near the elastic line. Does anyone else have that problem or did I just buy the wrong season of Nike shorts?
4. Sperry Topsiders
These shoes have a fashion niche that spans generations. From my mom having her own pair of the beloved boat shoes to my younger sister's praise of their wardrobe versatility, these shoes have are tale of the ages that makes everyone a bit nostalgic for the feeling of the ocean's breeze flowing through your hair.. Comfy and sophisticated, you can even buy special nude color-panty-hose-type socks to wear with them so they don't get stinky. Or, if you want to see a variety of the different styles I advise you not to walk by the ATO and Kappa Sigma frat houses. The RAT would be a better bet because apparently the only reason people dare to brave the questionable cuisine there is to show off the new additions to their wardrobe. It's like the whole J Crew catalog just came to life. So, if you're the type like me who buys them because their comfy and about as close to owning a yacht as I will ever get, then I recommend the bluefish 2 eye version.
5. Rainbow Sandals
God bless California Surfers for teaching us that you don't find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, but instead, theses little bundles of leathery delight. And I think I can speak for everyone when I say that the first 2 blister filled, calloused weeks of breaking these babies in is totally worth it. For just $40 bucks and bearing this slight 2 week grievance your feet are rewarded with a bliss that is molded to the contour of your feet and makes you feel like you're walking on pillows. Just don't let them get wet otherwise it feels like you're walking on sticky floor type pillows.
6. Longchamp
I'm going to be honest and say that I didn't know the significance of these either until my friend brought me a $2 Shanghai knockoff last year. But I do remember that EVERY girl at Rhodes College had these. If not the first semester, they soon learned to ditch their North Face backpack for this more feminine tote that can function both as a book bag as well as a purse. I was a little amazed and appalled to find that they cost upwards of $115. I'll stick to the Shanghai specials, especially since nobody seems to be able to tell the difference.
7. Croakies
Don't let the name deceive you. Although it might scream redneck I can assure you that only the most fratty of frat boys will be found sporting these. And that is pretty much every single one at Rhodes College. Just wander past the library on a Friday evening and you'll be greeted with a slew of men dawning these along with their Columbia vest on top of a collard shirt (paired with J crew critter shorts and Sperry's of course). Before Rhodes I thought Oakley dominated the sports eye-wear market, only to find that there is a whole other realm of sports out there I wasn't aware of. And they all seemed to originate on the thresholds of frat houses. The original founders probably had something to do with a mix of frat houses and duck hunting, but now I'm pretty sure the wearers of said eye wear would rather hunt for a pledge to make a beer run than a duck. Be sure to get the attachment so they don't fall of your head!
List 2 will be coming soon. Here are a few teasers: Ugg boots, the entire J crew store, and anything Kate Spade.
I may not know the name of these shoes (I literally got the picture from googling "gold medallion shoe"), but I do know one thing about them, the girls at Rhodes College love the shit out of these things. They had them in every style imaginable: neon, plaid, heels, sparkly, etc. And they wore them with their dresses, they wore them with their skirts, and they even wore them with their Nike shorts - so of course they had to have at least 3 pairs each to coordinate with their various ensembles. Because why would anyone pay 20 bucks for a pair of old navy flats when you could pay 70 for the same ones with gold medallions glued to them?
Another thing people at Rhodes loved was to give the appearance that they had been mountain climbing recently. And by that, I mean they loved The North Face. And I'm not talking any North Face, I'm talking about the Denali jacket. I have never seen this jacket so many times as when I went to eat lunch on the first day of fall at Rhodes College. Bust out your power sweatshirts everyone! And if you didn't have one when you started at Rhodes, you had one when you left, because who would be caught dead wearing a Patagonia? Don't get me wrong, I think it's a good jacket and a good brand, but I doubt that most people who were wearing it didn't actually know what the name "The North Face" even refers to. 
