ORANGE NATION Have you ever seen someone at the mall, grocery store or other public place wearing something so hideous that you expected the fashion police, complete with sirens wailing and lights flashing, to come screeching up any moment and take the obvious offender to style purgatory? Several weeks ago, I attended an outof-state event that drew about 100 participants. A teenager wandered from group to group, dropping in on various conversations. I noticed several people snicker and point at the young man’s outfit of multi-hued green plaid shorts with a blue and yellow striped shirt. It screamed, “Take me off!” What parent would allow a child to walk out of the house dressed like that? Then I saw his father. Words can’t describe the trends this man was trying to set. I’m not sure if he was successful at trend-setting, but I’m quite certain he broke a lot of fashion rules. You may have seen this guy at one of your family functions this summer.
HAVE YOU NOTICED WHAT IS IN VOGUE RECENTLY? It’s orange! Seventh Avenue in
New York is full of orange purses, slacks, tops, watches, hats, shirts, ties, accessories — a treasure trove of the color is taking
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the tailored world by storm. THE NEXT TIME
YOU ENTER YOUR FAVORITE STORE (ON FOOT OR ONLINE), LOOK AT ALL THE VARIATIONS OF THE TINT SO CLOSE TO OUR HEARTS. A few years ago, we sat down with Nike, the corporate, brand and marketing icon, to discuss uniform color and variation for Oklahoma State University Athletics. A person begins to get a feel for how important Nike is in the world of sports when reviewing uniforms and fan apparel for so many major college athletic programs across the country. Fans respond in great numbers to watch their teams perform, and both are often wearing the appropriate color from Nike. Some research indicates athletes are drawn to institutions with the swoosh on their chest.
THE BEST WANT TO WEAR THE BEST. We wanted to promote the color
orange in various ways, and we wanted to give OSU athletes options for game
day. Various players were asked what was important to them in regard to their uniforms. One player’s answer was particularly striking: “We want it to be like when you get to go out on a Friday night. You open your closet and say, ‘What do I get to wear tonight?’ “
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE HEARD PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE VISIBILITY AND UNIQUENESS OF OUR TEAM COLORS? I’ve noticed a great deal of people across the state and region proudly wearing them. So instead of calling the authorities on your uncle or any other fashion-offending party, just remember: EVERYONE LOOKS BETTER IN
ORANGE!
GO POKES.
AS YOU KNOW, OKLAHOMA STATE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE TEAMS IN THE COUNTRY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS IN TERMS OF COLORFUL GEAR. Players and fans alike have loved it. Players have responded on
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the field and the courts, and fans have responded at the cash register. You have purchased a record amount of orange merchandise. And that is good for everyone! The partnership with Nike, coupled with one of the most supportive fan bases in America, has been a recipe for success. ORANGE IS EVERYWHERE. Some teams have gone completely off the cliff in regard to their approach to team uniform design, while others have so stubbornly resisted change that their own players’ outcry for flexibility has fallen on deaf ears.
KYLE WRAY VICE PRESIDENT ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT & MARKETING