Trends in Apparel and Accessories at College Stores

Shoppers are returning to the Midshipmen Store at the US Naval Academy in Annapolis. And Chuck Morrow, deputy director for retail merchandise, is pleased to see a steady uptick in sales.

“There’s a lot of pent-up demand, especially from parents and alumni,” said Morrow, noting that while students were back on campus last year, pandemic restrictions and periodic closures dampened sales at the 36,000-square-foot store. “People are grabbing anything they can.”

Foot traffic and sales are rebounding at college bookstores around the country. Many, like the Midshipmen Store, report that apparel revenue has yet to return to 2019 levels. But the return of events like homecoming weekend, football games and alumni reunions has translated into huge demand for name-dropped apparel and accessories that show school pride.

This year’s big challenge, according to college retailers, is a chronic lack of inventory due to the notorious supply chain problems. “We’ll order 144 pieces of clothing and we’ll get 12,” complained Morrow. “Will

On a campus that is 70 percent male, Morrow has also seen the pendulum swing back from feminine and masculine styles to boxy, unisex shirts. “The hoodie in my opinion still outsells the crew neck,” Morrow observed. “People here like basics — nothing too cutting edge.”

At the State University of New York and Potsdam, students are back to in-person classes but keep buying loungewear. “Sales in that category were trending down before COVID, then they shot up during remote learning, just went through the roof. Even now, we’re still seeing strong sales,” noted Store Director Lyndon Lake .

“Sales in that category were trending down before COVID, then they shot up during remote learning, just went through the roof. Even now, we’re still seeing strong sales.” we get more of them? Probably not. But we’ll put out those 12 anyhow.”

- Lyndon Lake, the State University of New York and Potsdam, regarding the sale of loungewear.

Morrow has come up with tricks to make his store look fully stocked, even when it’s not. He spaces his four-way fixtures a little farther apart than before, and arranges items artfully on shelves. Still, it’s hard to tell patrons that a favorite item has sold out and may never return.

Best-sellers include classic sweatshirts, as well as headwear and winter accessories as the weather cools.

Apparel and gift sales are up from last year, though still lagging 2019 revenue. One of the biggest 2021 hits was Squishmallows, a popular plush line from Kellytoy; the Potsdam store had sold nearly 800 by November. “We keep the Squishmallows up front, so when people walk in, they see them,” explained Operations Manager and Gift Buyer Kelly Lobdell . Pillow-like and comforting, the plush toys perfectly suit our pandemic mood, Lobdell added. Jewelry has also been an accessory standout, especially the Cool Jewels line, which Lobdell ordered after seeing an advertisement in SGN.

Lake and Lobdell have been strategic about displays that conceal sparse spots due to lack of inventory. Pandemic or not, Lake also swears by a time-honored merchandising trick: rotating items from the back to the front of the store. “It’s amazing how people will say, Oh, look at this new item,” the store director noted. “It’s been there all along, and they didn’t see it because they never went that far back.”

Many people find it novel just to browse in person. Sales are growing after last year’s slump at the 13 Duck Stores, each about 30,000 square feet, at the University of Oregon in Eugene. Generation Z shoppers “can’t believe how convenient it is to get something right away — faster than the fastest shipping,” said Chief Merchandising Officer Brian Wright . “Brick and mortar is here to stay.”

After nearly two years online, young patrons approach the Duck Store as an exotic experience. “They’ll come in with their friends, take pictures and put them on Instagram,” Wright noted. “So you’ve got to have your store Instagram ready — and don’t be worried about them taking pictures.” Pandemic inventory shortages have, paradoxically, streamlined the shopping experience. “Everything is just displayed more openly because there’s half as much stuff, so it’s all very easy to see. And there’s less discounting, so it’s easier to shop.”

That said, the right merchandise mix is crucial to

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Trends in Apparel (From page 67) convince this demographic to buy actual stuff. “They download games, they share rides, they use Apple Pay — their whole life is digital,” Wright marveled. But they can’t get dressed digitally, so college sweatshirts are still a hit with young shoppers.

Ironically, old school items resonate with these children of the digital age. A top seller is old school, scrunch-bottom sweatpants last popular during the Clinton administration. On the accessory side, Duck Store shoppers go for puzzles and board games, blackand-white composition books, paper calendars and decorative journals. “There’s something about oldfashioned things, especially with the ‘90s back in style, observed Wright. “They’ve heard those things are unique and cool.”

What Are Your Logo Merchandise Best-Sellers?

Hooded fleece sweatshirts are today’s name-dropped best-sellers, narrowly beating out the traditional crew neck style at many college bookstores.

The hooded style is a winner at the U.S. Naval Academy’s Midshipmen Store in Annapolis. It’s also the favorite style for shoppers at the Union College Bookstore in Schenectady, where people go for the school color, garnet.

Hoodies are practical as well as stylish, which is why they’re top sellers at the SUNY Potsdam Bookstore in upstate New York.

“It’s pretty cold up here,” said Kelly Lobdell, operations manager and gift buyer. Lately, sweatpants in the school colors as well as black have also been popular.

At the Titan Shops at California State University, Fullerton, crewneck sweatshirts have edged out hoodies as the top-selling item. Store Director Kim Ball said the most popular style features the school’s colors — navy, white and orange — and its name in Tackle 12 block letters. “We literally just got those in from Champion last month, and we couldn’t keep up with demand,” Ball noted.

Any name-dropped apparel sells well at the Duck Store, the retail outlet at the University of Oregon in Eugene. “At a sporting event or just on campus, students want to wear and show their pride,” said Brian Wright, chief merchandising officer. “It’s just been so long since they’ve been able to do that — and so long since they’ve been in a physical store. Everything’s starting over again.” ❖