Pepperdine— it’s a beautiful place. We sit on nature’s throne tucked away in rolling hills peering over the mighty sea. But Pepperdine’s beauty extends far beyond the land. Yes Pepperdine’s exquisiteness is best embodied by… the people.
We may perennially top the Princeton Review’s “Most Beautiful Campus” list but I’d make the case that were there to be a “Sexiest Students” list Pepperdine would be an obvious top choice.
Do you see that picture above this column? Exhibit A. But what I really feel best exhibits Pepperdine’s beauty is our chic fashion sense.
When strolling around most college campuses you’ll likely see a gaggle of hungover hipsters with their plaid shirts that only cost $40. Or you’ll notice a guy with an “Invisible Children” v-neck and a pair of high-tops made in Thailand. But at Pepperdine besides the six out-of-place guys with hipster beards students are genuine and their fashion follows suit.
Girls at Pepperdine are very practical. When the temperature drops and it’s a chilling 57 degrees outside you’ll see a stampede of Ugg boots. Also when it gets that cold some girls even wear pants instead of the usual bare leggings.
Guys tend to think along the same lines. Board shorts are a sensible choice. You’re already planning on going to the beach after class so why wear something you’d have to change out of? Of course we’ve also seen a resurgence of ‘90s grunge fashion or as I like to call it “I have an 8 a.m. class.”
Pepperdine students are even practical in their school spirit. They wear bright orange sweatshirts so that at the game people think “Woohoo! Go waves! Beat the Zags!” And when we are walking the streets at night people say “Oh there is a person there; I’d better drive cautiously.” Plus they can even wear them when deer hunting around campus (in case Dick Cheney is around).
But I suppose the real trailblazer for Pepperdine’s fashion sense is a dear friend fashionista and frequently referenced source in my column— C.J. Terral. You may know Terral from my column on the Pepperdine table tennis team. But not only is C.J. a stellar athlete he has recently entered the light as a fashion icon.
Terral is boldly bringing back jean shorts more colloquially referred to as “jorts.” He struts around campus in his jorts forging a revolution in fashion. The thing about jorts is that they have the same punch as full-length jeans but keep you cool (looking) in the hot sun.
When I sat down for an interview with C.J. he said “I love jean shorts!” And what’s not to like? I have to admit that I didn’t think such a little amount of denim would ever make a comeback but I do declare it is back with a vengeance. In fact recent studies show that since Terral has come to campus sightings of jorts have increased 74 percent and the Goodwill has actually had a shortage because of the high demand (this study was conducted by my imagination).
So don’t be surprised to see a professor stroll into class with a nice blazer and jorts. Maybe even President Andrew K. Benton will pick up the trend. In fact at this rate we may start to see the indie crowd wearing skinny jorts. I recommend the basketball team ditch those “athletic shorts” and try out a pair of sturdy jean shorts.
Pepperdine is a cutting-edge location for the hottest fashion. When you walk around campus you may think otherwise. But give it a few months and you’ll see that jorts are the latest craze.
Many years ago when George Pepperdine stared into the stars dreaming of what his budding institution would one day become I’d like to think he imagined a campus full of stylish students. And I think we’ve made George proud.