Editorial: Harvard’s haughty fashion line

One of the great staples in college fashion is the T-shirt, sweatpants or hoodie emblazoned with… One of the great staples in college fashion is the T-shirt, sweatpants or hoodie emblazoned with a school’s logo. Most colleges seem complacent wearing their school spirit in this fashion — not Harvard.

Ranked No. 1 in the 2010 U.S. News & World Report annual college rankings, the proverbial top-dog university, Harvard, recently announced it’s going to start its own nationally distributed line of clothing named Harvard Yard. But don’t expect the $10 price tags you might find on typical college wear.

Oxford shirts start at $165 while sports coats could cost $495. Come February, check your local department store for the full line of high-end clothing, but please don’t max out your credit card.

It must be noted that the university intends to use the revenue for financial aid — a seemingly noble cause as tuition is $37,012 for the 2009-10 academic year, according to The New York Times. But why did they instigate such a brazen measure by selling an exclusive line of pricey attire? This clothing line touts the school’s preppy typecast that it should, in the wake of the 21st century, be working to overcome. Everyone knows Harvard is a premier university with a very rich history, but an ostentatious act like this screams elitism.