How to “Fit in” in Bellingham, Wa.
May 27, 2008People in Bellingham dress alike. It’s really strange actually. Having grown up in this area for the longest time, I’ve seen clothing trends come and go. One of my favorites was about 10 years ago when everybody wore a Western Washington University sweatshirt (WWU), jeans, birkenstocks, and a nalgene bottle in tow.
These days, the trend has slowly evolved. We have added trendy eye wear to the mix (think rob bell type of glasses that sometimes I suspect aren’t always perscription), changed the sweatshirt to a Boundary Bay Brewing “Save the Ales” hoody, changed the birkenstocks to flip flops, made the jeans a low rise baggy pair that shows off your butt crack, and kept the nalgene. *BAM* You can fit in in Bellingham. You can also fit in if you wear anything from REI or if you are “older” and wear outerwear from the “life is good” wear line.
Do I fit in here in Bellingham? Kind of. First, I do wear flip flops – I call them slippers – but I’ve worn them since I was a little guy, so I have a limited shelf life here. Second, all anybody can buy these days are low rise jeans that show off our coin slots. Third, Nalgene? Check! The only thing that I refuse to do is wear a Save the Ales Sweatshirt. I love Boundary Bay’s Beer (emphasis on love), but I will not conform to you Bellingham.
My question is this: is there a “uniform” in the area you live in, or does this only happen in Bellingham?
That is a pretty dang accurate bellingham in spring attire. some notes: plastic nalgenes are being replaced by aluminum or someother type of metal waterbottles reminiscent of my MSR fuel bottle for my backpacking stove, and a fleece or softshell jacket it a must for all seasons, flannel or plaid print shirts are back in a big way, and all the really cool kids wear thrift shop clothes. I (heart) Gore-tex.
Dude, it’s the same everywhere. Portlanders all try to look alike too. Everyone (well, 70%) wants to fit in, to be cool.
Sigh.
Greg, thanks for chiming in! What is the uniform for Portland?
Tim, Softshell for sure!
Bellingham sounds similar to Lawrence, Kansas. However, everyone here is wearing NCAA National Champions t-shirts, low-rise cargos (baggy for the boys, tight for the girls) and definitely more birks than flip flops – we are the hippie capital of Kansas, afterall. Rock Chalk Jayhawk!
Dude, your dead on! So are you saying that the Boundary Bay Sweatshirt replaced the WWU Sweatshirt! Nothing is new in Bellingham because when it is introduced it becomes used after 5 minutes.