Is it bad taste to wear college colors if you didn't attend the college?

[George]

Originally Posted by JLibourel

For most of my life I labored under the same delusion that the college colors of Oxford (and Cambridge) colleges had some high heraldic antiquity (in the case of those that were founded in the Middle Ages). However, according to the website of the Varsity Shop (www.varsityshop.co.uk), they are the ones who devised the respective college colors in the 1850s. In other words, they are scarcely older than those of many American state universities!
For Cambridge Ryder & Amies.

 

[Bounder]

Originally Posted by JLibourel

For most of my life I labored under the same delusion that the college colors of Oxford (and Cambridge) colleges had some high heraldic antiquity (in the case of those that were founded in the Middle Ages). However, according to the website of the Varsity Shop (www.varsityshop.co.uk), they are the ones who devised the respective college colors in the 1850s. In other words, they are scarcely older than those of many American state universities!
Well. You learn something new every day, I suppose. I guess it was the 19th century that had a different color asthetic than does the modern world!

 

[LA Guy]

Originally Posted by JLibourel

For most of my life I labored under the same delusion that the college colors of Oxford (and Cambridge) colleges had some high heraldic antiquity (in the case of those that were founded in the Middle Ages). However, according to the website of the Varsity Shop (www.varsityshop.co.uk), they are the ones who devised the respective college colors in the 1850s. In other words, they are scarcely older than those of many American state universities!

I labored under that impression until about 5 minutes ago.

 

[tweedydon]

Originally Posted by Manton

You can wear a blue and gold scarf all you want and I bet not a single Cal grad anywhere will even make the connection.

I would!

 

[tweedydon]

Originally Posted by Morgan

From a short story by P.G. Wodehouse:


Thank you!

 

[porschemad911]

Originally Posted by lasbar

I personally find all tee-shirts with massive logo like CIA,DEAor FBI and university tee-shirts quite ugly to start with...

If you did attend that particular university or work in that particular organisation ,i can't see a problem , otherwise you open yourself to ridicule...

Why do you want to wear a Yale or Harvard tee-shirt if you didn't attend them...

I derfinitely didn't go to UCLA, but I wear my UCLA t shirt in honour of Reggie Miller. But yeah, if it wasn't for that, I can see no reason why I would.

 

[RSS]

I wear only one item associated with a school I didn't attend. I justify it because I was on the architectural design team of the school's main building. Each year I make a contribution ... and in return they send me a sweatshirt.

P I N G R Y ​

 

[KeatonCollar]

Nothing wrong with wearing the colors, just dont act like you attended.

 

[lasbar]

Originally Posted by RSS

I wear only one item associated with a school I didn't attend. I justify it because I was on the architectural design team of the school's main building. Each year I make a contribution ... and in return they send me a sweatshirt.

P I N G R Y ​

It is different ...You're linked to that specific university and you 're entitled to wear their colours especially if you do charity work for them.

 

[Jarandas]

it´s just sad.

 

[patrickBOOTH]

My school's colors are the same a Harvard. I wonder how they pulled that off.

 

[Ich_Dien]

To those who think people don't challenge you when you wear certain colours - I have been challenged on many occasions. Fortunately, I am solidly in the 'don't wear it if you're not entitled' camp. If I knew someone was wearing a tie or scarf for a university he didn't attend and fully aware of what he was doing, I'd think he was a prat. In fact, my friend does do this, and I tell him he's a prat.

 

[jdldore]

Do these organizations or institutions have some intellectual property right to the arrangment of their colors? I'm not an IP-er, but would be surprised if they did.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I had several people approach me and ask if I attended the school associated with the tie I wore when I lived in the UK, so I wouldn`t dare to do it if i hadn`t.

 

[Trompe le Monde]

Originally Posted by jdldore

Do these organizations or institutions have some intellectual property right to the arrangment of their colors? I'm not an IP-er, but would be surprised if they did.

example:

http://www.logos.umich.edu/usemarks.html
http://www.utexas.edu/visualguidelines/vg_graphics.html

The University of Texas at Austin's name, wordmark, logos and seal are property of the State of Texas

although they have specific color guidelines (in RGH/PMS/CMYK), doesnt seem like they can be protected