Joe McFetridge

Even with the storm clouds of news and reporters in Happy Valley, the sun is out and it’s perfect fall weather. I am excited to report that this beautiful weather has meant the decline in North Face jackets I have been seeing around campus! Regardless of the fact that they don’t look good on anyone, it’s almost too hot for them. But this warm weather does not excuse the shredded denim mini-skirt and belly shirt outfit I saw yesterday. It’s not so hot that you can be delirious enough to dress like it’s 1998. I really wish I had taken a picture of it!

This week the Natty Nittany searched high and low trying to find some awesome hats on campus, but sadly only one was found that was up to par. What gives?

With winter just around the corner at Penn State, we get to enjoy the wonderful three short weeks between shorts and sandals season and the advent of floor-length North Face parkas and Ugg boots, also known as autumn. Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year for fashion. You can’t just throw on some skimpy little thing and run around like the people who use their tan as clothing, and you can’t hide those pajama jeans you’re wearing under your full body snowsuit to survive the cold. For fall, you have to put it all out there with your best layers on top.

Thank goodness the weather is getting a little nicer around Happy Vally, because the bleak fashion landscape over the last few months has been killing me. Even though spring has not quite sprung, it's great to see people walking about in clothes that don't make them look like giant blobs of down feathers with lamb skin stumps poking out of the bottom. My despair is most likely attributed to re-watching all six season of Sex in the City; maybe Miss Carrie Bradshaw has been setting my standards too high. But I needed something to cheer up my winter blues.

In honor of State Patty's day, I thought I would hit the streets to see the fashion do's and don'ts that are running rampant around state college. As I predicted, everyone looks like a hot mess. But I think that's part of the charm of State Patty's day. You can walk around looking like Ke$ha, doing things that are usually covered by the dark of night or just by an RV at tailgating, and it's OK to look like a cross between Snooki and a leprechaun (or are they the same thing?).

Fashion is an essential part of THON culture, and this weekend I want to highlight some outfits I found particularly interesting. In the midst of all these crazy colors, a couple people still managed to shine. The bright colors maintain a cheerful atmosphere, while tube socks increase circulation. At THON, fashion isn’t just aesthetically pleasing. It’s functional too. Erin and Jeremy ended up wearing essentially the same outfit, and somehow it works for both of them. See for yourself!

I know it's cold, but finding a Natty Nittany is becoming harder than it initially seemed. But thank you to the one person I found walking around in something other then a floor length North Face jacket that looks like something your grandmother owned. Maybe that's a topic for Friday. Lindsay did a great job of dealing with the cold and looking great at the same time. Check out what I think makes it an outfit worthy of the Natty Nittany after the jump.

Mixing black and brown is an ambitious decision. Mixing these two colors can work, but it's risky. The trick is to combine black and brown only when an article of clothing compels you to do so. Check out this week's Natty Nittany does it.

This week I wanted to focus on the “Penn State Uniform,” which I have been told is called “the SNUGG” (because it consists of Spandex, a Northface fleece, and UGGs). But to critique it, I needed to get images of SNUGG wearers in their natural habitat. Even though there were an astronomical amount of girls wearing that combination of SNUGGS–trust me–all the girls wearing this outfit campus refused to let me take their picture. After walking around for 2 hours and stopping at least 20 girls I came to the conclusion that they were all extremely embarrassed that they are wearing this outfit. If that’s the case, why wear it?

I even offered to cover their faces, and they still refused. If you’re going to wear the SNUGG, OWN IT! Don’t be ashamed that you’re buying into this trend, be proud of it. I learned a long time ago that if you’re going to wear something, even if it’s thoughtless and unoriginal, like the SNUGG is, wear it with confidence.

I’ve had several people over the last few weeks ask me why this segment is call the “Natty Nittany?” And no, it has nothing to do with Natty Light. Natty is actually defined as “neatly or trimly smart in dress or appearance.” So that's what I'm looking for in the people I track down on the street. Which brings us to this weeks Natty Nattany! Check it out after the jump.

We all have those days. You woke up late for class, couldn’t find your favorite jeans and blouse, and the only thing you can do to your hair is yank a brush through it as you run out the door. Then you get to class and you look like you got dressed in the dark.

There are some people who simply look like they get dressed in the dark everyday though, and they need a little help in the what not to wear department.

Every Friday I’ll be critiquing the don’t on the streets on State College and hopefully helping people get a better understanding on what’s fun to wear and what just look frightening.

Let’s hear it for the boys! This week I couldn’t decide between these dapper dudes, so I decided to show both. It’s not always easy to find well-dressed men on campus, but when you do they really catch your eye.

First we have Justin sporting a fusion of hipster and hip-hop in his red/white sneakers and his awesome khaki blazer, that made me want to run to Express and see if they have any on sale. I love the color combo he’s working with and it really makes him stand out in a crowd. The black bead necklace is a little 2008 Enrique Iglesias, but overall he’s look’n quite natty today.

Check out another Natty Nittany photo after the jump.

After a short hiatus, the Natty Nittany is back and looking for some well dressed Penn Staters!

This week, amongst a sea of plain UGGs and boring North Face jackets, it is nice to see someone bring a little color into this cold State College weather. I spotted Wan on her way up Shortlidge and immediately noticed her adorable handbag and earmuffs. If you want to keep your head warm and look cute at the same time, hoodies are NOT the way to go. A nice pair of earmuffs are what you should be looking for and these gray fluffy ones to the trick. I could do without the pattern in the scarf, but the bag really makes this outfit. In general, I love this outfit and I hope you will too.

I hope to see you look’n good around campus. Stay pretty!