Last year for Christmas I had one thing on my wish list: a leather Saddleback messenger bag; color, coffee brown. I was obsessed. I waited until Christmas day to open the gift, of course, and couldn’t stop raving about the bag until at least a week into school. I talked about its durability, the 100-year warrantee, history of the company, and of course, name dropped it like crazy. I had fulfilled my duty as a “designer snob.”

My life is at times consumed with Brooks Brothers, Cole Haan, Lacoste and Polo.

I shop online way too much, love Northpark more than most men should, and regularly stop by Highland Park Village to see what Ralph Lauren just put on the racks.

I am deeply and seriously in the middle of the SMU clothing war.

I get many compliments on my dress, and try to give just as many, if not more, in return. I ask people where they shop, buy, search and answer those questions for frequent inquirers. Most assume they know where I like to shop: J. Crew, 7 For All Mankind and Neiman’s shoe section. However, I feel like it’s time for me to confess.

I rarely buy from any of those places and I rarely pay outlandish prices for my clothing.

My favorite shirt that everyone always compliments me on was $3 from Old Navy.

My belts come from thrift stores or eBay. My watch is vintage, my shoes were on sale, and my polos were my mother’s in the 80s.

I look fly (most of the time), and rarely have anything on worth mentioning. Am I ashamed? Not at all.

In fact, I take pride in knowing that my style is timeless while high fashion seems to change every day.

We get so consumed here with patterns, labels, flashy designers and price.

The newest Louis makes its debut on campus just days after its release, and high fashion trends are no stranger to SMU’s students.

I’m not saying this is a bad thing at all. Fashion is an art that can be appreciated by all, even if you don’t sport the high-end designers. But all of us get a little caught up in what we’re wearing now and then, and wouldn’t it be nice to break away some days?

I remember thinking that when I got to college my days of dressing well for school were gone. I was going to wear gym shorts, a T-shirt, flip-flops and hats. Dressing up would be for weekends and events, not English and communications class.

Why do we feel such a need to strut around campus like it’s a runway? Is it something our parents taught us? Did we all do this in high school? Maybe we just feel more comfortable when we’re dressed up for the day.

If anything, I try to just keep myself in check with what I’m wearing and not get consumed in what my shirt tag says.

Maybe I’ll wear a comfortable pair of sweats and hoodie to class one day, and not one from Polo or Calvin Klein. I’m talking Target.

Anyone who knows me can see that I am the last person to walk around looking un-put-together, but maybe it’s time to “let my hair down.” Or better yet, maybe it’s time for all of us to take a day to put our hair up, and contain it in a hat.

Michael Graves is a first year religious studies and communications studies double major. He can be reached for comments or questions at [email protected].