Trend Alert: Wearing Your City + State Pride

A few years ago the kids and I were visiting a girlfriend in the Denver area. While on a hike, she casually mentioned how much state pride there was in Colorado. I hadn’t noticed until then just how prevalent Colorado merchandise had become. Most everyone was wearing Colorado gear in some form and I’m not talking about (University of Colorado) buffaloes apparel. The Colorado “C” was popping up everywhere from tees, to hoodies, to hats.

I’ve become a huge fan of the city/state pride clothing trend. Your heart never leaves your hometown. Wearing your city/state apparel is a great way to show your pride in your roots.

Nicole Chandler Photography

I think we are all used to seeing collegiate and professional sports team logos on apparel as a symbol of city/state pride. I’m a University of Michigan alumnus and we have a LOT of Michigan apparel in our house. Growing up in Michigan the block M and S (representing the two biggest state universities) were about as common as Ford and GM cars.

Seeing the Colorado state flag on sweatshirts, tees, and hats, however, was different at first. It doesn’t hurt that the large semi-circular “C” with a golden disk prominent on the flag makes a really cool logo.

Looking around, in the years since my trip to Colorado I’ve noticed that the California state flag is about as popular on clothing apparel if not more. Major retailers like Billabong have incorporated it on their merchandise.

San Luis Obispo-based California Republic Clothes created a brand and an entire clothing line based on the California flag. I’m sure you’ve seen the California Republic motto with the grizzly bear emblem. And if you haven’t, the next time you bump into one of my kids you will — it’s the hoodie du jour in our house coming off a spring break trip to Southern California.

On a smaller scale, Detroit merchandise is growing in popularity. On my Twitter feed not too long ago I saw that Nick Jonas wore a tee shirt with Detroit stenciled across the chest to the Grammy awards.  This sparked quite a bit of resentment that a New Jersey-bred musician would be wearing clothing representing the city at a major event. Haters gonna hate. I personally think its great advertising for a town that is in the midst of resurgence and redefining itself as a 21st Century modern-American city.

Nicole Chandler Photography

I’ve become a huge fan of Detroit merchandise myself. When I was home for Thanksgiving in Michigan this past fall, I noticed Made In Detroit brand clothing at a local store. I had come across the brand a few years ago and meant to look into it further but never got around to it. I didn’t grow up in the city of Detroit and in my twenty-two years growing up in a Detroit suburb I could count on two hands the number of times I went there. But I am really proud of how much progress has been made in Detroit in the wake of the city’s bankruptcy ten years ago. When I returned home I ordered a hoodie for myself and a tee for my husband.

Anna Meyer Photography

You might see me around town wearing my California Love trucker hat (because my love for the state has always run strong), my Made in Detroit hoodie (because my pride in my “hometown” is flourishing), or my most recent purchase, a Virginia is for Lovers trucker hat (but probably not all at once because that would be weird).

My bottom line is that regardless of whether you have ties to the city/state you are boasting, as long as you feel an affinity for the place — go ahead and wear it. Show your city/state pride! And it’s on trend.

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