Why You Should Rethink Shopping at Urban Outfitters
When asked where most college fashionistas purchase their clothes, Urban Outfitters is among one of the most popular responses — it's the ultimate haven for try-hard hipsters to bask in the glory of what they think is “edgy” and “trendy.” It’s a fifteen-minute free bus ride from campus, which is very accessible for college students who are on a budget despite how none of their shit is priced for a college student’s budget — Urban Renewal should so not be a thing, just saying. Charging $80 for a pair of vintage Levi’s jeans found at the thrift store for $10 is pretty fucked up in my opinion. But that’s not even the only thing fucked up about Urban Outfitters — for those of you who absolutely cannot live without UO, stop reading now because I’m about to completely crush your perception of the brand.... Still here? Don’t say I didn’t warn you. 1. The Kent State sweatshirt
The most recent controversy Urban’s involved with is this faux blood stained sweatshirt that took it way too far yet again. This sweatshirt is a blatantly ignorant reference to the 1970 shooting at Kent State University, in which four students were brutally murdered for protesting against the Vietnam War. Kent State posted on their website that obtaining profit by exploiting this incident is “beyond poor taste and trivializes a loss of life that still hurts the Kent State community today." Though UO has publicly apologized on Twitter and the item is listed as “sold out” on their website, the damage it has already imposed on the public is irrevocable. Seriously, whoever bought this sweatshirt is one twisted sister.
2. Being openly anti-gay
Seriously, Urbs? You do realize that the majority of men who shop at your stores are not heterosexual, right? Like, how stupid of you to burn that bridge, because you are about to lose a lot of money from this. The founder of UO, Richard Hayne, donated money in support of Rick Santorum’s campaign — Santorum was a candidate for the 2012 Republican Party presidential elections, in which he explicitly broadcasted his opposition against gay rights and gay marriage. The fact that Hayne openly supported someone promoting that is extremely contradictory, since UO stores carrying T-shirts that claim “I Support Same-Sex Marriage.” It is clear that UO’s intentions as a company are simply profit-oriented...SMH.
3. Ignorant remarks printed on clothing
When UO came out with a collection of tees that derogatively mocked Irish drunkenness, many Irish organizations spoke out against the company and boycotted the brand. These T-shirts are extremely offensive in that they generalize and stereotype Irish people as a whole. For some actually funny logo tees, click here.
There’s a difference between making a fashion statement with your clothes and using what you wear to express internal hatred towards something or someone to stir up controversy. Urbs needs to get their shit together if they want to progress further as a brand, because their actions have infuriated a wide range of demographics.
I’m not saying you should completely stop shopping there if you truly do like it, but definitely try to keep all of this in mind...and no, you won’t be any less trendy or hipster if you shop somewhere besides Urban – shocker, I know. Rant officially over.