Class Issues Pop Up in Local Schools...

Rutland, VT—High school fashion has long been associated with eclectic trends and diverse tastes. On any given day, the halls are teeming with numerous expressions of personal style. Yet beneath this seemingly banal Benetton ad of individual expression, lays a much darker truth. In a community as diverse and tolerant as Rutland’s, where Irish-Catholics, Italian-Catholics, and even Protestant-Catholics live happily side by side, the ugly face of classism can be found in the resurgence of the popped collar.

Both Rutland High School and Mount St. Joseph Academy have fast become  “collar up” campuses—the latest in a long line of predominately white, upper-middleclass, Northeastern academic institutions to adopt this ostentatious trend. “Popping” one’s collar is the practice of turning up the collar of one’s golf shirt. Since its inception on Martha's Vineyard sometime in the early-twentieth century, the popped collar has long been regarded as an outward expression of the traditional WASP lifestyle of golf, yachts, and using summer as a verb.

However, in recent years, the trend has gained attention beyond its blue blood origins. “It’s really quite fascinating,” states Alexis Voutas, 16, president of the RHS Style Club. “Rich people, poor people, even the black kid, they’re all rocking the popped collar. It’s like it’s not even a question anymore.”

Yet, “rocking the popped collar” is much more complicated that a simple flick of the wrist. “It’s all about brands,” Voutas explains. “I mean you have to have a good label—Lacoste, Polo, Burberry—any of those are good. Colors are important too. Something bright is always smart.” Voutas also admits that popped collars are not for everyone. “Let’s face it, some people just can’t pull it off. I mean you have to rock it. And that’s not easy.” Despite her insistence on designer labels, Voutas is reticent to admit the socioeconomic implications of the collar up culture.

Nonetheless, Brendan Murray, 17,  president of the MSJ Young Republicans is less restrained. “Collar down is for poor people,” Murray states unabashedly as he adjusts the collar on his own light pink Lacoste polo and fingers the small alligator on the left side of his chest. “You don’t just pop your collar. You have to pay for it.” Murray declined to comment when asked whether he or his parents paid for his Lacoste shirt.

The RHS Adminstration has not overlooked the popped collar trend. “It’s been a growing concern for us over the last few years,” said Assistant Principal Matt Kenderson in a phone interview Wednesday. “Other than raising awareness there’s little we can do. It is an ugly side-effect of our status-obsessed culture. They see kids on shows like The Hills, and think, ‘hey, I can pop my collar, too.’ But it’s not that simple. These kids don’t see the reality of popping your collar. But I see it everyday—seemingly good kids who turn up their collars and become giant douche bags, pardon my language.”

Mount St. Joseph senior, Jeremy Richmond echoes Kenderson's disdain. “Collar up, collar down, who cares? It shouldn’t make a difference” Despite his dismissal of  the trend, Richmond, 17, has himself been chafed by the popped collar. “It hurts. When all your friends are ridiculing you, sometimes it’s just easier to pop your collar, too. They called me poor. And I’m not. What else could I do?”

Recently, efforts have been made to ensure that other students won’t have to endure Richmond's terrible ordeal. Last week, at the MSJ School Board approved the formation of the Academy Collar Awareness Alliance (ACAA), a student-run organization which hopes to inform students of the dangers of popping their collars. “It’s not much, but it’s a start,” remarks Chip Stevens, guidance counselor and administrative advisor to the ACAA. “One day, it’s our hope that students will be judged by the content of their character and not by the collar of their shirt.”