Sentimentality has run much of the forces that have monopolized fashion and retail over the past few years.
College-licensed clothing, the core of which is in nostalgia, has made its way onto runways and into the closets of modern tastemakers along with everything wistful.
It’s common to include college gear in one’s wardrobe. College apparel never goes out of style, whether you’re studying at home, returning to campus, or you’re an alumnus who just wants to show some school spirit.
Thankfully, there are other places where you can shop for cute college apparel besides the on-campus shops.
We’ll be reviewing some of the best college apparel websites for finding the cutest college apparel.
Why is College Apparel Popular?
It’s no secret that reminiscence has been a major influence on most fashion trends. Clearly, the novelty trend is now influencing college apparel trends. The last several seasons have seen the fashion media trying to figure out what the long-lasting trend is due to and why designers are so focused on spreading it.
But what exactly about the college experience makes people so nostalgic? Maybe it is our obsession with youth culture, where we prize the glitzy, utopian whimsy of our younger selves. The student community has an enormous demand for college apparel since they serve as nostalgic educational souvenirs.
College apparel serves as a memento of your educational experience and is a sign of affiliation because it represents the institution where you studied. Well, if you need proof, just look at all the films and television shows about college life. Or perhaps it’s a desperate want to return to a four-year time when life was still free of the obligations that follow graduation.
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Is the Cost of College Apparel worth it?
It’s common for students to purchase college memorabilia to represent their campus, but as prices rise, is it still worthwhile? Students wonder whether they should purchase college apparel given the high prices. College apparel’s exorbitant prices may be alienating students from lower socioeconomic status who cannot afford to buy this apparel while favoring those who can.
These costs signify the expansion of the college marketing sector nationally, despite being expensive in addition to the already prohibitive cost of tuition. The Street, a financial news website, reports that in 2013, “college-license merchandise” was reportedly purchased nationwide for $4.62 billion.
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15 Best College Apparel Websites
With several websites to get your college apparel, you might be having a tough time deciding where to buy from. Below are some of the best college apparel websites.
#1. Amazon
Amazon is one of the best places to buy college apparel. It has evolved into a one-stop shop for purchasing almost anything, from college supplies to apparel. Thanks to the wide range of vendors who use Amazon, you can probably find some apparel or merchandise for just about any team.
Customers may easily find high-quality, reasonably priced merchandise for dozens of the most well-known teams by using Amazon’s NCAA Fan Shop. They also have a wide selection of gear for HBCU sports teams. You’ll find a fantastic collection of college apparel, such as the Hampton University long sleeve t-shirt and the FAMU Rattlers pullover hoodie.
#2. eBay
eBay is one of the best places to buy college apparel. You’ll find that they have some of the best vintage college apparel, plus, they are all affordable. Even though contemporary graphics and logos are fantastic, vintage clothing has its merits.
When you wear vintage college apparel, you not only take part in the history of your favorite university but also in the lifelong fandom of someone else.
Plus, even if it’s not always in immaculate condition, the proper vintage item is much more unique than a generic college hoodie. eBay is one of the best college apparel websites.
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#3. Fanatics
Fanatics ranks as the best retailer overall for college gear among all the top options. It offers a huge variety of official gear and memorabilia for hundreds of college teams. Several other significant college gear shops only sell their products through Fanatics. Fanatics sells branded versions of just about everything, but it also provides excellent coverage of schools.
Fanatics has a wide range of gear, including jerseys, sweatshirts, and even shoes, to show your support for your college teams. When browsing the internet, you’re guaranteed to uncover some of the top college apparel. Fanatics is one of the best college apparel websites.
#4. Dick’s Sporting Goods
Dick’s Sporting Goods is one of the best college apparel websites. It gives you a ton of choices, but since Dick’s only offers a few college clothes in the first place, you won’t need to trawl through hundreds of other random merchants to find high-quality stuff. The website offers an amazing range of clothing from close to 300 institutions.
#5. 47’ Brand
Privately owned American apparel company 47. maintains licenses to produce headwear, clothing, and accessories for the National Rugby League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League, National Football League, Big Bash League, Minor League Baseball, and Major League Lacrosse, as well as for over 900 colleges in the United States.
The company offers some of the best designs with a retro feel. Each of 47 Brands’ shirts, hats, and other apparel aims to capture more than just the school’s emblem, even though its selection isn’t as extensive as that of some other merchants.
47 attempts to capture the hues and patterns from the past and present that most perfectly exemplify your school’s ethos. 47 is one of the best college apparel websites.
#6. HillFlints
For colleges across the nation, HillFlint produces heirloom-caliber, high-quality collegiate clothing. Let’s face it: Anything you purchase from a sizable internet retailer is unlikely to be stylish or one-of-a-kind.
Hillflint only sells the greatest college gear available. It is one of the best college apparel websites.
HillFlint focuses on ensuring college students have better college apparel options rather than sticking with the generic attire that everyone else wears. This college wear company creates “heirloom quality college gear” with stylish, retro-inspired designs for over 100 schools. HillFlint is one of the best places to buy college apparel.
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#7. Campus Colors
Campus Colors has established a solid reputation as a reliable supplier of genuine college apparel and accessories at fair and affordable prices. The website is quite easy to use and features information on many institutions.
Importantly, it features colleges with some of the greatest athletic programs in the nation and even spotlights the handful that isn’t precisely sports powerhouses, for which it might be more challenging to locate cool items on websites specializing in sports apparel.
Campus Colors focuses on offering classic images and layouts that produce an appearance to highlight your team’s enthusiasm for many years to come. They add value to their items so that you can shop, knowing that you are getting a good deal on a good product. Campus Colors is one of the best places to buy college apparel.
#8. Princess Polly
Princess Polly is one of the best places to buy college apparel, especially the hottest hoodies. With amazing features like Fast Shipping & Easy Returns, Buy now, pay later, and size selection, it’s easy to see why they are one of the best college apparel websites. Princess Polly’s vintage-inspired collegiate capsule collection is the sweetest thing ever.
They have college apparel from many universities, such as Harvard, Michigan, Michigan State, Berkeley, UCLA, UNC, Georgetown, and more.
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#9. Etsy
Etsy is a global marketplace for one-of-a-kind and original products. It is the best place for a vast array of unique, amazing objects, including old treasures and handcrafted originals.
The platform is one of the best college apparel websites. It offers the best in distinctive or personalized, handmade college wear options from a variety of platform shops.
#10. American Eagle
Besides collegiate teams, American Eagle carries tailgating attire for the NFL, NBA, and MLB. It is one of the best college apparel websites. You can find distinctive college clothing that is both high quality and reasonably priced.
American Eagle is one of the many websites that sell college clothes, and it carries items for schools like Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Howard, Georgia, Notre Dame, Purdue, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan, South Carolina, and more.
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#11. Tillys
Tilly’s offers an array of branded clothes, accessories, shoes, and other items. The American retail clothing firm is one of the best places to buy college apparel. It is a market leader in the sale of collegiate clothes.
With its 100% cotton cropped designs, it’s easy to see why Tilly is one of the best college apparels website. You may buy several college clothes, including t-shirts, that represent TCU, USC, Tulane, Northwestern, Yale, and other institutions.
Tillys offers the greatest selection of college graphic tees and state t-shirts for you to pick from, whether you’re about to enter college or are currently at your preferred university.
#12. Kohl’s
Kohl’s is an American department store retail chain. Compared to other college gear retailers, it has one of the best bargains on college apparel. It is without a doubt one of the best places to buy college apparel.
At Kohl’s, you can get fantastic discounts on NCAA apparel. The business sells a variety of college merchandise. You’ll find collegiate apparel from Ohio State, Iowa, UNC, Michigan, James Madison, and UCLA on Kohl’s product page.
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#13. Walmart
Walmart’s solid reputation makes purchasing college apparel—or any apparel—from them a wonderful choice. It is well-known for being a significant participant in the clothing and accessory industries not only in terms of college clothes. Walmart is one of the best places to buy college apparel. And you know you’re purchasing from a trustworthy international marketplace.
You’ll find many collegiate clothing companies, including Colosseum, Adidas, Russell, and others at Walmart. Your preferred college gear will be available in the patterns and colors you like.
#14. Chicka-d
The core of Chicka-d’s creative approach is the fusion of fashion and practicality. One of the best places to buy college apparel is the business, which was founded in 2009 in response to the dearth of stylish alternatives for women’s game day attire.
It is presently available in over 600 outlets around the country and has over 200 college licenses. To show off your school passion, there are cardigans, tie-dye sweatshirts, t-shirts, hoodies, tanks, and even skirts. Chicka-d is one of the best college apparel websites.
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#15. Macy’s
Macy’s is one of the most trusted websites for college apparel. The website offers a wide variety of college apparel.
There is a wide selection of college wear available, with different styles for teams like the Texas A&M Aggies and the Michigan Wolverines. Macy’s is one of the best college apparel websites.
Frequently asked questions
The University of Texas has the highest college apparel sales.
Fanatics is the best college apparel website.
College apparels are popular because they help students remember their alma mater, like memorabilia.
The cost of college apparel depends on the school merch you’re buying.
Their college apparel serves as a memento of their study abroad experience.
Conclusions
You may browse for the ideal item from a variety of websites because the NCAA collaborates with numerous licensees to market its official merchandise. We’ve compiled a list of some of the top retailers selling college gear so that you may enjoy the college basketball season.
At any of the websites in this article, you may discover your favorite method to display your college pride, whether you’re searching for apparel, accessories, or even an Apple Watch band.
References
- fashionista.com – WHY COLLEGIATE MERCH IS ‘FASHION’ NOW
- glossy.co – College fans are very loyal’: Why fashion brands are launching collegiate apparel
- spy.com – The Best Places to Buy College Apparel Make Showing College Pride Too Easy
- eonline.com – The Best Stores to Buy Cute College Apparel
- universityapparel.org – Why University Apparel Is So Popular