Well, now that I’ve had a chance to ponder this whole corporate t shirt at the gym phenomenon, I have come up with a couple theories.
First a disclaimer: My friend works for MTV, and I sometimes wear a t shirt I get from the swag supply, so I'm as guilty as the next person. But I suspect people at my gym (NYHRC) have more nefarious motives. They're preening their feathers for the opposite sex by wearing their tax return plastered to their chest. They’re basically saying I make X amount at such and such prestigious firm, so get in line to date me! Single file by the water fountain!
Incidentally, isn't it the guys who do this more than the women? Women's gym attire is generally more of the fun or functional variety, mainly lots of stuff from American Apparel and Lululemon; no surprise there, as the guys are still stuck in that "Bring home the bacon, drag the lady to the cave" mentality, while girls just wanna have fun! Come to think of it, I taught in the public school and have never worn my school spirit tees to the gym; guess I wasn't overeager to advertise my pathetically underpaid status! ;) (Though public school pay in New York is much better than reputed, especially when you consider the perks: July and August, baby!)
Or else maybe this whole trend has to do with the recession. People are cutting back on their expenses, and they're committed to wearing that free t shirt till it's got holes under the armpits. News flash: No, it doesn’t qualify as a tank top, those are actual rips! Well, that’s all the speculation I’m going to do for now… what are your theories?
