If there is one thing you learn while living in Pittsburgh, it’s this: we love and obsess over our sports teams. There’s no doubt that Pennsylvania’s finest city is always ready to represent the black and yellow. But what about us Pitt fans? Turns out, we’re no different.
The one tradition every student knows about, sports fan or not, is the loud and proud Oakland Zoo. Known around the nation as one of the best student sections, the Zoo is always ready to represent the men’s basketball team as the supporting sixth man. From the crazy chants to the deafening cheers, Pitt basketball fans are like no other, making The Petersen Event Center (better known as ‘The Pete’) one of the hardest places for opponents to play college basketball in the U.S.
But amidst all the passion and pride Panther fans have, there’s one thing missing…a stylish outfit. With its attendants decked out in a not-so-gold, not-so-yellow, men’s cut t-shirt, the Zoo literally becomes a sea of tan. Yes, it is a zoo, so there are animals represented; there’s the guy sporting the guerilla suit and the awkward kid with the horse mask. But where does that leave us ladies?! There’s no way we’re covering up our pretty faces with a monkey mask. But how can we stand out, while still supporting our favorite boys on the court?
When you have to wear a uniform of any sort, in this case the Oakland Zoo tee, you may think you have little room to stand out from the crowd (trust me; you don’t want to be the girl wearing Pitt navy blue in the middle of the Zoo. You will be noticed, but for the wrong reasons). So ditch any ideas that you have about becoming just another tan jumping bean, and learn how to be the cutest girl in the Zoo:
1. Big hair, don’t care. Showing up with some stylish waves is key to standing out. Straight hair can be boring, so show off your mane. Tease your hair with a brush and some spray, and voilà! You are looking fierce. You’ll fit the perfect look for The Zoo because you’ll bring out your inner animalistic nature with that wild woman hair. And besides, your locks are going to get messed up anyway when there’s 6 seconds left on the clock in a 2-point game. You’ll be jumping up so high you definitely won’t have time to be keeping those fly-aways down.
Another awesome reason big hair works is, well let’s face it, you went out dancing with your girls the night before, and did not get a chance to hop in the shower before arriving at The Pete super early to get those kick-ass seats up close and personal to your favorite point guard. So rock the partied-too-hard-woke-up-too-late look and remember when it comes to hair, GO BIG OR GO HOME.
2. Rock the Fitted! Okay, so maybe you woke up really late for the game and there’s no way that you can go out with last night’s hair – here’s a solution: rock the fitted. Yes, that’s right ladies, the snapback doesn’t just look cute on the b-ball players you see around campus. Tilt the hat back and a little to the side and you will no longer be lost in the crowd (and yeah, it’s way cuter than the gorilla suit). No one will be able to tell that you rolled in at 5 AM (who needs beauty sleep when you’re gorgeous anyway?).
Don’t have a fitted? Baseball caps are just as cute. If you’ve ever gone to a sporting event, girls in caps look not only sweet and innocent, but there’s also something sassy about a girl rocking an item traditionally worn on guys.
3. Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize. Whenever you’re forced to wear a specific piece of clothing (especially something as snooze-worthy as a tee) you have to spice it up. Take that outfit from blah to glam by adding cute jewelry, bows, and stickers. Throw on some gold hoop earrings and whip out the bangles to add some sassy chic to your look. Try an edgy look with your makeup, winged eyeliner and a shimmery eye shadow, for example. Don’t go too dark with the makeup, though. The Pete’s lighting is as bad as a high school bathroom’s, and any smudge will be noticed!
Want a more girly look? Copy the cheerleaders! Hey, they get on TV, you should too! Grab some white ribbon and prop a cute bow on your high pony. Something about that look just screams sweet, all-American girl. Next, buy some Panther-inspired face stickers from the Pitt Shop and place one right on your check bone. It’s cute and shows your Pittsburgh pride (and really, that’s what the Zoo’s all about). Add a spirited gold eye shadow and ruby red lips to finish off that “Sweet Caroline” look.
4. Cut it up. The final step in making sure that you’re the girl that makes gorilla guy stop and take off his mask to get a glance at you, is fixing up the one dreaded, required garment: The tan (yellow-ish, off white, we don’t really know) tee-shirt built for a 120 pound 6 foot freshmen boy. Ladies, I know it does not show off your goddess-like curves. So cut it up! Trim the sleeves so they don’t look so square. Dice off the tight fighting top and create a 1980s Flashdance off-the-shoulder look. It’ll show off your neck and shoulders. Finally, trim the bottom for a shorter look, but be sure to not make it so short that you’re showing belly; it is still winter. For more intricate shirt cutting techniques check out YouTube and get some inspiration.
When all is said and done, the Oakland Zoo is pure insanity – full of Pitt’s proudest and most animal-like students. While it’s an honor to be part of such a tradition, it doesn’t mean you have to blend in with the rest. Looking stylish is a great perk of being a girl!
And who knows, maybe being the cutest girl in the Zoo could land you a date with Mr. Gorilla Suit … or preferably the starting point guard.
Photo courtesy:
Freshmen, Leah Fein 1/26/12 – Pitt vs. DePaul