OT - Does anyone else feel traitorous wearing green for St. Paddy's Day?
My employer, as I'm sure is common amongst your employers as well, allows employees to break dress code and go casual for St. Patrick's Day SO LONG AS the employee wears green.
Anyways, I'm on a 4/10s (M-Th) schedule so, for me, "Office St. Paddy's Day" is occuring as we speak. This morning, with disgust, I put on the one green shirt I own. Fortunately, I was able to pair it with a pair of my favorite BLUE jeans.
Did I do the right thing? Am I a traitor? Do you ever wear green? Or (gasp) scarlet/gray?
Sincerely,
Conflicted Butterfield.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:07 AM ^
and I will not be wearing it. Plus in kindergarden I threw up eggs that had been died green on that day. Death to green.
CSB- my name is Sam and they fed me green eggs. Thus, death to "Sam I am"
edit: the yes is in response to the first question asked by the OP
March 14th, 2013 at 11:07 AM ^
Not really, but I've been a fan of St. Paddy's day longer than I have been an alum. I was going to say maybe you need to get a life but thought better of it.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:16 AM ^
Don't you worry about me, Michighen. I am pretty happy with the life I have. I'm at work in 75 degree Phoenix Arizona, posting what was supposed to be a fun/irreverant post on company time all the while looking forward to the three day weekend ahead of me.
The post was in fun to generate some discussion on a slow day.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:43 AM ^
and I personally won't be wearing green all weekend. Also, the grass in Michigan isn't even green, it's brown. I wonder if that is why I have never enjoyed St. Patrick's day. Reminds me of the Spartans AND Notre Dame. Yuck.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:49 AM ^
No, you're life sucks. Just ask Mr. Rager.
March 14th, 2013 at 12:33 PM ^
I don't think I've made the your/you're mistake since 2nd grade and am kind of in awe that it happened.
I'll take my flak for it though.
March 14th, 2013 at 12:34 PM ^
March 14th, 2013 at 12:44 PM ^
And it does.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:08 AM ^
March 14th, 2013 at 11:08 AM ^
Call me a scrooge, or maybe it's because I'm not Irish, but I never really got the fascination with St. Patty's Day. The fact that I've seen some people (even established adults) actually take the day off of work to wake up early and wait in line to get trashed from Green Beer all day just blows my mind.
I mean, why St. Patty's Day and not another holiday like President's Day, for example.
To each his own, I guess, but I'm just not understanding the whole fascination.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:16 AM ^
Seriously?
St. Patricks Day is the best holiday of them all:
1.) no church
2.) everyone is invited
3.) Beer
4.) corned beef
what more can you ask for?
March 14th, 2013 at 11:17 AM ^
It's definitely amateur hour (or day). I don't feel guilty wearing green for the day, though I am Irish. I just wear a tie that has a little green it it. It will suffice.
I've always thought that wearing orange was an acceptable alternative. Which should be good for sparty. They have those two colors covered, between their school colors and the jumpsuits from county lock-up. (rimshot!)
March 14th, 2013 at 11:57 AM ^
Orange isn't an alternative. Catholics wear green, Protestants wear orange.
March 14th, 2013 at 12:08 PM ^
???-Could you explain this. Not trying to flame, but I've never heard this before.
I've heard in Glasgow that Catholics wear green and Protastants wear blue (for support of Celtic and Rangers football/soccer clubs), but what is this you bring up?
March 14th, 2013 at 12:21 PM ^
to honor SAINT Patrick. Sainthood is a Catholic thing. Protestants wear Orange to "protest" the Catholic church and support a different way of life. Also, Catholics wore green during a clash in the 18th century in which Anglican/Protestant faiths suffered discrimination and casualties.
There is also an explanation I've heard that may or may not be true:
Catholics wear green to honor St. Pat (who wore blue), because of the Irish flag. Protestants decided to still support Ireland, but not Catholicism, so they chose orange.
Supposedly, wearing white (the third color on the flag) symbolizes the hope for peace and union between the two faiths.
Hope this wasn't too religious/unacceptable for the board. Was just trying to be informative.
To be fair, the color orange is pro-Protestant, not just anti-Catholic.
Irish Protestants wear orange to commemorate William of Orange, the stadholder of the Netherlands (whose royal color is orange) who became king of England (and thus also Ireland and Scotland) in 1688 after the "Glorious Revolution" caused the Catholic James II to be deposed. At the time Protestants in the three kingdoms were feeling ill at ease, given that Protestant England suddenly had a Catholic king at a time when the Catholic King of France (Louis XIV) had abolished the rights of Protestants in his kingdom. Louis, the most powerful king in Europe, was allied with James, so there was a fear that Protestantism in the British Isles would be abolished. William's arrival secured the rights of Protestants, and so they wore orange to honor him.
While Protestants do not venerate saints in the way that Catholics do, they can recognize Patrick as a local hero, having brought Christianity to Ireland. For what it's worth, the traditional Cross of St. Patrick (see below) is neither orange nor green, but red and white. This is the flag that was incorporated into the UK flag.
should have pointed out the positive intention of the orange.
RE: the other stuff--very cool insight! Did not know the specifics, just what a drunken great-grandfather told me before he passed on.
Not like, immediately before he passed on.
Wow. Thank you all for the very informative posts. I just wanted a reason to shoe-horn a joke into this thread about sparties wearing orange jumpers from the pen.
was born and raised in Scotland. I remember she used to make me wear Orange on St. Pattys Day to school. One year, a teacher pinched my cheek for not wearing green and grandmother had a shit fit.
She went to the school and I thought she was going to fight the teacher. She was furrious. Grandmother told my teacher that mgosoftball was neither catholic nor Irish. Thank goodness the Tigers were Orange so every year since, I always wore a Tigers shirt to school. Even today, 150 years later, I still wear Orange mostly to honor my grandmother.
But the point was if you're wearing orange on St. Paddy's day, you're kinda thumbing your nose at it. I mean, if you're an all old school, them's fighting colors type.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^
I won't be working on St. Paddy's Day.
But really, who cares which day it's on? It's all arbitrary. Someone decided to drink on 3/17 and others followed. That's the nature of tradition.
Oh, and I have no problem wearing green, just like I never had a problem wearing my red power tie when searching for a job. My entire wardrobe can't consist of maize and blue (although, I'd wager about 80% of the clothes that I wear are those colors).
March 14th, 2013 at 11:52 AM ^
You would be suprised at how many ways blue can be worn in corporate America via shades or just prints such as puppytooth, bengal stripes, pinstripe, gingham, Prince of Wales etc. and bam before you know it you've got 15 dress shirts that are all within the same color family.
My wife always gets on me for buying too much blue in regards to say polo shirts but when it comes to my dress shirts she has never complained as you just let your tie do the talking (yellow, navy, pink, paisley etc.).
Plus when you branch out into pink and purple (real men wear it) then you find no need for green or red in your wardrobe.
and that is your Mgofashion advice for the day.
You mean, everyone doesn't get hammered on President's Day?
March 14th, 2013 at 11:09 AM ^
If Michigan State is in the Finals on Sunday, you can bet I will not be wearing green.
Needless to say, if Michigan is playing, it's all maize and blue for me.
But when Michigan State isn't playing in a high-profile game, green may sneak into my wardrobe.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^
I'm Dutch, I wear orange......
March 14th, 2013 at 11:40 AM ^
March 14th, 2013 at 12:14 PM ^
March 14th, 2013 at 11:11 AM ^
March 14th, 2013 at 11:12 AM ^
See, all the colors belong to Michigan. It's just that we usually don't need green, so we let our little brother borrow it 364 days out of the year. But when St. Patrick's Day rolls around, then we take it from him.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:14 AM ^
A friend of mine who is a spartan fan wouldn't be caught dead wearing green on St. Patrick's day. I have no problem wearing green any time,except on a week we play them in football or basketball.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:14 AM ^
I have a green st. patty's day UofM hoodie I will be wearing
March 14th, 2013 at 11:14 AM ^
Are you protestant?
March 14th, 2013 at 11:16 AM ^
Easy fix - just wear business professional instead.
P.S. I don't know any employer that allows business casual for St. Patrick's Day. I'm in the wrong profession!
March 14th, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^
The opportunity to shed the monkey suit for a day is hard to pass up. Hence the conflict.
BTW, I'm in the field of architecture/development so focus your job search there!
March 14th, 2013 at 11:50 AM ^
St Patricks day falls on a Sunday this year....so perhaps your employer won't care what you wear.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:17 AM ^
There are a whole bunch of green UM shirts out there right now, if that would help you feel better. It's like someone realized Michigan was good this year, and might actually play basketball on St Paddy's Day, so they needed to capitalize on it.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:17 AM ^
Green or red since about the age of 6 with only a couple exceptions....1) my old man (a M alum) had visions of my eventual attendance at Harvard, so there are photos of me at a young age with a crimson H sweatshirt (along with many wearing blue ones similar to those I do today). 2) I do wear green on St. Patty's. I replace my green Tiger's t-shirt every few years for the occasion. I never feel strange about the Sparty thing, but it does feel a little domerish. I get past it....I'm pretty secure in my love for M.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:18 AM ^
saw one that said "Go Blue". lol
March 14th, 2013 at 11:18 AM ^
You cant hate a color just because a team you don't like uses it, I would have to hate Blue because my hated for all things Cowboys, Duke and Yankees matches my MSU hated.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^
March 14th, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^
Or half anyway. My heritage predates me going to Michigan by a long shot. I feel like these things are entirely unrelated, anyway. Just like how I don't try to yell "Go Blue" at every green car along the highway.
...you're baptized catholic but you're born Irish.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^
If I wear anything special, I wear a grey t-shirt with some logo or writing about St. Patty's day that's in green. So, my primary color is not green.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:20 AM ^
No. I too wear green on St. Patty's, but only on St. Patty's. But i don't give a shit if it's Christmas, NO RED
March 14th, 2013 at 11:26 AM ^
I got an email this morning with some fun facts about St. Patrick's day. I'll list only #1 since it's the most important (and relates to this thread.)
1. The actual color of St. Patrick's Day is blue. Green became associated with St. Patrick's Day during the 19th centry. Green, in Irish legends, was worn by faries and immortals, and also by people to encourage their crops to grow.
So long story short, just rock blue. F Green.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:26 AM ^
Two colors I never wear are red and green. Neither color can truly be considered classy attire. Tans, Browns, Blues, non-highlighter yellows, grays, black, and white these are acceptable colors for a man to wear.
March 14th, 2013 at 11:27 AM ^
March 14th, 2013 at 11:30 AM ^
I think it kinda depends on where you live. In Michigan I wouldnt wear green cause there are a lot of MSU fans around there that would associate me with their school. Down here in Ohio, though, there aren't 15 MSU fans total (for whatever reason Michigan State grads seem to never leave the state) so nobody would have a clue green would be associated with anything BUT St Paddy's day.
What I hate wearing is red for obvious reasons - it makes me feel like I'm one of "them" and I hate that. Today I'm featuring my M blue pullover sweater in honor of the game this afternoon. I get a LOT of wierd "why are you wearing THAT today" type looks but hey you gotta support right?