1972: The "Freaky Fifth!!" Reunion
Princeton University. Property of the Trustees of Princeton University. Photo source: PAW 6-27-1972; Logo source and copyright: Princeton Class of 1967
Princeton University. Property of the Trustees of Princeton University. Photo source: PAW 6-27-1972; Logo source and copyright: Princeton Class of 1967
Five years on from graduation, Vietnam was still much in the news. Riffing ironically on the occasional hippie habit of wearing army-surplus items, Gus and Reunion co-Chairman Rick Hesel came up with the idea of wearing jungle-fatigue jackets for a “Freaky Fifth!!” Reunion. These fatigues introduced a rather novel hue into the P-rade—olive drab. A dash of Princeton color was supplied via orange rectangular badges and circular shoulder patches with the Class numerals in black. No official hat or pants were issued. Guys were free to wear whatever else they liked with the jackets; some accessorized them with a bit of hippie gear, like the flower-print bellbottoms shown here in a Freaky Foto of the P-rade. The minimalist outfit was certainly comfy. It also continued a cheap-’n’-cheerful (if gently sardonic) approach to costume design.