Worst-dressed cities list in GQ says people in Boulder look better naked

By Michael Roberts Thu., Jul. 14 2011 at 7:40 AM

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Boulder is so accustomed to winning awards -- from being named the Happiest City in the USA to serving as home of CU, America's Top Party School -- that it's something of a shock to see the town wind up on a negative list.

But it's happened: GQ says Boulder is one of the forty worst-dressed cities, albeit in a way that offers a backhanded compliment.

First of all, Boulder places in fortieth place, meaning it's the least lousy of the losers. (The top -- or bottom, depending on how you look at it -- ten will be made public on Friday.) And while writer Nurit Zunger knocks Boulderites from choosing between three major categories of clothing (anything made by North Face or Patagonia, plus fanny packs) and turning Adidas, Crocs and Uggs into seasonal trends to be rocked while downing a wheatgrass shot and a vegan "cookie," the blurb includes a humorous burst of positivity:

Of Boulder's 100,000 people, about 30,000 are students, some 99.9% are blonde, and all of them in better shape than you. This town is always obnoxiously flaunting its "fittest-place-in-the-country" awards, and you will be hard-pressed to find one person here, including your 85-year-old grandmother, without a six-pack. It is, in fact, a worst-dressed city that looks best naked. So Boulderites, do your fellow citizens a favor: next time you reach for the biking-shorts-and-sneakers as eveningwear combo, just take it all off.

You heard it, Boulder. Time to make the Naked Pumpkin Run a daily event!

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