Photo: Courtesy of HBO/Orange Is The New Black.One Michigan sheriff has decided to shelve the orange uniforms at Saginaw County Jail after a certain Netflix series upped their popularity. “It’s because as you see shows on television, like ‘Orange Is The New Black,’ some people think it’s cool to look like an inmate of the Saginaw County Jail with wearing all-orange jumpsuits out at the mall or in public,” Saginaw County Sheriff William Federspiel told MLive.com. “It’s a concern, because we do have our inmates out sometimes doing work in the public, and I don’t want anyone to confuse them or have them walk away.” (Reuters adds Federspiel’s decision came after a juror wore head-to-toe orange to a trial, a tactic I would use to get out of jury duty.)
Instead, inmates will wear black-and-white horizontal stripes — universally unflattering, even on Halloween. And, sure, there have been complaints. “They don’t like it. They’ve been very verbal,” Federspiel said to MLive.com, adding, “[M]y response is, ‘Too bad. Don’t come to jail.’... I didn’t ask you to come wear this uniform.”
But, Mr. Healy! (Really, this storyline should be worked into season 3 of OITNB.) Federspiel called confinement fashion "cyclical," adding that "there will come a time in the future when I change back to another color or different attire.” Perhaps for fall/winter 2015.