The Camp Catwalk - What to Wear at Summer Camp
I hate to break it to you fashionistas but camp isn’t a place for ‘drip’. Leave the fashion trends at home and get rid of any clashing phobias, as pink and red is a thing at camp and crocs have been resuscitated.
Tie dye is big at camp.
Tie dye may be something you turn your nose up at initially, but once you're at camp you'll suddenly get an urge to tie dye your socks, shirts and everything in-between. So swap out your usual monotone wardrobe as you will be brightening everyone’s day. Literally. Top tip: Rinse your tie dye before chucking it into the camp laundry otherwise you’ll have nothing but tie dye for the entirety of your summer (not necessarily a bad thing).
You're waking up at the break of dawn to music on loudspeaker and kids ready to embrace what the day has to offer - so there isn’t always time to thoroughly brush through and style your hair. Here’s the two ways I dealt with messy hair: bandanas and space buns. Notorious at camp, you’ll see the campers rocking all sorts of crazy hair styles. So why not join in? A word of warning - bandanas leave tan lines. I repeat. BANDANAS LEAVE TAN LINES (or in my case, burn lines). So in order to avoid looking like Drumstick Squashies, make sure you alternate your chosen style.
No part of your daily look will survive at camp.
Prepare for every inch of your skin to be covered in paint and glitter. Glitter won't leave your hair until the following summer and the paint may last indefinitely but there’s nothing better to remind you of camp year round than an accidental paint tattoo. Camp is also the perfect reason to open up that AU/ Halloween box and make use of all the years worth of collected costumes. There are an endless amount of events throughout the summer that’ll allow you to fully emerse in fancy dress. Tribals, colour war, 4th of July, talent shows and carnivals are just some of the days that encourage counselors to escape their everyday wear and jazz it up a bit - or a lot.
Grab your boots, plaid shirts and cowboy boots for this event requires the costume as well as the sass.
Now I believe this particular event deserves it’s own shoutout. The event I waited 365 days for. The real reason I went back to camp for a second summer. The reason I travelled to Nashville and Texas this summer. The one and only… Hoedown. You know the Hoedown Throwdown that you learnt in secondary school, regardless of whether you watched the Hannah Montana movie or not? Boom, Boom, Clap. Boom de clap, de clap! Well it’s time to drag those moves out of the cupboard and dust them off. Put your thumbs in your belt loops, heals on the ground and get those elbows flapping as you dance the night away to some good ol’ country music!
All in all, beaded necklaces, tutus, morph suits and backcombed hair truly allow you to express yourself whilst at camp. So make the most of it while you can because I can guarantee that wearing your colourful camp attire back home on the tube won't get the same reaction!
