How to Camp on Campus

Mounting the steps of Kresge Hall in a diamond-encrusted chandelier dress is not the most practical, to say the least. Think about the unlucky classmate who will sit next to you with a fake candlestick jabbing into their shoulder or a loose gem splashing into your Norbucks mobile order. It’s a safety hazard, not to mention a huge distraction.

Bringing camp to Northwestern’s campus, as envisioned by looks that graced the 2019 Met Gala, seems like an impossible task. Why bother with the frill and feathers when throwing on a hoodie is so much quicker? 

To Alexander Hernandez Gonzalez, a first-year Medill student and STITCH multimedia staffer, wearing a camp outfit to class serves as a much-needed confidence boost. “It makes me feel empowered because no one's going to look like me,” he says while describing his OOTD, which includes jeans embellished with stars and a vintage Dior slap-on bracelet. “It really doesn’t make sense, but it makes me feel good.”

For Wildcats wanting to experiment with their style or fantasizing about that one statement piece collecting dust in their closet, here’s a list of advice from students and fashion designers on how to put the “camp” in campus.

Get Inspired

The most frustrating part of curating an outfit is not knowing where to begin. Even after digging through your dresser, sometimes you give up, resolve that you just have nothing to wear and pull on some sweatpants so you aren’t late to class. New campers should search for inspiration, especially for a more extravagant outfit. This can mean starting a Pinterest board, scrolling through fashion blogs or, as in the case of Weinberg sophomore Erika Kramer, cataloging your wardrobe. She got the idea from TikToks of people copying PNG images of their ‘fit pics into their notes app. “When I have no idea what to do or what clothes I have, I just look at that,” she says, scrolling through her collection of cut-out mirror selfies. The trick helps on early mornings or whenever inspiration is low. Plus, it saves a good get-up from only being worn once.

Catch up on Camp Culture

Rooted in queer history, camp can be explored by flipping through textbooks on the Rococo period, reading Susan Sontag’s famous “Notes on ‘Camp’” essay or by experiencing the style in action. Jake Wobig, a fashion design student at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), whose work includes an outfit inspired by a queer vintage sailor, says his favorite camp experience is attending a drag show. “With any sort of pageantry, a great place to start [is] anywhere in the queer community,” they say. Boystown, Lakeview and West Loop are popular Chicago neighborhoods where you can find drag events for your next outing.

Play With Your Clothes

You don’t need to drop major cash to make a new campy fit. Just as in designing a physics model or writing a feature article, sometimes all you need is a new angle. Jake references their outfit from the day of our interview as an example. “This jacket, for instance, had these fun ruffles on the inside, so I decided to wear it inside-out,” they say. Consider wearing your jeans backward, a lá junior Josh Do on StitchSpotted, or styling trousers as a shirt, like model Jake Fleming (@itsjakeflemm on TikTok). 

Shop Second-Hand

Sarcastic TikToks about thrifting “the heat” -- ugly or confusing pieces like a “Grucci” t-shirt inspired by the “Despicable Me” character and luxury brand -- may be a turn-off to secondhand shopping, but there are gems hidden in the racks. According to Jake, thrift shops are a must-stop for any camp novice. “They're always the best. It's sustainable. The clothes are better made. They last forever,” they say. “Clothes are terrible quality now. Haunt your vintage stores. You always find the coolest things.”

Get Crafty

There’s no better way to ensure your outfit is unique than to design it yourself. Cherin Kim, a SAIC student specializing in painting, drawing and fibers, is a huge proponent for flipping your thrifts. “Last year I took a pair of jeans, cut it up and sewed it back together, and I made some leg warmers out of it,” she says. No-sew DIY tutorials make it even easier to personalize your pieces. Add bows or safety pins, paint denim jackets or crop t-shirts. You can also try unconventional materials, like Jake. “I grew up as a punk kid, so I was always sewing patches onto my clothes with dental floss,” they say. The options are endless!

Trust Your Gut

At the end of the day, no one knows your style better than you do. The key to mastering camp is to push your boundaries in ways that amplify your originality, according to Courtney, a Weinberg sophomore and musician who performs under the name Teddi. Her day-to-day style ranges anywhere from a “rocker girl” to a “video vixen,” and each part represents a different side of her. “You really have to know and love yourself to be able to express yourself in an honest way,” she says. “People are always gonna say something, so you might as well be yourself than being like everyone else.”

Have Fun!

As excessive and kitschy as camp may be, its purpose is simple. “Have fun with it; why not?” says Alexander. He describes his prom look from the spring, a long puffer trench coat revealing a turquoise suit underneath, as one of his favorite camp outfits. “Everyone was surprised that a Latino man like me was wearing something like that,” he says. “And I was like, well, why not? At the end of the day, I just want to express myself and have fun with fashion.”

Sure, wearing a Moschino cheeseburger to class may raise an eyebrow or two, but the key to mastering camp isn’t in your clothes—it’s in your confidence. With these tips, you can strut down Sheridan like it's a runway and revolutionize your campus style. Happy camping!