STITCH Style Guide: Going Out

More likely than not, if you’re a college student, you have probably been to an open party. There’s just something so characteristically cliché about the dark basements, dirty floors, and sweaty underclassmen dancing to the beat of overplayed pop music that beckons to students across campus. However, navigating this landscape requires more than just a good set of partygoers by your side, but a specific set of armor to withstand the elements.

First and foremost is the infamous fracket - aka the frat jacket. As any Evanston resident knows (especially if you live on South Campus), the Lake Michigan winds and winters can be brutal. Trekking to the frat quad after the sun has gone down is almost unthinkable without a warm, sturdy fracket. The key to finding the perfect fracket is searching for a jacket that is warm, cheap and relatively fashion-forward. I recommend scouring the aisles of thrift stores for something that is price conscious and also something you will not get too attached to. Because let’s be real, you never know when your trusty fracket will be lost to the elements (i.e. spilled drinks, trampling feet, or lost in the abyss of the fraternity house). Another plus side of thrift shopping is no one else on campus will own the same jacket as you so it will be easily identifiable amongst the monstrous pile near the door.

The next article of clothing to add to your armor is something every partygoer needs all year around, not just in the depths of winter: the rugged party shoes. Unless you know that no drinks will be spilled or no dirt will be trekked into the basement, you cannot risk wearing nice shoes to a fraternity. If you have made the mistake before, you understand what I mean when I describe the feeling of utmost despair to realize your white sneakers transformed overnight from white to a canvas of browns, blacks, and who knows what else. Choose a pair of well-worn, low cost sneakers in a color that not only conceals stains, but also matches most outfits (I recommend black Vans). You also want them to be comfortable enough to dance the night away in.           

Lastly, before you enter the humid depths of a party room, think twice about how you are going to style your hair. If your hair is even slightly wavy or curly, straightening it will merely be a waste of time and energy. By the end of the night you’ll be walking back to your room with a frizzy, curly, uncontrollable mess, and wonder why you bothered to heat damage your hair in the first place. Instead, I suggest leaving your hair natural, but styling it in an up-do of sorts. Whether it be braids, space buns, or a flirty pony, any style that gets the hair out of your face and in a secure position is an effective one. It also reduces your chances of heat stroke immensely.

With the perfect fracket, shoes, and hairstyle you’re guaranteed to tear up the dance floor.