A few days ago, I knocked on my friend’s door in the middle of the afternoon to use her printer. She answered wearing a shiny silver morph suit, complete with a hood and tight elastic around the hole where her face fit.
“It’s for a date function!” she claimed, laughing and citing “Zenon Girl of the 21st Century,” the Disney Channel Original Movie she was drawing inspiration from. “I asked my mom to bring up all my old dance costumes — I figured they’d come in handy for themes!”
This is not an uncommon occurrence at U.Va. When I first packed up my suitcases and prepared to move in at the beginning of the year, my bags were filled with shorts, tee shirts and a few sundresses — standard fare for college students, right? However, with each trip I make home, I find myself returning to Grounds with bags packed with far less traditional pieces: a girl scout vest, a tawdry Hawaiian shirt, a wide-brimmed witch’s hat.
And my collection pales in comparison to some: friends of mine keep drawers full of fake beards and wigs, capes and all sorts of colored and patterned leggings on hand, ready for any “rhyme without reason” that a social chair can throw their way. Some of the truly dedicated have even been known to bring outfit changes with them to better adhere to dress codes on nights they are double-booked.
I revel in the chance to dig up gems from the long-forgotten “dress-up bin” in my basement that used to give me to much joy as a kid: fairy princess crowns, a Madeline-inspired blue cape-coat I wore for three Halloweens in a row, more tulle than any human should own.
Even when an item I come across can’t be repurposed for college — I’m really not sure what I’m supposed to do with those glittery, plastic shoes I found at the bottom of the trunk, but I’m certainly not about to get rid of them — it always makes me pleasantly nostalgic to be reminded of the times when I used to wear princess costumes and wave magic wands.
Moreover, date functions and theme parties are never the time to worry about perception. While some might tell you it feels less awkward to don the conventional cat costume, I can promise you my friend decked out in head to toe silver spandex is going to be having a way better time.
Nothing is deemed too silly or too bold, and you’ll almost never see a bystander giving you strange looks. While they may not be the one wearing wings and carrying a wand as they strut down the Corner at this particular moment in time, chances are, they’ve all been there at one point or another.
Very little makes me happier than the student body’s collective dedication to themes. I love riding trolleys with people decked out in unicorn horns, flannel pajamas, camouflage pants or anything in between. And who doesn’t appreciate the chance to put on a ridiculous costume and be something new for a change? For all the stress and responsibilities daily life at the University can occasionally bring, sometimes it’s nice to put on a cowboy hat, tie a bandana around your neck and play a little dress up.
Kristin’s column runs biweekly Tuesdays. She can be reached at k.murtha@cavalierdaily.com.
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