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Ivies Survival Guide: Bowdoin Style for Racer-X and the Quad

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Bowdoin chapter.

In the week leading up to Ivies, Her Campus Bowdoin will be providing you with everything you need in our Ivies Survival Guide.

The much-anticipated Ivies week is finally here, read on for tips for what to wear and how to stay looking your best during long days and nights of debauchery.

Thursday: Racer-X

Look the part on this ‘80s inspired night. Start by scouring your closet for neon colors, denim, tube socks and scrunchies, and be glad that this isn’t your everyday apparel (even though it is incredibly fun to play dress up!). If you’re feeling like you just don’t have the perfect ‘80s outfit on hand, get creative! Make a cute ‘80s inspired shirt by cutting up an old t-shirt and pair that with bright colored items such as a sports bra or spandex. That’s the basics…if you’re feeling particularly inspired I’d suggest checking out goodwill or salvation army, they often have wonderfully heinous ‘80s appropriate attire, perfect for a Racer-X event.

Some things to keep in mind: high waisted denim jeans, keds sneakers, poofy and/or sparkly prom dresses, tube socks, lace, more denim, pleather, fingerless gloves, spandex, costume jewelry, side ponytails

Friday & Saturday: Daytime playtime

Must haves: fanny pack or cross body bag, sun glasses, comfortable shoes, jean shorts, disposable camera, sun screen

Both Friday and Saturday are fun-filled days of good music, dancing and a little too much beer. When getting ready for the day keep in mind that you will probably be running around and getting a little messy. For this reason, keep your look simple, comfortable, and machine washable. I would also recommend rocking a fanny-pack or small cross-body bag to hold onto your necessities. Additionally, since you will be on a tight schedule between day and night events it is helpful to wear versatile attire during the day that you can easily transition into an evening appropriate look.

For example, Alexa Chung has the perfect Ivies daytime look, which can be dressed up for a night out by throwing on some heels, a simple tee or tank and statement jewelry.  Rompers are also a great choice for Ivies weekend – they are comfortable and cute for afternoon activities, but can also be easily dressed up for a night out.

Check out  www.festivalstyle.com for more inspiration! Happy Ivies

Joanna Buffum is a senior English major and Anthropology minor at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine.  She is from Morristown, NJ and in the summer of 2009 she was an advertising intern for OK! Magazine and the editorial blog intern for Zagat Survey in New York City. This past summer she was an editorial intern for MTV World's music website called MTV Iggy, writing fun things like album and concert reviews for bands you have never heard of before. Her favorite books are basically anything involving fantasy fiction, especially the Harry Potter series and “Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell” by Susanna Clarke. In her free time she enjoys snowboarding, playing intramural field hockey, watching House MD, and making paninis. In the spring of 2010 she studied abroad in Copenhagen, Denmark, and she misses the friendly, tall, and unusually attractive Danish people more than she can say. After college, she plans on pursuing a career in writing, but it can be anywhere from television script writing, to magazine journalism, to book publishing.