This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Tulane chapter.
Hopefully everyone is aware of two things; one: the first main Mardi Gras parade is this Saturday (Krewe du Vieux) and two: New Orleans is a magical city where public drinking is legal. So, even though public drinking is technically legal, some people might not want to advertise that they’re attempting to drink an entire bottle of Andre by themselves. To all of those ambitious souls, I present a handy-dandy guide to discreetly (or not) drinking alcohol in public. I say it’s for Mardi Gras, but let’s be real, anything can be a party if you put your mind to it.
Classics:
- Flask: When discussing public and portable drinking, I assume the first thing that comes to mind is a flask. Pro tip, buy one that fits in your fanny pack for easy access.
- Starbucks Iced Coffee Cup: Did you know that an entire bottle of wine can fit inside a Trenta iced coffee cup (#TheMoreYouKnow)? If that sounds like a little too much for you, a Venti also does the trick and holds a large amount of liquid. Also, you can just throw it away when you’re done as opposed to worrying about what to do with it.
- Bubba Keg/Travel Mug: A true classic, Bubba Kegs and similar containers are a solid move for Mardi, frat formals, and general debaucherous activities. They can be a little on the expensive side, compared to a $5 Starbucks cup, but they’re worth the money. They do run kind of big, so you can either hold on to an empty one or just continously refilling it.
Wearable:
- The Wine Rack, a.k.a. Wine Bra: Wine bras are the definition of clutch. They make your boobs look GREAT when it’s full, and it’s super convenient. The one that comes up when using Google says that you can fit a whole bottle of wine or a fifth of your favorite alcohol. Plus, no one can question you without looking like a perv. (Alternatively, there is a male version called the Beer Belly).
- Beer Hats: Typically used at sporting events, beer hats or helmets suffer a little bit aesthetically, but are also a convenient, handless option. Chances are wherever you’re at during Mardi is gonna have a large amount of beer, and with this hat you can technically keep four beers on your person at all time (God gave us two hands for a reason).
- Camelbak Backpacks: If you’re a little bad and boujee, or an avid hiker, you either have or can spring for a Camelbak backpack. Since these are actual quality products, you know your alcohol is in good hands. Also, like the other wearable options, this keeps your hands free for harassing float riders to throw you something mister.
Batsh*t Crazy:
- A Watermelon: Hear me out people. Pros: you get watermelon flavored alcohol, you can pretend to be healthy because you’re “eating” your daily serving of fruit, you’re getting a good arm workout. Cons: you’re stuck carrying around a watermelon. I’ll let you choose what to prioritize.
- Gummi Bears: While not technically an open container, if you soak gummies in vodka/any other alcoholic beverage, they will soak up the alcohol and get you DRUNK after eating a couple of them. Just keep a handy little baggie in your fanny pack and you are set for the day.
- Piñata: My personal favorite. I’ve had two Franzia-stuffed piñatas in my time here at Tulane, and my house just bought our third pretty recently. This is pretty easy to accomplish in three simple steps. 1) Buy piñata. 2) Cut open the butt. 3) Shove bag of wine into butt so the nozzle is sticking out of the butt. Voila, you have a wine-filled little buddy. You will make LOTS of friends on the parade route this way, and you’ll gain a lifelong (or day-long) pal that you can carry around with you.
Be safe out there homies. Drink responsibly and get creative with those open containers!