Cath and I are not what you would call outdoorsy. At all. Bugs scare us, we hate being dirty, and quiet, rural camp grounds give us the heebie jeebies. I go camping because I have a group of wonderful friends who (unfathomably) enjoy just that sort of thing, and they make it look easy! Made-from-scratch tortillas over a camp fire? No problem! Getting a tent up in a matter of minutes- in the rain? Piece of cake! Bear fighting skills. Covered. (This has not been tested, but I’m 97% sure this is true).
So I thought I would share with you what I’m good at when camping: what to wear. See below for evidence:
1) Even non-outdoorsy types like myself know that layers are key. The more scarves and ponchos the better! Particularly in the dead of summer. Keep it breezy with a pair of short shorts. Mosquitoes become distracted and disoriented amongst wool and will therefor spare your legs. Oh and for godsakes do NOT take off a layer even if you get toasty. It ruins The Look.
2) Don’t listen to those softies well-seasoned campers. Heels are a must. This adds height to your stature and deters bear attacks (fact: bears are notoriously fearful of tall women. I wear stilts when hiking.). Also, keep the midriff exposed. Bears find it depressing when comparing your abs of steal to their hibernation flab. Seriously, they’ll spend the rest of the season far from you, and in front of a pond looking at their reflection wishing they could loose just 20 lbs more.
Camp fire tip (see photo for details): want to wow those friends who make homemade brownies over an open flame? Try roasted PBR can, brings them to their knees every time.
3) No showers? No problem! Hit the bottled Evian to keep your hair photo-ready. This is not only great for your hair but pretty good for the environment too, especially if you just leave the empty bottles (say 10-15 per wash) at your camp site when you leave. Keep your sunglasses on whilst washing for better results.
To re-cap: layers (except on your legs), heels, midriffs, water bottles. You can now survive any outdoor adventure fashionably!
In all seriousness, I wish I could look like this when I camp, but I’m afraid not all the Shopbop in the world could make up for a lack of a shower and sleeping on gravel. I usually tend to wear what I call my ugly pants (North Face zip-offs), cut-offs, and tees. Hence the lack of photos from this past weekend’s outing. Next time I’ll bring my hair and make-up people with me.
LOL!!! don’t get how heels deter bears, but nice tip! 😉
Hehe- whoops! I got edit happy and took out that explanation- just put it back in. Hope the stilts tip helps!
these are all things to keep in mind for my next camping trip! thanks!
I am *not* an outdoorsy camping person either, or so I thought, for all the same reasons you raised. Then Hubby made me go @ Yosemite National Park and as it turns out, I quite enjoy camping!
Heels and midriff. Got it. Will do the next time to ward off them bears. =) Cute post!
hahaha awesome! oh shopbob camping in heels? i love love love camping and i could only imagine the looks my friends would give me if i showed up in 5 inch combat boots.
why is our well-heeled friend burning beer cans on the fire pit?
It was only confirmed to me that you were being massively sarcastic when I read the bit about leaving your empty bottles behind. You’re really really good at this tone!
Ahhh, gals, you crack me up.
My idea of camping is any hotel that doesn’t have room service! And I am not friends with people who camp. It just isn’t right.
This is awesome. The tone of this post drips your new found love of camping 🙂 Looking forward to more fun trips in the future.
Big fan of your blog! I live in Buckhead, but venture towards Decatur every now and then. There’s so many fun places I still have yet to check out!
-E
Hilarious post!!! ha ha ha Yes the Shobop looks lovely but in reality! ha ha ha
LOL you girls are too funny but I love that you actually made this post because I’m going camping this weekend and I was literally planning in my head what I wanted to wear. so thank you 🙂 I got some great ideas!
This post was hilarious! I’m not outdoorsy either, but I went to a high school with an “alternative” program that stressed environmental stewardship and outdoorsiness, so every year we went on a week-long camping trip on Vancouver Island. Lord knows how I survived, but I did discover I prefer canoeing and kayaking over hiking.
I love camping, but I haven’t done it since college. I have never camped for real with my husband even though we’ve been together for 5.5 years. We’ve camped in the back of my station wagon, though. That was painful.
And yes, I’m in leggings or sweats the whole time. Who worries about fashion when they’re camping?
XX.
Mae Lu, thereafterish.
nice post lovElies. i really enjoyed it! well i gotta say im very ambivalent about camping- as i feel dirty as soon as i enter the woods- and feel like a shower at once– but at the same time i love camping- because of how cosy it is but one or two nights are enough
i love walking in the mountains a lot would love to walk with you girlies 😉
wishing you a wonderful midweek
xx ediot
I’m with you ladies. You’d have to drag me kicking and screaming haha. Great post though, made me giggle.
xoxo
thats some chic camping gear!! i could sport some ShopBob around my campsite, and love it!
i actually really really like camping, just not in this muggy summer heat. but once it cools down, you can find me in the N. GA woods for sure!
jess s//
Wow! Camping! That’s the best thing I can do. Be carefree and just be with nature.
btw, I so love those boots from shopbop. hilarious!
hilarious! one of my fave posts from you all time. i feel exactly how you do about camping – let’s just say the only camping i’ll do is “luxury” campingi which i did on safari in africa. they set everything up for you and there’s toilets and showers etc.
Haha! Love this, I am soooo not outdoorsy either and I’ve been to festivals and those were an experience and a half!
Haha that was awesome. I recently went camping and I am definitely not the most outdoorsy type either. I brought tees, tanks, and cutoffs and LOTS of mosquito spray. Also I brought Dust It-dry shampoo so whilst you’re not showering your hair doesn’t have to look like it took a bath in a vat of grease. 😉
haha Camping is the shizz! You know you secretly love it. Is it bad that I wear the same gear camping as I do every other day?