Summer Style: Five American Summer Camp Style Classics

Although the lakes of Maine and the rivers of Wisconsin are a about as far from the catwalks of Paris as one can travel, at many camps it seemed as if Madison Avenue was just around the corner. The brands never seemed to change. Esprit, Camp Beverly Hills, or EG’s. But what truly set the stylish apart was less the clothes, and more that je ne sais quoi of confidence, ripeness and poise, and well as a killer ability to accessorize. Here is a look back at some of the brands and styles we sported with pride when American Apparel was just a twinkle in Dov Charney’s eye…

The Champion sweatshirt: The camp equivalent of the little black dress.

Esprit: The Prada of its day.

Keds: The progenitor of Jimmy Choos. Canvas for everyday. Leather for socials (as below.) Always in white.

A numbing of taste led to the tie dying of everything.

The Uniform: Some camps tried to level the playing field by enforcing uniforms, but even with their confines, campers would develop an intricate hierarchy involving the right brand, length of shorts, or vintage sweats to create a complex hierarchy and sense of cool.